Microchapters

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

The Goals of Creating Microchapters

The goals of creating microchapters are as follows:

1. Reduce content on any one page so that the page loads more rapidly
2. Allow users to navigate to the desired content more rapidly
3. To lower the barrier to entry for younger contributors by focusing their efforts on a manageable scope of content
4. To issue microcredits for CME

Structure of Microchapters

In order to automate the creation and cataloguing of microchapters, only the first letter of the first word should be capitalized in the titles of microchapters.

Example: Pericarditis Causes should be Pericarditis causes

Navigation Box Template

You can find the template to create the Navigation box on the right hand side here:

How to create an expanded navigation box

Setting up an Navigation Box on a Page

The navigation box is a template that is placed at the top of the page.

Search for the words "type page name here" and replace this with the name of the disease or chapter

Do not search and replace the term PAGENAME

Save the Navigation Box Template as Template:Type page name here

Things to Remove as your are Editing and Creating Microchapters

The template WikiDoc Cardiology Network Infobox

Replace the search infobox template (SI) with the template for the disease you are working on.

The structure of the home page for the disease should parallel that of the navigation box

Please improve the English as needed

Structure of Microchapters

Overview

This should provide a brief description of the high points of the condition. Focus more on the diagnosis and treatment of the condition. Language from copyleft government sites is often quite good and can serve as a guide. The content of this section should link to the more detailed microchapters

Patient Info

Search government sites like the NHLBI, NLM for copyleft patient information. This information should be written at an 8th grade level of comprehension. Make sure the link to the wikidoc page is at the top

Pathophysiology

This includes the biologic mechanism underlying the disease state. This includes a description of the embryological or developmental abnormalities, molecular abnormalities, genetic abnormalities and pathology images.

Demographics and Epidemiology

This microchapter includes a discussion of the incidence and prevalence of the disease in both developed and developing worlds.

Screening

This microchapter includes screening procedures for the disease and is rarely included in the navigation box.

Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis

This microchapter describes what happens if the disease is not treated (the natural history), what the complications of the disease are, and the outlook or prognosis of the disease.

Causes

This is list of all the conditions that cause the disease.

There are also conditions that may be associated with the disorder but do not cause it.

Please insert the following table to help organize the content and complete it to the best of your ability:

Complete Differential Diagnosis of the Causes of ...

(By organ system)

Cardiovascular	No underlying causes
Chemical / poisoning	No underlying causes
Dermatologic	No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect	No underlying causes
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	No underlying causes
Environmental	No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic	No underlying causes
Genetic	No underlying causes
Hematologic	No underlying causes
Iatrogenic	No underlying causes
Infectious Disease	No underlying causes
Musculoskeletal / Ortho	No underlying causes
Neurologic	No underlying causes
Nutritional / Metabolic	No underlying causes
Obstetric/Gynecologic	No underlying causes
Oncologic	No underlying causes
Opthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose / Toxicity	No underlying causes
Psychiatric	No underlying causes
Pulmonary	No underlying causes
Renal / Electrolyte	No underlying causes
Rheum / Immune / Allergy	No underlying causes
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	No underlying causes
Urologic	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	No underlying causes

This is not the microchapter to describe what the disease causes. That is the chapter on natural history and complications.

This is not the chapter where guidance is provided re how to distinguish the disorder form other disorders. That is the next chapter.

Differentiating ____ from Other Diseases

This microchapter describes the findings that distinguish the disease at hand from others with similar symptoms, physical examination findings and laboratory results.

Oraganization of the distinguishing features in a table such as in the pericarditis chapter can be helpful.

History and Symptoms

This microchapter describes the typical symptoms that a patient verbalizes. It does not include findings from the physical exam (signs of the disease). It is helpful to organize the symptoms by frequency.

Physical Examination

These are the signs of disease on physical examination of the patient. Symptoms do not belong in this microchapter. It is helpful to organize the findings as follows:

Appearance of the Patient

Vital Signs

Skin

Eyes

Ear Nose and Throat

Heart

Lungs

Abdomen

Extremities

Neurologic

Laboratory Tests

The content of this microchapter includes information about electrolyes (K, Na), kidney function ( Cr, Bun), liver function tests ( LFTs, SGOT, SGPT), the complete blood count (CBC), the white blood count (WBC), hct, hb). This does not include the results of imaging studies like the chest x ray, CT, MRI etc. It does not include the images from pathology studies. Those go under pathophysiology.

Imaging Studies

There are a variety of other microchapters devoted to imaging studies and other diagnostic studies.

Treatment

This word does not link to anything. Only Medical Treatment and Surgery link to chapters.

Medical Treatment

The drugs used to treat the condition are described here.

This includes the dose and duration of therapy.

This includes when to escalate therapy or what to do if there is a treatment failure.

Surgery

This should include the indications (reasons) for the procedure, a description of the pre-operative tests, the surgery itself and the post-operative care.

Primary Prevention

This microchapter describes therapies that are used to prevent a first occurrence of the disease.

Secondary Prevention

This microchapter describes therapies that are used to prevent a second occurrence or a recurrence of the disease.

Tips and Tricks

If you put a colon : in front of the contents, that indents the contents slightly to the right