Internal Medicine

Internal medicine is the study of the different pathologies which can affect the various systems of the adult human body, and where medical intervention is necessary in order to manage these conditions. These doctors are called internists or physicians and they diagnose and manage chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Physicians can even sub-specialise further in specific systems of the body. The various can find include the following:

• Neurologists – these doctors specialise in the diagnosis and medical management of diseases that affect the neurological system, which includes the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), the peripheral nervous system (nerves which spread out from the spinal cord to the limbs) and the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic systems which regulate themselves). Conditions which are managed by these doctors can include strokes, epilepsy, meningitis, and multiple sclerosis.
• Cardiologists – these specialists are involved with the diagnosis and management of conditions which affect certain parts of the cardiovascular system. These specific areas include the heart (coronary artery disease, congenital heart defects, valvular heart diseases and heart failure) as well as parts of the circulatory system. Cardiologists are also involved in dealing with the electrophysiology of the heart, that is to say that they also diagnose and manage conditions of the heart where it beats abnormally or out of rhythm (arrhythmias). These physicians also perform angiograms where the coronary arteries of the heart are examined, and where possibly stents are placed in order to improve blood flow via these arteries to the heart.

• Pulmonologists – conditions of the lungs are diagnosed and treated by these doctors. They can include acute problems such as bronchitis and pneumonia to chronic issues such as emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pulmonologists will also initially manage complications caused by pulmonary cancers, such as small cell carcinomas and mesotheliomas, before these patients are referred to other specialists for further management.
• Gastroenterologists – these doctors deal with conditions which affect the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. These organs include the oesophagus, stomach, small intestines and colon (including the rectum and anus). A super-specialty of gastroenterology includes hepatology (or hepatobiliary medicine) and this includes the study of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and biliary tree.
• Nephrologists – here, the focus is the study of diseases of the kidneys and their blood supply. These doctors will concentrate on chronic conditions which affect the kidneys such as diabetes and hypertension. Other conditions affecting the kidneys such as congenital deformities or hereditary illnesses are diagnosed and managed by these doctors, too.
• Endocrinologists – these doctors specialise in disorders of the hormone-producing glands of the body. These organs include the pituitary gland in the brain, the thyroid gland, the pancreas, the adrenal glands, the ovaries and the testes. Any abnormality in these hormone producing organs can lead to changes in a patient’s growth, immune functioning, glucose levels and metabolism rates.
• Rheumatologists – in this discipline, conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis and other autoimmune diseases, which affect areas of the body such as blood vessels (vasculitis) and soft tissues (scleroderma), are investigated and managed further. Rheumatology is increasingly becoming a study in immunology since the immune system is primarily affected in the aforementioned conditions.
• Haematologists – these doctors study diseases that affect the generation of blood and its factors such as haemoglobin, blood proteins and cells, platelets, blood vessels, bone marrow, the spleen and the process of blood clotting. Haematological illnesses can include haemophilia, blood cancers such as myelomas, leukaemias and lymphomas as well as other bleeding conditions.
• Infectious disease specialists – doctors who specialise in infectious diseases are focused on diseases caused by micro-organisms. They will mainly be involved with severe infections such as complicated HIV, multiple and extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis and patients diagnosed with highly transmittable tropical diseases such as ebola. These doctors’ opinions are sought by others when they are dealing with patients with hospital-acquired infections and which tend to be more resistant to antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal medications.
• Allergists – an allergist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma and other allergic diseases. These doctors are specially trained to identify the factors that trigger asthma or allergies and therefore help people treat or prevent their allergy related problems.