Book excerpt: ­When you need a quick consult, turn to The Washington ManualTM Subspecialty Consult Series Prepared by specialty residents, fellows and staff in the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, and reviewed by attending physicians in each field—each volume in this renowned series delivers the on-the-spot help you need to provide quality patient management. Right from the initial chapter, you’ll learn how to take a patient history, how to interpret exam findings, what tests to order, how to complete the workup, and how to formulate an effective management plan. The Second Edition of this dynamic quick reference continues to provide the practical, stepwise guidance you’ve come to trust from The Washington ManualTM and has been fully updated to include the most current diagnostic tests, workup tips, drugs and other therapeutic interventions available. · Coverage of inpatient and outpatient approaches features the same front-line practicality as The Washington ManualTM of Medical Therapeutics · Symptom- and disease-oriented sections address both chronic and acute problems to prepare you for any scenario · Essential clinical information on commonly encountered problems including diagnosis and management of drug allergy, anaphylaxis, asthma, immunotherapy, and immunodeficiency at your fingertips · Useful appendixes provide a hands-on review of drugs commonly used in the treatment of allergy and asthma, as well as lab values for selected immunologic tests and a sample schedule for perennial aqueous therapy · Key points to remember in each chapter deliver vital diagnostic and treatment information NEW to the Second Edition... · Updated content reflects the latest clinical advances and practice standards · New formatting follows consistent subheadings to make key facts easier to find · New chapters detail the latest diagnostic criteria, testing, and treatment options Don’t miss the other titles in this series... Cardiology Endocrinology General Internal Medicine Hematology and Oncology Infectious Diseases Nephrology Pulmonary Medicine Rheumatology The Washington ManualTM is a registered mark belonging to Washington University in St. Louis to which international legal protection applies. The mark is used in this publication by LWW under license from Washington University.