The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a screening tool called the Listing of Impairments to identify claimants who are so severely impaired that they cannot work at all and thus immediately qualify for benefits. In this report, the IOM makes several recommendations for improving SSA's capacity to determine disability benefits more quickly and efficiently using the Listings.

Chronic diseases are common and costly, yet they are also among the most preventable health problems. Comprehensive and accurate disease surveillance systems are needed to implement successful efforts which will reduce the burden of chronic diseases on the U.S. population. A number of sources of surveillance data-including population surveys, cohort studies, disease registries, administrative health data, and vital statistics-contribute critical information about chronic disease. But no central surveillance system provides the information needed to analyze how chronic disease impacts the U.S. population, to identify public health priorities, or to track the progress of preventive efforts. A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases outlines a conceptual framework for building a national chronic disease surveillance system focused primarily on cardiovascular and chronic lung diseases. This system should be capable of providing data on disparities in incidence and prevalence of the diseases by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic region, along with data on disease risk factors, clinical care delivery, and functional health outcomes. This coordinated surveillance system is needed to integrate and expand existing information across the multiple levels of decision making in order to generate actionable, timely knowledge for a range of stakeholders at the local, state or regional, and national levels. The recommendations presented in A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases focus on data collection, resource allocation, monitoring activities, and implementation. The report also recommends that systems evolve along with new knowledge about emerging risk factors, advancing technologies, and new understanding of the basis for disease. This report will inform decision-making among federal health agencies, especially the Department of Health and Human Services; public health and clinical practitioners; non-governmental organizations; and policy makers, among others.

Electrocardiography is an essential tool in diagnosing cardiacdisorders. This second edition of the ABC of ClinicalElectrocardiography allows readers to become familiar with the widerange of patterns seen in the electrocardiogram in clinicalpractice and covers the fundamentals of ECG interpretation andanalysis. Fully revised and updated, this edition includes a self-assessmentsection to aid revision and check comprehension, clear anatomicaldiagrams to illustrate key points and a larger format to show12-lead ECGs clearly and without truncation. Edited and written by leading experts, the ABC of ClinicalElectrocardiography is a valuable text for anyone managing patientswith heart disorders, both in general practice and in hospitals.Junior doctors and nurses, especially those working in cardiologyand emergency departments, as well as medical students, will findthis a vaulable introduction to the understanding of this keyclinical tool.

1. As they say, you are as young as your heart! This book brings out the important heart tests one must take to add 15 years to life. 2. What is Echocardiogram? Why is it an important heart test? 3. The book gives basic details about the heart structure and the blood flow in our body. 4. The author includes other heart tests which can be undertaken to ensure a healthy heart and thus a healthy body! 5. The book gives an insight into why Echocardiogram is so cool and why it should be undertaken starting age 30? 6. The book also points out the costs of heart tests.

Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease is a concise, yet comprehensive, clinical resource highlighting must-know information on rheumatic heart disease and acute rheumatic fever from a global perspective. Covering the major issues dominating the field, this practical resource presents sufficient detail for a deep and thorough understanding of the latest treatment options, potential complications, and disease management strategies to improve patient outcomes. - Divided into four distinct sections for ease of navigation: Acute Rheumatic Fever, Rheumatic Heart Disease, Population-Based Strategies for Disease Control, and Acute and Emergency Presentations. - International editors and chapter authors ensure a truly global perspective. - Covers all clinical aspects, including epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis, management, and treatment. - Includes key topics on population-based measures for disease control for effective primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. - Consolidates today's available information and guidance into a single, convenient resource.

Find fast answers to inform your daily diagnosis and treatment decisions! Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2021 uses the popular "5 books in 1" format to deliver vast amounts of information in a clinically relevant, user-friendly manner. This bestselling reference has been significantly updated to provide you with easy access to answers on 1,000 common medical conditions, including diseases and disorders, differential diagnoses, clinical algorithms, laboratory tests, and clinical practice guidelines—all carefully reviewed by experts in key clinical fields. Extensive algorithms, along with hundreds of new figures and tables, ensure that you stay current with today's medical practice. Contains significant updates throughout, covering all aspects of current diagnosis and treatment. Features 27 all-new topics including chronic rhinosinusitis, subclinical brain infarction, reflux-cough syndrome, radiation pneumonitis, catatonia, end-stage renal disease, and genitourinary syndrome of menopause, among others. Includes new appendices covering common herbs in integrated medicine and herbal activities against pain and chronic diseases; palliative care; and preoperative evaluation. Offers online access to Patient Teaching Guides in both English and Spanish.

Congenital heart disease with its worldwide incidence of 1% is themost common inborn defect. Increasingly, patients are living intoadulthood, with ongoing congenital heart and other medical needs.Sadly, only a small minority have specialist follow-up. However,all patients see their family doctor and may also seek advice fromother health professionals. This practical guide with its straightforward a,b,c approach iswritten for those professionals. Special features of this book: • Introduces the principles of congenital heart diseaseand tells you whom and when to refer for specialist care • Discusses common congenital heart lesions in a practical,easy-to-follow way, with an emphasis on diagnosis and managementissues • Includes an extensive chapter on 'Pregnancy andContraception' (by Philip J. Steer), essential both for familyplanning and for managing safely the pregnant woman with congenitalheart disease • Includes chapters on non-cardiac surgery and lifestyleissues such as work, insurability, travel and driving • Provides invaluable information on dealing with commonemergencies; what to do and what not to do With a wealth of illustrations (including diagrams, EKGs, CXRs,Echos and cardiac MRIs) and with key point tables, this is anessential guide for all health care professionals managing patientswith adult congenital heart disease.

In November 1986, I was invited to attend a symposium held in Barcelona on Diseases of the Pericardium. The course was directed by Dr. J. Soler-Soler, director of Cardiology at Hospital General Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona. During my brief but delightful visit to this institution, my appreciation of the depth and breadth of study into pericardial diseases, carried out by Dr. Soler and his group, grew into the conviction that these clinical investigators have accumulated a wealth of information concerning pericardial diseases, and that investigators and clinicians practicing in English speaking countries would greatly profit from ready access to the results of the clinical investiga tions into pericardial disease carried out in Barcelona. The proceedings of the Barcelona conference were published in a beauti fully executed volume in the Spanish language edited by Dr. Soler and pro duced by Ediciones Doyma. Because I believe that this work should be brought to the attention of the English speaking scientific and clinical com munities, I encouraged Dr. Soler to have the book translated into English. I knew that this task could be accomplished and that the book would be trans lated into good English without change of its content. My confidence was based upon a translation of my own book, The Pericardium, into Spanish undertaken by Dr. Permanyer, who is a contributor and co-editor of the pre sent volume.