Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
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Overview
'The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy' (The Merck Manual or Merck's) is the world's best-selling medical textbook, now in its 18th edition.
It is recommended by librarians in standard references such as the "Brandon/Hill selected list of books and journals for the small medical library"[2], published by the Medical Library Association. It is also one of the cheapest medical textbooks on the Brandon/Hill list.
The Merck Manual is published by Merck & Co., Inc. but created by an independent editorial board and peer reviewers. In addition to the hard-cover edition, the full text is available free on-line.[3]
The Merck Manual is organized, like most internal medicine textbooks, into organ systems, such as heart, lungs, gastrointestinal system, muscular system, etc., dealing with each major disease of that system in turn, in the standard format of diagnosis (symptoms), prognosis and treatment. It condenses all of medical knowledge into 2992 pages, by emphasizing practical information of use to a practicing physician (in contrast to other internal medicine textbooks, like Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, which also discuss the mechanisms of disease), and by not giving bibliographic citations.
One of the controversial and often-quoted chapters was on Marijuana (Cannabis), which concludes that "Critics of marijuana cite much scientific data regarding adverse effects, but most of the claims regarding severe biologic impact are unsubstantiated."
The chapter on Gender Identity Disorder and Transsexualism advises that the term "disorder" in this context should not be interpreted as "judgmental" and states that "Treatment is aimed at helping patients adapt rather than trying to dissuade them from their identity."
In 1997, it was re-edited in a consumer edition, The Merck Manual of Medical Information, Home Edition, and a second revised edition was published in 2003. In addition to the hard-cover and several paperback editions, the full text is also available free on-line.[4] The Home Edition includes the full content of the Professional edition, except for details of tests, drug doses, and technical information of interest only to doctors. It uses lay terms, with medical terms in parenthesis, because patients often want to learn medical terminology for further reading. Each chapter begins with an illustrated lay description of the normal functioning of the organ system. Unlike most patient material, The Merck Manual--Home Edition gives the poor prognosis and sometimes survival statistics of incurable and fatal diseases like lung cancer.
See also
- The Merck Index
References
External links
- The Merck Manuals
- Professional edition
- Home Edition
- Your Health Now Health magazine published by Merck.
- The Merck Manual for Mobile Devices
Merck & Co., Inc. | |
|---|---|
| Corporate Directors: | Richard Clark · Johnnetta Cole · William Harrison · William Kelley · Rochelle Lazarus · Thomas Shenk · Anne Tatlock · Samuel Thier · Wendell Weeks · Peter Wendell |
| Products: | Indinavir · Aprepitant · Alendronate · Rizatriptan · Finasteride · Losartan · Lovastatin · Montelukast · Rofecoxib · Ezetimibe/simvastatin · Ezetimibe · Raltegravir · Simvastatin · Sitagliptin · Vorinostat · The Merck Index · The Merck Manual |
| Annual Revenue: $22.9 billion USD (profit 2% Fiscal year 2004) · Employees: 63,000 · Stock Symbol: MRK · Website: www.merck.com | |
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
