Best Practice in Primary Care Pathology: Review 8

Abstract

This eighth best practice review examines four series of common primary care questions in laboratory medicine: (i) sodium abnormalities, (ii) faecal occult blood testing, (iii) warfarin management and (iv) sputum cytology in diagnosis of bronchopulmonary malignancy. The review is presented in question-answer format, referenced for each question series. The recommendations represent a précis of guidance found using a standardised literature search of national and international guidance notes, consensus statements, health policy documents and evidence-based medicine reviews, supplemented by MEDLINE EMBASE searches to identify relevant primary research documents. They are not standards but form a guide to be set in the clinical context. Most are consensus rather than evidence-based. They will be updated periodically to take account of new information.