Mechanisms of Disease

To reflect the changing face of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, this new edition emphasises the principles of disease processes and their underlying mechanisms, bringing the content up to date with the latest developments from the fields of molecular and cellular biology. The focus is on describing the fundamental features of pathophysiological processes with examples to illustrate the similar mechanisms underlying apparently diverse clinical conditions. By understanding the cellular interactions in one disease area, similar principles can be applied to other disease groups and to the scientific basis of medical management and treatment strategies. Throughout, the student is encouraged to evaluate and integrate the evidence critically, developing skills for self-directed learning and the application of knowledge. To further encourage the reader to integrate the theory with clinical practice, each chapter concludes with a series of clinical scenarios and MCQs, with answers provided. - Reflects the latest approaches to undergraduate and postgraduate medical education - Describes a mechanistic and principle-based approach to understanding disease processes - Includes self-test questions, answers and case examples CONTENTS 1. Molecular and cell biology Julian R. E. Davis; 2. Hereditary disease Timothy M. Cox; 3. Obesity J. Shaker, P. G. McTernan and Sudesh Kumar; 4. Autoimmune mechanisms Anthony A. P. Weetman; 5. Allergy: anaphylaxis Richard S. H. Pumphrey; 6. Infection - Bacteria Stephen D. Lawn and George E. Griffin; 7. Infection - Parasite E. M. Molyneux; 8. The acute coronary syndrome Anthony M. Heagerty; 9. Heart failure Ludwig Neyses and M. H. Buch; 10. Acute neurodegeneration: cerebral ischaemia and stroke Craig J Smith, Jerard Ross, Nancy J. Rothwell and Pippa J. Tyrell; 11. Diabetic neuropathy A. Greenstein, M. Mojaddidi, A. J. M. Boulton and Rayaz A. Malik; 12. Renal cell carcinoma W. Mansoor; 13. Toxic mechanisms James Neuberger; 14. Diet, health and disease Michael E. J. Lean; 15. Trauma Nick Payne and David Yates; 16. The interaction between organic and psychiatric disease Elspeth Guthrie.