WhatsAppComprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Internal Organ Diseases in Adults
The Academic Hospital Internal Diseases (Internal Medicine) Department provides holistic diagnosis and medical treatment of acute and chronic diseases of the internal organs in adults. The department plays a central role in the coordinated management of patients living with more than one chronic disease (multimorbidity) and works closely with the relevant subspecialties when required. If it is not yet clear which organ your complaint originates from, or if your condition involves several systems at once, internal medicine is the right starting point. Chronic disease management is carried out in coordination with the cardiology, endocrinology, infectious diseases and gastroenterology departments.
Contents
What Is Internal Medicine?
Internal medicine is the core specialty covering the medical (drug based) diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the internal organs in adults, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, digestive system, blood, endocrine glands and immune system. Internal medicine specialists are trained to assess both single organ diseases and complex conditions that affect several systems at the same time. Another important function of the department is to interpret the findings and direct the patient to the correct subspecialty.
Which Diseases and Conditions Are Treated?
The department carries out the diagnosis, treatment and long-term follow-up of the internal organ diseases listed below.
- Hypertension (high blood pressure) and blood pressure disorders
- Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and triglycerides)
- Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
- Thyroid gland diseases (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis)
- Anaemia and other blood disorders
- Chronic kidney disease and impaired kidney function
- Liver diseases (viral hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma
- Medical follow-up of heart failure and coronary artery disease
- Recurrent infections and fever of unknown origin
- First-line assessment of rheumatic and connective tissue diseases
- Obesity and metabolic syndrome
- General health assessment (check-up) and chronic disease screening
- Medication adherence and management of polypharmacy (use of multiple medicines)
- Digestive system complaints (at the initial assessment level)
When Should You Consult Us?
Consulting the Internal Diseases Department is recommended in the situations below; some symptoms may require assessment in the emergency department.
- Prolonged fatigue, weakness, unexplained weight loss or weight gain
- Consistently high blood pressure readings measured at home
- High fasting blood glucose or suspected diabetes
- Fever of unknown origin (undiagnosed fever lasting more than 3 weeks)
- Darkening of the urine, swelling in the legs, shortness of breath (suspected kidney or heart failure)
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- Recurrent infections or conditions that do not respond to antibiotics
- Having more than one chronic disease and needing coordinated management
- Wide-ranging complaints when you do not know which specialist to see
- Sudden severe chest pain or difficulty breathing (go to the emergency department)
Emergency: In case of sudden severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, confusion or fainting, do not wait for an outpatient appointment. Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Diagnostic Methods
In internal medicine, the diagnosis is based on a detailed history, physical examination and the combined interpretation of various laboratory and imaging methods.
- Comprehensive blood and urine tests: Complete blood count, biochemistry panel, thyroid function tests, HbA1c, lipid profile, kidney and liver function; these form the basis of disease follow-up.
- Electrocardiography (ECG): Used for the rapid assessment of heart rhythm and conduction disorders.
- Echocardiography: Images the structure and function of the heart; used in the diagnosis of heart failure and valve disease.
- Spirometry (pulmonary function test): Measures lung capacity; used in the diagnosis and follow-up of COPD and asthma.
- Abdominal ultrasonography: Used to image the liver, gallbladder, kidneys and spleen.
- Computed tomography (CT) and MRI: Requested in situations that call for a more detailed examination.
- Biopsy (when required): Performed to confirm the diagnosis in liver, kidney or lymph node pathologies.
- Holter monitoring: A 24-48 hour rhythm recording; used when an arrhythmia is suspected.
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
Treatment Approaches
Medical treatment, lifestyle changes and multidisciplinary coordination form the three core components of internal medicine treatment.
| Treatment | Scope and application |
|---|---|
| Evidence-based drug protocols are applied for hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, thyroid disease and chronic kidney disease. | |
| Nutrition, exercise and smoking cessation programmes are carried out alongside medical treatment. | |
| In patients taking numerous medicines, the medication list is revised to reduce drug-drug interactions and simplify treatment. | |
| Periodic control protocols are established for long-term conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease. | |
| Initiation and follow-up of appropriate antibiotic and antiviral therapies. | |
| Joint patient management with cardiology, nephrology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and other specialty departments. | |
| Iron infusion, hydration therapies and certain drug applications are provided in the outpatient treatment unit. |
Book an appointment with the Academic Hospital Internal Diseases Department.
Book an AppointmentInternal Diseases at Academic Hospital
At the Academic Hospital Internal Diseases Department, outpatient assessment, laboratory and imaging tests, chronic disease follow-up and outpatient infusion therapies are carried out under one roof. The department works routinely with the following departments:
- Cardiology: advanced assessment of heart failure and coronary artery disease
- Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases: advanced management of diabetes, thyroid disease and metabolic syndrome
- Infectious Diseases: management of fever of unknown origin and resistant infections
- Gastroenterology: endoscopic and advanced assessment of digestive system complaints
- Nephrology: advanced stage chronic kidney disease and preparation for dialysis
- Pulmonology: follow-up of COPD and asthma with pulmonary function tests
- Hematology: advanced assessment of anaemia and other blood disorders
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Internal Diseases Department are given below.
References
The general information given on this page about the scope of internal medicine, diagnostic methods and chronic disease management is supported by the reliable health sources listed below.
- World Health Organization, "Hypertension Fact Sheet", who.int
- National Health Service, "Type 2 Diabetes: Overview", nhs.uk
- Mayo Clinic, "Chronic Kidney Disease: Symptoms and Causes", mayoclinic.org
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, "Multimorbidity: Assessment, Prioritisation and Management of Care (NG56)", ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Republic of Turkiye Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Public Health, "Chronic Diseases and Healthy Ageing", hsgm.saglik.gov.tr
The information on this page is for informational purposes only; it does not replace medical examination, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a healthcare institution regarding your complaints.
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