An Atlas of Osteoarthritis

For years physicians considered osteoarthritis(OA) a routine chronic disorder for which they had little to offer patients. Recent studies in animal models of OA indicate that the development and progression of this disease may be prevented or, at least, slowed, by pharmacologic or biologic therapies. In addition, a clear understanding of the symptomatic therapy of this disease - both medicinal and non-medicinal - has emerged within the past few years. An Atlas of Osteoarthritis provides a broad overview of OA that will be of practical value to primary care physicians, residents, and house officers and enable them to treat patients more effectively and more safely.

The book presents background information on epidemiology, pathology, and pathogenesis, covers all aspects of diagnosis and treatment, describes clinical features with special attention to diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and highlights the important role of orthopedic surgery. It includes the spectrum of nonmedicinal measures that represents the keystone of osteoarthritis management. The author discusses disease-modifying drugs as potential future therapies and presents a rational approach to the management of patients with OA. In addition, he reviews the appropriate use of simple analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including specific Cox-2 inhibitors, opioids, and intra-articular injections of glucocorticoid and hyaluronic acid.

A focused text supported by clinical color photographs, drawings, and radiographs, An Atlas of Osteoarthritis gives you a clear understanding of the diagnosis, the possible pitfalls in the diagnosis and the treatment of OA.