Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Disorders

Book excerpt: Most endocrine diseases can be treated successfully, and the patient's state of well-being can usually be improved. Not surprisingly, the earlier the diagnosis is made the more positive the clinical response. Early Diagnosis and Treatment (~f Endocrine Disorders focuses on early signs and symptoms of endocrine disorders and surveys the appropriate tests to document the diseases as well as current recommendations for therapy. Each chapterreviews the pathophysiology of the endocrine disease-important for understanding each disorder as well as the rationale for early therapy-and the basis for the early recognition and treatment of each condition. Although the practicing endocrinologist is likely to be quite knowledgeable regarding many of these diseases, Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Disorders includes treatment of those conditions only recently classified as endocrine disorders, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, obesity, and hypogonadism. The book also provides new approaches that are urgently needed to slow the epidemic of type 2 diabetes, which should be an overriding concern for all clinicians. Until now, no other endocrinology text has focused primarily on the details of early recognition and therapy of endocrine disorders. The information in Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Disorders is presented in an orderly and easy-to-follow manner, which should greatly facilitate the early recognition of endocrine diseases by medical students, house staff, primary care physicians, and endocrinologists, the four groups of clinical personnel to which this book is specificall y directed.