Alternative titles: therapy; treatment

therapeutics, Prozac [Credit: Tom Varco]ProzacTom Varcotreatment and care of a patient for the purpose of both preventing and combating disease or alleviating pain or injury. The term comes from the Greek therapeutikos, which means “inclined to serve.”

In a broad sense therapeutics means serving and caring for the patient in a comprehensive manner, preventing disease as well as managing specific problems. Exercise, diet, and mental factors are therefore integral to the prevention, as well as the management, of disease processes. More specific measures that are employed to treat specific symptoms include the use of drugs to relieve pain or treat infection, surgery to remove diseased tissue or replace poorly functioning or nonfunctioning organs with fully operating ones, and counseling or psychotherapy to relieve emotional distress. Confidence in the physician and in the method selected enhances effectiveness.

Preventive medicine

The rationale for preventive medicine is to identify risk factors in each individual and reduce or eliminate those risks in an attempt to prevent disease. Primary prevention is the preemptive behavior that seeks to avert disease before it develops—for example, vaccinating children against diseases. Secondary prevention is the early detection of disease or its precursors before symptoms appear, with the aim of preventing or curing it. Examples include regular cervical Papanicolaou test screening and mammography. Tertiary prevention is an attempt to stop or limit the spread of disease that is already present. Clearly, primary prevention is the most cost-effective method of controlling disease.

The five leading causes of death in the United States are cardiovascular disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, accidental injuries, and chronic lung disease. The single most preventable cause of death in the United States is cigarette smoking, which is linked to cardiovascular disease (heart attack), cancer (lung, larynx, bladder, pancreas, and so on), cerebrovascular disease (stroke), and chronic lung disease (emphysema, chronic bronchitis).

Following earlier work by the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force was established to evaluate the effectiveness of various screening tests, immunizations, and prophylactic regimens based on a critical review of the scientific literature. Its report, Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, lists the recommendations for the 60 target conditions evaluated by the panel.

Immunization is the best method for preventing infectious diseases. Standard immunizations of infants and children include those for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP); polio (OPV); measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR); Haemophilus influenzae type b (HbCV); and hepatitis B (HBV). A yearly vaccine against the influenza virus should be administered to adults who are older than 65 years of age, to those at risk because of chronic cardiopulmonary disease, and to those in chronic care facilities. Adults also should be immunized once at age 65 years against pneumococcal pneumonia with a vaccine containing 23 of the most common strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Table 4).

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is also a major infectious disease problem. Although a vaccine is expected, obstacles to its development are great. The only primary preventive measures currently available are either to abstain from sexual contact or to use condoms and, among intravenous drug users, to avoid sharing needles. Almost 25 percent of adult AIDS cases in the United States are related to infection from needles used to administer illegal drugs.

The risk factors for coronary artery disease that can be modified to prevent myocardial infarction are cigarette smoking, hypertension, an elevated serum cholesterol level, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, stress, and excessive alcohol consumption. In addition to an elevated total serum cholesterol level, an elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level and a decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level are significant risk factors. The total cholesterol level and elevated LDL level can be reduced by appropriate diet, whereas a low HDL can be raised by stopping smoking and increasing activity. If these measures do not provide adequate control, a variety of drugs capable of lowering the cholesterol level are available.

The major risk factor for stroke is hypertension, with cigarette smoking and diabetes mellitus significantly increasing the risk. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) occur before stroke in 20 percent of patients and consist of sudden onset of one or more of the following symptoms: temporary loss of vision in one eye, unilateral numbness, temporary loss of speech or slurred speech, and localized weakness of an arm or leg. Attacks last less than 24 hours and resolve without permanent damage until the stroke occurs.

The most important preventive behaviour in averting cancer is the avoidance of cigarette smoke. Smoking accounts for 30 percent of all cancer deaths, and there is increasing recognition of the danger of environmental or sidestream smoke to the nonsmoker. Primary prevention of skin cancer includes restricting exposure to ultraviolet light by using sunscreens or protective clothing. Secondary preventive measures include mammography, clinical breast examinations, and breast self-examinations for breast cancer; pelvic examinations and Papanicolaou tests for cervical and ovarian cancer; and sigmoidoscopy, digital rectal examinations, and stool tests for occult blood for colorectal cancer.

Demineralization of bone and a reduction in bone mass (osteoporosis) occur most often in men and women age 70 or older and may result in fractures, low back pain, and loss of stature. Osteoporosis in postmenopausal women that is caused by estrogen deficiency is the most common manifestation. The most effective method for preventing loss of bone mass after menopause is estrogen replacement therapy and increased calcium intake. Primary preventive measures include increasing physical activity and avoiding cigarettes and heavy alcohol consumption.

Alcohol abuse is the primary reason that accidents are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Other factors are failure to wear seat belts or motorcycle helmets, sleep deprivation, and guns in the home. Taking reasonable precautions and being aware of the potential dangers of alcohol and firearms can help reduce the number of deaths due to accidents.

Treatment of symptoms


Pain is the most common of all symptoms and often requires treatment before its specific cause is known. Pain is both an emotional and a physical experience and is difficult to compare from one person to another. One patient may have a high pain threshold and complain only after the disease process has progressed beyond its early stage, while another with a low pain threshold may complain about pain that would be ignored or tolerated by most people. Pain from any cause can be increased by anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, and frustration or anger.

Acute pain serves a useful function as a protective mechanism that leads to the removal of the source of the pain, whether it be localized injury or infection. Chronic pain serves a less useful function and is often more difficult to treat. Although acute pain requires immediate attention, its cause is usually easily found, whereas chronic pain complaints may be more vague and difficult to isolate.

The ideal method for treating pain is to eliminate the cause, such as to surgically remove an inflamed structure, to apply hot compresses to a muscle spasm, or to set a fractured bone in a cast. Alternatives to drug therapy, such as physical therapy, should be relied on whenever possible. The analgesic drugs most often used to alleviate mild and moderate pain are the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or indomethacin. If these are ineffective, a weak opiate such as codeine, hydrocodone, or oxycodone would be the next choice. Severe pain not controlled by these agents requires a strong opiate such as morphine or meperidine. Because opiates are addictive, their use is controlled by the Controlled Substances Act, and individuals prescribing or dispensing these drugs must register annually with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Each drug is assigned to one of five groups, from schedule I, which includes drugs that have the highest potential for abuse, to schedule V, which includes drugs with a limited dependence-causing potential.

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