Gastrointestinal Problems in General Practice

Gastrointerstinal problems account for about 10 percent of the work of general practitioners and about the same proportion of patients admitted to hospitals. This book deals with gastrointestinal problems in general practice. Since the care of these patients is frequently undertaken jointly between general practitioner and a medical or surgical specialist who is involved in primary care in a clinical or reseaarch cpacity. The book deals with the common gastrointestinal problems confronting general practitioners and considers the underlying causes of a range of symptoms and conditions. It describes the management of patients with these problems in primary care, in hospital medicine, and at the interface between the two. As well as discussing common problems such as dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease and irritable bowel syndrome, there are specific chapters on gastrointestinal cancer, on surgery of the gastrointestinal tract, and on future developments that will have an impact on the work of the general practitioner.