Why is My Patient Anemic?
Anemia is a decreased number of circulating red blood cells and is a common medical condition faced in clinical practice. Anemia is caused by loss of red blood cells, destruction…
Special Hematologic Issues in the Pregnant Patient
Evaluation and treatment of hematologic disorders in pregnancy requires an understanding of normal physiologic changes during pregnancy. Hematologic disorders may be caused by preexisting conditions, normal physiologic changes, or can…
Does My Patient Have a Life- or Limb-Threatening Thrombocytopenia?
The diagnosis and management of severe thrombocytopenias can be difficult, but is necessary to avoid significant morbidity and mortality. The causes of severe thrombocytopenias, often with a platelet count of…
Venous Thromboembolism Overview
This article gives a general overview of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Pathophysiology, presentation, diagnosis, and initial management of VTE are briefly reviewed. More difficult management problems are reviewed in greater depth,…
Why Does My Patient Have Lymphadenopathy or Splenomegaly?
Lymph node or spleen enlargement may be innocent or the first sign of a serious disorder. Lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly can be found in symptomatic or asymptomatic patients. Lymph node enlargement…
Does My Patient with a Serum Monoclonal Spike have Multiple Myeloma?
A monoclonal spike on serum protein electrophoresis is a frequent finding in the general population and pathognomonic of a plasma cell dyscrasia. In otherwise healthy individuals, it is diagnostic of…
Why Does My Patient Have Thrombocytosis?
Thrombocytosis is a common clinical problem frequently encountered during routine evaluation. The diagnostic workup entails a step-by-step approach, which allows for an accurate assessment of the underlying cause. A thorough…
Why Is My Patient Bleeding Or Bruising?
The evaluation of a patient presenting with bleeding symptoms is challenging. Bleeding symptoms are frequently reported by a normal population, and overlap significantly with bleeding disorders, such as type 1…
Why is My Patient Neutropenic?
Neutropenia is a common reason for hematology consultations in the inpatient and outpatient settings and is defined as an absolute neutrophil count less than 1500 cells/μL. Neutropenia varies in severity,…
Why Does My Patient Have Leukocytosis?
Leukocytosis is one of the most common laboratory abnormalities in medicine, and one of the most frequent reasons for hematologic consultation. Effective evaluation of leukocytosis requires an attentive history, careful…
