Patient information page template

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Charmaine Patel, M.D. [2]

Introduction

The goal of the patient information page is to give a comprehensive description of the disease for a patient.
It should be written at a 5th to 8th grade reading level, and if medical terminology is used, it should be explained.
Examples of patient information pages that are good references, are the pages on Chronic stable angina here, and Pericarditis here.
Follow the format, headings, and capitalizations of letters as outlined below in the template.
Only capitalize the disease name if it is a proper noun, meaning someones name (eg, Lou-Gherig's disease, Alport syndrome, Addison's disease)
The title of the page should be: Disease name (patient information). Only the first letter of the heading is capitalized.

This section should give a brief description of the disease, and have the name of the disease in the first sentence.
For an example of the overview section of a patient page, click here

Here you can list the symptoms that the patient may notice. Remember that signs are different from symptoms.
For an example of the symptoms section in a patient information page, click here.

Here you can list the causes of the disease. Remember this is what causes the disease, not what the disease causes.
For an example of the causes section on a patient information page, click here.