1/3. causality in medicine: towards a theory and terminology.One of the cornerstones of modern medicine is the search for what causes diseases to develop. A conception of multifactorial disease causes has emerged over the years. Theories of disease causation, however, have not quite been developed in accordance with this view. It is the purpose of this paper to provide a fundamental explication of aspects of causation relevant for discussing causes of disease. The first part of the analysis will discuss discrimination between singular and general causality. Singular causality, as in the specific patient, is a relation between a concrete sequence of causally linked events. General causation, e.g. as in disease etiology, means various categories of causal relations between event types. The paper introduces the concept of a reference case serving as a source for causal inference, reaching beyond the concept of general causality. The second part of the analysis provides exemplification of a theory of causation suitable for discussing singular causation. The chain of events that induce a disease state can be identified as effective causal complexes, each complex composed of non-redundant components, which separately contribute to the effect of the complex, without the individual component being necessary or sufficient in itself to produce the effect. In the third part of the analysis the theory is elaborated further. Causes, defined as non-redundant components, can furthermore be differentiated according to their avoidability, according to theories about human error or by the potential of eradication. Multifactorial models of disease creates a need for systematic approaches to causal factors. The paper proposes a taxonomical terminology that serves this purpose.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = medicine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/3. altitude medicine and physiology including heat and cold: a review.With increasing numbers of people travelling to high altitude destinations for recreation or work, there is a need for practitioners of travel medicine to be familiar with altitude illnesses and the physiology of altitude. In mountainous areas travellers may also be exposed to problems of heat and cold. This article reviews these topics and gives practical advice on the management of the clinical problems involved, together with a discussion of underlying mechanisms, as far as they are understood at present.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.8keywords = medicine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/3. Medical conditions of importance in dental practice.Good dental practice requires that a dental practitioner be aware of those medical conditions that might present first with oral manifestations and those for which special considerations are required before dental treatment is rendered. In view of the rapid changes in the understanding and treatment of disease, it is essential that a dentist be current in his knowledge of medicine and be aware of the established and accepted methods of patient management.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = medicine (Clic here for more details about this article) |