Extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) also known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an inflammatory process in the lungs resulting from sensitization caused by repeated exposure to organic dust or low molecular weight agents.

Acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) is generally understood as a number of clinically similar acute airborne infections characterized by inflammation of mucous membranes of respiratory tract, rarely associated with conjunctivitis or keratoconjunctivitis and moderate intoxication [1, 6, 12]. Currently there are over 200 strains of ARVI and flu viruses which belong to different groups (parainfluenza, adenovirus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RS), etc. [1, 10, 11]. ARVI is reportedly the most common infectious disease. It should be noted that in this country the flu and ARVI affects more people than all other infections altogether. Since 2005 the damage to the economy of Russia from the flu and ARVI equals 100 billion roubles annually [12].

According to the WHO report 2008, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was 4th most widespread cause of death in the world, ahead of tuberculosis and lung tumor. In the latest revision of ICD nomenclature the code of COPD is J44.The way to formulating the name was not easy.

Influenza is an acute disease with a short incubation period, sudden onset and cyclic pattern characterized by severe toxemia, affecting upper respiratory tract and lungs.The disease is very widespread; its prevalence and contagiousness make it the leader among infectious diseases in humans.

Hepatic encephalopathy (PE) requires from physician to know all the aspects of its clinical manifestations and special psychometric methods for its diagnosis. Hepatic encephalopathy significantly reduces the quality of life in patients with chronic diffuse liver diseases. The article tells about early prescription of pathogenetic therapy to eliminate minor PE which is most common in patients with liver cirrhosis in order to prevent marked PE and improve the quality of life of patients and their survival.

Interest in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is caused by the prevalence of this disease in all population groups. NAFLD is reported to be the most common form of chronic liver disease worldwide.

The article tells about modern approaches to differentiated choice of antihypertensive drugs. The advantages and limitations of five key classes of antihypertensive medications are described. The authors share data on the choice of drug within the class taking into account specific clinical situations.

The problem of chronic heart failure remains relevant today. According to the Age of CHF study, the prevalence of this disease in this country is 12%. In 66% of cases CHF has ischemic etiology. Rational approach to treatment and evaluation of all possible risks significantly improves patient's condition and reduces severity of the disease. Non-drug treatments include low-salt diet and physical rehabilitation based on balanced aerobic activity.Despite a huge list of drugs recommended and used at CHF, attention to medicines called myocardial cytoprotectors remains high.

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a systemic vasculitis characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation of small and medium-sized blood vessels and upper respiratory tract, lungs and kidneys [1]. WG is traditionally considered to be a a rare disease the prevalence of which is 25-60 people per 1 million of population; however, the last 30 years have seen a 4-fold increase in the incidence of the disease [2]. 90% of patients die within the first 2 years of the onset of the disease without treatment. Timely diagnosis of WG is therefore important because the disease if often hard to diagnose in the beginning due to atypical oligosymptomatic flow.

Vertebrobasilar insufficiency (according to ICD Х, syndrome of vertebrobasilar arterial system, section G45.0, class V "Vascular diseases of the nervous system") is quite a common syndrome that requires from physicians to understand its causes, differential diagnosis and choice of the most suitable treatment.

Person complaining of headache (HA) is a frequent patient of general practitioner. Among those at least 10% are patients with chronic HA and cephalgia occuring more frequently than 15 days per month for at least 3 months [4, 10]. Chronic daily or near-daily headache (CDHA) significantly reduces working ability and social adaptation of patients and leads to permanent reduction in the quality of life; in addition, CDHA is hardly cured.

The article tells about types of pain at such rheumatic diseases as osteoarthritis and gout. The most common and socially significant clinical types of osteoarthritis, gonarthrosis and coxarthrosis, and approaches to treatment of pain in these pathologies, are described. The process of treatment of gout patient is described in detail. The main approaches to medicine-based treatment of pain syndrome at rheumatic disease are highlighted.

The article is an overview of glucose self-monitoring (GSM) in the treatment of diabetes. It article tells about the following: therapeutic targets of GSM before and after meals, adopted in Russia, providing individualized monitoring depending on age, presence of severe complications and risk of hypoglycemia; frequency of GSM at different types of glucose-lowering therapy; the significance of GSM for patient and physician; the functioning of photometric and electrochemical blood glucose meters; the issues of accuracy of measuring blood glucose adopted by the International Organization for Standardization of GSM systems; reasons of mistakes in measuring blood glucose related to contact of fingers with glucose particles, errors in code setting of test strips, external conditions (altitude, temperature, humidity), hematocrit, acidosis, hyperlipidemia and concentration of oxygen in blood, intake of a number of drugs; the process and guidelines of managing a diary as a primary method of storing GSM results; the data of global and Russian studies on the effectiveness of GSM. New methods of GSM are discussed in the section about continuous monitoring.

Chronic constipation (CC) is one of the most common disorders of bowel function occurring on average in 15% of population and in the majority of elderly and senile age people. Functional constipations (FC) are a challenge for diagnosis and treatment. Dyskinesia (irritable bowel syndrome with constipation predominance), hypokinesia (inert colon) and pelvic floor dyssynergia (defecation dyssynergia) are major factors of FL. The effectiveness of treatment depends on defining the etiology of constipation, instrumental evaluation of motor function of intestine and pelvic floor muscles. Rome III criteria 2006 help to make a well-based diagnosis of FL and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). Motor regulators are prescribed for the treatment of the disorder. Patients with inert colon are recommended to take enterokinetics. These drugs accelerate colonic transit, improve stool consistency and reduce straining. Patients with bowel dyssynergic defecation should take biofeedback therapy (BFT).