List Books » Merck Manual of Health and Aging: The Complete Home Guide to Healthcare and Healthy Aging For Older People and Those Who Care About Them
Authors: Mark H. Beers (Editor), Thomas V. Jones
ISBN-13: 9780911910360, ISBN-10: 0911910360
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
Date Published: May 2004
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Mark H. Beers MD has been editor-in-chief of The Merck Manual since 2000. He is an associate Clinical Professor of Medicine-MCP at Drexel University.
Home reference manual for older people and those who care about them.
This mammoth reference book begins with the premise that "[t]he need for good, unbiased health care information runs deep, whether people are seeking to become more active in caring for themselves or others." It then goes on to provide for that need, covering all aspects of health changes through the process of aging, and explaining how to prevent or manage those changes. The book is easy to navigate and cross-reference, and includes simple but useful drawings to explain such conditions as aneurysms, heart valve disorders and pressure sores (aka bedsores). The first two sections address "the fundamentals of aging" (why aging occurs, how it affects the body and how it's changing the U.S.) and "caring for self and others," including preventive care, nutrition, appropriate use of drugs and other topics. The authors then go through an in-depth discussion of medical conditions that can affect the elderly, explaining symptoms, treatment and aftercare. This chapter supplies sound information to enhance interaction with health care providers and enable continuity of care, for both patients and caregivers. The final section covers social, legal and ethical issues and includes a guide to paying for health care and a useful reference table for prescription drugs. Twenty-five inspiring essays by seniors are sprinkled throughout the text, giving this encyclopedic text a human aspect. This excellent handbook is an essential resource for mature people, their families and caregivers. (On sale May 18) Forecast: With a recognizable name and authoritative voice, this manual speaks to both older adults and those who care for them. The publisher plans a 100,000-copy first printing, consumer ads and an extensive media tour. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Section 1 | Fundamentals of Aging | |
1 | Age-Old Questions | 1 |
When Does a Person Become Old? | 3 | |
Why Does the Body Change? | 4 | |
Why Does Function Decline? | 5 | |
2 | How the Body Ages | 7 |
Eyes | 7 | |
Ears | 10 | |
Mouth and Nose | 11 | |
Skin | 11 | |
Bones and Joints | 12 | |
Muscles and Body Fat | 13 | |
Brain and Nervous System | 14 | |
Heart and Blood Vessels | 14 | |
Muscles of Breathing and the Lungs | 15 | |
Digestive System | 15 | |
Kidneys and Urinary Tract | 16 | |
Reproductive Organs | 16 | |
Endocrine System | 17 | |
Immune System | 18 | |
3 | The Aging of America | 18 |
Finances | 20 | |
Living Arrangements | 21 | |
Disability and Disease | 22 | |
Causes of Death | 23 | |
Worldwide Aging | 25 | |
Section 2 | Caring for Self and Others | |
4 | Preventive Medical Care | 27 |
Goals of Prevention | 28 | |
Tools of Prevention | 29 | |
5 | Maintaining Good Nutrition | 35 |
6 | Drugs and Aging | 43 |
7 | Complementary or Alternative Medicine | 52 |
Dietary Supplements | 55 | |
Chiropractic | 73 | |
Acupuncture | 74 | |
Magnet Therapy | 75 | |
Homeopathy | 75 | |
8 | Communicating With Health Care Practitioners | 78 |
Selecting a Primary Care Doctor | 78 | |
Communicating With a New Primary Care Doctor | 79 | |
Communicating During Subsequent Visits | 81 | |
9 | Continuity of Care | 85 |
10 | Understanding Medical Tests | 98 |
Specific Tests | 104 | |
11 | Hospital Care | 123 |
Going to the Emergency Department | 124 | |
Being Admitted to the Hospital | 125 | |
Problems Due to Hospitalization | 127 | |
Implementing Preventive Strategies | 134 | |
Being Discharged From the Hospital | 135 | |
12 | Undergoing Surgery | 137 |
Before an Operation | 138 | |
At the Time of an Operation | 139 | |
After an Operation | 141 | |
13 | Rehabilitation | 144 |
Treatment of Pain and Inflammation | 147 | |
Physical Therapy | 148 | |
Occupational Therapy | 153 | |
Speech Therapy | 155 | |
Rehabilitation for Specific Problems | 156 | |
14 | Long-Term Care | 165 |
15 | Caregiving | 175 |
16 | Palliative and End-of-Life Care | 183 |
Reducing Suffering | 185 | |
Retaining Control Over Decisions | 192 | |
Palliative Care and Hospice Care | 194 | |
Peace and Resolution | 196 | |
Section 3 | Medical Conditions | |
17 | Nutritional Disorders | 199 |
Undernutrition | 199 | |
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies | 207 | |
Obesity | 210 | |
18 | Water and Electrolyte Balance | 213 |
Dehydration | 214 | |
Overhydration | 216 | |
Problems With Electrolyte Balance | 218 | |
19 | Hypothermia and Hyperthermia | 222 |
Hypothermia | 223 | |
Hyperthermia | 226 | |
20 | Dizziness and Fainting | 230 |
Dizziness | 230 | |
Fainting | 239 | |
21 | Falls | 247 |
22 | Osteoporosis | 254 |
23 | Fractures | 268 |
Hip Fractures | 276 | |
Compression Fractures of the Spine | 280 | |
Shoulder Fractures | 282 | |
Wrist Fractures | 283 | |
24 | Pain | 284 |
25 | Confusion | 296 |
26 | Delirium | 300 |
27 | Dementia | 306 |
Alzheimer's Disease | 319 | |
Vascular Dementia | 322 | |
Lewy Body Dementia | 324 | |
28 | Stroke | 325 |
29 | Nerve Disorders | 341 |
Trigeminal Neuralgia | 341 | |
Postherpetic Neuralgia | 344 | |
Neuropathies | 345 | |
Postpolio Syndrome | 349 | |
30 | Movement Disorders | 351 |
Myoclonus | 351 | |
Dystonia | 354 | |
Tardive Dyskinesia and Akathisia | 356 | |
Essential Tremor | 357 | |
Parkinson's Disease | 360 | |
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy | 367 | |
Shy-Drager Syndrome | 369 | |
31 | Sleep | 371 |
Insomnia | 374 | |
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness | 379 | |
Limb Movement Disorders | 379 | |
Sleep Apnea | 382 | |
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder | 384 | |
Circadian Rhythm Disorders | 384 | |
Other Sleep Disorders | 385 | |
32 | Mental Health Disorders | 386 |
Depression | 386 | |
Anxiety | 396 | |
Psychosis | 400 | |
33 | Thyroid Disorders | 405 |
Hypothyroidism | 407 | |
Hyperthyroidism | 410 | |
Thyroid Nodules | 412 | |
34 | Diabetes Mellitus | 414 |
35 | Skin Disorders | 430 |
Dry Skin | 432 | |
Itching | 433 | |
Rosacea | 434 | |
Seborrheic Dermatitis | 437 | |
Shingles | 438 | |
Pressure Sores | 442 | |
Venous Ulcers | 448 | |
36 | Eye Disorders | 450 |
Cataract | 451 | |
Glaucoma | 455 | |
Age-Related Macular Degeneration | 458 | |
Diabetic Retinopathy | 460 | |
Disruptions of Blood Supply | 462 | |
Retinal Tears and Detachment | 465 | |
Disorders of Tear Production | 466 | |
Eyelid Disorders | 467 | |
37 | Hearing and the Ear | 470 |
Hearing Loss | 471 | |
Tinnitus | 480 | |
Earwax | 482 | |
38 | Nose and Throat Disorders | 483 |
Rhinitis | 486 | |
Sinusitis | 489 | |
Voice Disorders | 491 | |
39 | Mouth and Dental Disorders | 495 |
Tooth Decay | 495 | |
Periodontal Disease | 499 | |
Dry Mouth | 501 | |
Tooth Loss | 504 | |
Burning Mouth Syndrome | 506 | |
Mouth Sores | 506 | |
40 | Foot Disorders | 509 |
Corns and Calluses | 509 | |
Bunion | 511 | |
Hammer Toe | 513 | |
Heal or Arch Pain | 514 | |
Onychauxis and Onychogryphosis | 516 | |
Onychomycosis | 517 | |
41 | Arthritis | 518 |
Osteoarthritis | 519 | |
Rheumatoid Arthritis | 524 | |
Gout | 530 | |
Pseudogout | 534 | |
Infectious Arthritis | 536 | |
42 | Temporal Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica | 537 |
43 | High Blood Pressure | 542 |
44 | Blood Vessel Disorders | 551 |
Atherosclerosis | 553 | |
Peripheral Arterial Disease | 560 | |
Aortic Dissection | 566 | |
Aneurysms | 568 | |
Varicose Veins | 573 | |
Superficial Thrombophlebitis | 575 | |
Deep Vein Thrombosis | 577 | |
45 | Coronary Artery Disease | 582 |
46 | Heart Failure | 604 |
47 | Abnormal Heart Rhythms | 617 |
Premature Beats | 627 | |
Atrial Flutter and Atrial Fibrillation | 628 | |
Ventricular Tachycardia | 631 | |
Ventricular Fibrillation | 632 | |
Sinus Bradycardia and Sick Sinus Syndrome | 633 | |
Heart Block | 635 | |
48 | Heart Valve Disorders | 636 |
Aortic Stenosis | 642 | |
Aortic Regurgitation | 644 | |
Mitral Stenosis | 646 | |
Mitral Regurgitation | 647 | |
49 | Blood Disorders | 648 |
Anemia | 649 | |
Low Platelet Count | 655 | |
Clotting Disorders | 657 | |
Thrombocythemia | 663 | |
Polycythemia Vera | 665 | |
Myelofibrosis | 668 | |
50 | Finding and Living With Cancer | 670 |
Screening | 672 | |
Recognizing the Warning Signs | 673 | |
Confirming the Diagnosis and Staging | 675 | |
Guidelines for Treatment | 676 | |
Living With Cancer | 678 | |
51 | Cancers | 682 |
Breast Cancer | 682 | |
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia | 689 | |
Colorectal Cancer | 692 | |
Lung Cancer | 696 | |
Mouth, Head, and Neck Cancers | 701 | |
Multiple Myeloma | 703 | |
Prostate Cancer | 706 | |
Skin Cancer | 712 | |
Vulvar Cancer | 714 | |
52 | Pneumonia and Influenza | 717 |
Pneumonia | 717 | |
Influenza | 721 | |
53 | Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease | 725 |
54 | Swallowing and Reflux Disorders | 734 |
Dysphagia | 736 | |
Gastroesophageal Reflux | 743 | |
55 | Bowel Movement Disorders | 749 |
Constipation | 749 | |
Diarrhea | 755 | |
Fecal Incontinence | 759 | |
56 | Urinary Tract Infections | 762 |
57 | Urinary Incontinence | 768 |
58 | Female Genital and Sexual Disorders | 778 |
Inflammation of the Vulva and Vagina | 781 | |
Vulvar Pain | 782 | |
Skin Disorders of the Vulva | 782 | |
Vaginal Bleeding | 784 | |
Pelvic Support Disorders | 785 | |
Decreased Sexual Drive | 788 | |
59 | Male Genital and Sexual Disorders | 791 |
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia | 792 | |
Prostatitis | 795 | |
Inguinal Hernia | 797 | |
Erectile Dysfunction | 799 | |
Decreased Sex Drive | 804 | |
Retrograde Ejaculation | 804 | |
60 | Exercise | 805 |
Why Exercise? | 806 | |
Starting to Exercise | 807 | |
Types of Exercise | 809 | |
Exercise for People With a Disorder | 811 | |
Section 4 | Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues | |
61 | Coping With Change | 819 |
Life-Changing Events | 820 | |
Staying Connected | 824 | |
62 | Driving | 826 |
Crash Rates and Traffic Violations | 826 | |
The Reasons for Problems | 827 | |
Ways of Compensating | 828 | |
A Driving Decision | 830 | |
63 | Intimacy | 832 |
Intimacy and Long-Term Relationships | 832 | |
Intimacy and Dating | 834 | |
Intimacy and Sex | 836 | |
Intimacy and Dementia | 837 | |
Intimacy and Families | 838 | |
Intimacy and Privacy | 840 | |
Intimacy in Gay Relationships | 840 | |
Intimacy in Other Relationships | 841 | |
64 | Mistreatment | 843 |
65 | Understanding Legal and Ethical Issues | 847 |
Informed Consent | 848 | |
Confidentiality | 849 | |
Capacity | 849 | |
Competency | 850 | |
Advance Directives | 851 | |
Surrogates | 854 | |
66 | Paying for Health Care | 854 |
Medicare | 855 | |
Medicaid | 862 | |
Private Insurance | 862 | |
Understanding Managed Care | 864 | |
Appendixes | ||
Drug Names: Generic and Trade | 869 | |
Resources for Help and Information | 881 | |
Index |