The essential guide to living with orthostatic intolerance. Orthostatic intolerance (OI) describes a group of circulatory disorders whose symptoms are characterized by a dramatic drop in blood flow to the brain when people sit down or stand up. It is often associated with other acute issues, such as substantial drops in blood pressure, tachycardia, dizziness, and fainting, or long-term problems, such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and "long COVID." Living Well with Orthostatic Intolerance is an indispensable guide for those diagnosed with the disorder, their families, and physicians. Written by Peter C. Rowe, MD, a pediatrician, researcher, and professor who directs the Chronic Fatigue Clinic at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, this guide explains: • The symptoms, causes, and different forms of OI • What a diagnosis of OI entails • How to manage OI symptoms using medications, physical therapy, and other treatments • How diet affects OI Guided by decades of research on managing and treating OI patients, Dr. Rowe provides illustrative case studies to help explain the disease and includes additional resources for further information.

Second EditionPOTS - Together We Stand: Riding the Waves of Dysautonomia is a collaborative effort of many doctors, teachers, counselors, parents and patients who wove this tapestry. Initially conceptualized as a survival guide for children, teens, young adults and parents; it quickly transcended into this unprecedented, critical volume. This encompassing work responds to the many desperate and heartbreaking pleas of those affected by dysautonomia; included are clear explanations of medical information, evidenced-based research, best practices for clinical diagnoses and treatment options, alternative/complimentary medicine approaches, non-medical strategies, coping techniques, helpful tips, patient rights and options, and inspiring narrative accounts of people living with the syndrome around the globe. The book contributors and its readers join hand in hand to represent the POTS dysautonomia community's shared struggles and hopes, concerns and endeavors, unequivocally serving as a living testament that "Together We Stand." This is the 3rd Edition!

This book describes the varying clinical manifestations of postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) and provides a robust yet practical set of clinical tools for those managing patients suffering with this syndrome. Guidance is provided by a range of disciplines relevant to PoTS including general and specialist assessments, associated conditions, diagnostic considerations, therapy and service models. Postural Tachycardia Syndrome: A Concise and Practical Guide to Management and Associated Conditions presents the scientific background and practical information for the busy medical professional, illustrating key features with care-based materials to help them manage this condition, which can be a challenge for patients and clinicians alike.

"The Dysautonomia Project" is a much needed tool for physicians, patients, or caregivers looking to arm themselves with the power of knowledge. It combines current publications from leaders in the field of autonomic disorders with explanations for doctors and patients about the signs and symptoms, which will aid in reducing the six-year lead time to diagnosis.

This book provides a comprehensive and practical guide to orthostatic hypotension (OH) for doctors and nurses involved in the care of older adults, together with a state-of-the-art update on OH, covering its epidemiology, pathophysiology, assessment, diagnosis, causes, prevention, management, and relevance for geriatric practice. In addition, it addresses mechanisms of orthostatic tolerance and other orthostasis related conditions, as well as drugs, comorbidities and geriatric syndromes related to OH. The homeostatic ability to maintain blood pressure while standing requires an adequate blood volume and the integrity of the nervous system, heart, blood vessels and muscle pump. However, in older adults, some age-related factors can contribute to the development of OH. For example, decreased baroreflex sensitivity, α-1-adrenergic vasoconstrictor response to sympathetic stimuli, parasympathetic activity, renal salt and water conservation, increased vascular stiffness and decreased ventricular diastolic filling, as well as concentrated capacities of the kidney may be associated with changes in postural blood pressure. It has also been shown that OH is associated with falls, cardiac events, heart failure, stroke, reduced quality of life, and increased risk of overall mortality in these patients. “Orthostatic Hypotension in Older Adults” will be of considerable interest to all professionals working in the fields of geriatrics, geriatric psychiatry, neurology, internal medicine, cardiology, and emergency medicine, or working with older people in hospitals or in their community.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are serious, debilitating conditions that affect millions of people in the United States and around the world. ME/CFS can cause significant impairment and disability. Despite substantial efforts by researchers to better understand ME/CFS, there is no known cause or effective treatment. Diagnosing the disease remains a challenge, and patients often struggle with their illness for years before an identification is made. Some health care providers have been skeptical about the serious physiological - rather than psychological - nature of the illness. Once diagnosed, patients often complain of receiving hostility from their health care provider as well as being subjected to treatment strategies that exacerbate their symptoms. Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome proposes new diagnostic clinical criteria for ME/CFS and a new term for the illness - systemic exertion intolerance disease(SEID). According to this report, the term myalgic encephalomyelitis does not accurately describe this illness, and the term chronic fatigue syndrome can result in trivialization and stigmatization for patients afflicted with this illness. Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome stresses that SEID is a medical - not a psychiatric or psychological - illness. This report lists the major symptoms of SEID and recommends a diagnostic process.One of the report's most important conclusions is that a thorough history, physical examination, and targeted work-up are necessary and often sufficient for diagnosis. The new criteria will allow a large percentage of undiagnosed patients to receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate care. Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome will be a valuable resource to promote the prompt diagnosis of patients with this complex, multisystem, and often devastating disorder; enhance public understanding; and provide a firm foundation for future improvements in diagnosis and treatment.

Pediatrician Plaut, a specialist in asthma treatment (Children with Asthma: A Guide for Parents, not reviewed, etc.), makes no bones about it: A well-informed patient, working with a knowledgeable health-care practitioner, can control his or her disease so completely that 'you will have symptoms no more than two days per week, will rarely miss school or work because of asthma, will rarely require an urgent visit to the doctor or emergency room, and will be able to exercise as long and as hard as anyone else.' Plaut goes on to provide readers-even those suffering frequent severe attacks of the disease-with the tools and an action plan for reaching these goals. He explains the anatomy and physiology of the disease; what asthma medications are available and how to use them (the proper technique when inhaling a medication is vital); and how to monitor and interpret peak flow (a measure of lung function and the most important early indicator of trouble). Plaut then discusses treatment plans in depth and includes clear, well-designed forms for tracking the disease and its treatment, plus a short 'asthma diary' for patients and their physicians. First-rate help, indispensable for those with asthma. ($30,000 ad/promo) ; 336 pg.-

Since their first application in 1982, Totally Implantable Venous Access Devices (TIVADs) have become increasingly important in the clinical practice, as more intensive chemotherapy and parenteral treatments have come into use. At this time, there is objective evidence that TIVADs are a safe, effective strategy for long-term venous access; they play a significant role throughout the management of the oncology patient, as they are needed in the initial phases for active treatments as well as in the last stages for palliative measures, making possible repeated administration of chemotherapeutic vesicant agents, nutrients, antibiotics, analgesics, and blood products. According to a number of prospective studies, use of TIVADs is associated with a significant complication rate (10% to 25% of all patients). Evidence-based data support that most complications are directly related to inappropriate technique of placement and/or nursing care, sometimes leading to TIVAD loss, significant morbidity, increased duration of hospitalization, and additional medical cost. A group of world-renowned experts - both in the clinical and research fields – contributed to this volume, whose aim is to provide clinicians, nurses and medical students with a multidisciplinary, full update on these devices, as long term central venous access can no be longer considered a routine matter, and serious complications can be maintained at a very low level only if strict adherence to a well-defined protocol of surgical technique and of catheter care is maintained.

Stepfamilies represent an increasing number of American households and shape the upbringing of countless stepchildren. Despite their prominence in society, our knowledge about these families is very limited. To address this deficit, the editors have drawn together the work of 16 nationally known scholars to deal with four questions: * Marriages that create stepfamilies: Why do they occur? Fail? Succeed? * How do stepfamilies function as child rearing environments? * How do stepfamilies function as sources of support in later life? * Building research and policy agendas: What is needed? In seeking answers to these questions, the book bridges the disciplines of psychology, sociology, social psychology, child development, demography, law and policy. Readers will gain an understanding of the current knowledge about stepfamilies, obtain an appreciation of the diverse views on a variety of stepfamily issues, learn about existing and anticipated laws and policies that affect stepfamilies, and acquire ideas on needed research and policy agendas. Chapter authors are leading figures in psychology, sociology, demography, human development, and family law; their contributions are valuable to researchers, teachers, and students as well as policymakers and legislatures.

Infections are among the most frequent complications in patients with hematological malignancies and in those undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A profound knowledge on the epidemiology, diagnostic approaches, treatment modalities and prophylactic strategies is essential for the clinical management of these complications in patients who are often severely immunocompromised owing to their underlying diseases and in particular, the intensive myelosuppressive chemo and immunotherapy. This textbook provides a clinically oriented, compact and up-to-date overview on infections in hematology patients and their management. The typical pathogens to be considered in different subgroups of patients are identified and further aspects of the microbiological background are explored. Clinical, imaging, and laboratory-based diagnostic techniques are discussed and therapeutic strategies appropriate to different situations are then presented, with due attention to the pitfalls, toxicities and interactions that can arise during antimicrobial treatment. Strategies to prevent infection are also outlined, encompassing antimicrobial prophylaxis, isolation procedures, hospital hygiene, protective immunization and the use of hematopoietic growth factors.