How to use

On this page, we will go through a complete case of a patient suffering from heartburn. We will study this condition step-by-step focusing on how to use Algocopoeia to deal with a such case. The steps used on this page are exactly applicable to any other disease or medical condition available on our website - heartburn was just used as an example.
The case

     Jane Young, a 36-year-old female, complains of a recurring substernal burning sensation after eating heavy meals. It occurs once a week. The discomfort is rated a 4 on a scale of 1-10. It is associated with a feeling of fullness and occasional acid regurgitation. Symptoms typically last 2-4 hours after eating. Symptoms occur after eating at restaurants or at potluck events at work. She has tried drinking chamomile tea to help relieve the symptoms but has not noticed an improvement.

    Essential patient history information:

    • Patient's height, and weight: 5 ft 5 in, 165 lb.
    • Patient's occupation: Office manager.
    • Patient's dietary habits: Normal balanced diet; drinks 4-5 cups of coffee each day; drinks 3-4 alcoholic drinks when she goes out for dinner. 
    • Patient's sleep habits: 6-8 hours uninterrupted sleep each night.
    • Concurrent medical conditions, prescription and nonprescription medications and dietary supplements: Ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate contraceptive, venlafaxine 75 mg for depression, multivitamin every day. calcium citrate 630 mg with vitamin D 400 IU twice daily.
    • Allergies: No known allergies.
    • History of other adverse reactions to medications: None.

First: Open & run heartburn extended medical algorithm (EMA)
  • Go to the Gastrointestinal Disorders section on our website, then click on Heartburn.
Digitally designed extended medical algorithms.
  • Now, the heartburn extended medical algorithm (EMA) will appear. Here you will find some notes about this tool, preceded by "🔸" - these points are continuously updated, so please read them carefully. To start the EMA click the NEXT button at the bottom.
Digitally designed extended medical algorithms.


Now: Let's understand how do these tools work


Theoretical clarification

  • Each extended medical algorithm (EMA) is composed of six segmentsCondition conformationGathering InformationExclusion For Self-TreatmentDiagnosisIntervention & eventually Revaluation.
Six segments in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
  • Each segment is represented by slides (pages) - one idea per slide, each segment usually has many ideas (i.e. Intervention segment may include pharmacological therapy in one slide & non-pharmacological in another one, and so on).
  • However, you will not deal with all of these slides. You will be directed through them according to your case evaluation, which is represented by your answers in EMA (i.e. answering with option "Yes.", for confirmation of a symptom presented in your case, will guide you to one slide; whereas, answering with option "No." will guide you to another related slide, and so on).
  • If it starts to become confusing, please don't worry, it's a theoretical clarification, which will surely be simpler in the application below.
  • In short, while you are using our system, you should expect the following: 
    • Starting with Condition confirmation to confirm the condition & eliminate other etiologies.
    • Going through Gathering Information to obtain medical, medication & other related histories.
    • Followed by Exclusion For Self-Treatment to ensure your eligibility to handle the case. 
    • Then Diagnosis is guided questions to help you in the case diagnosis.
    • And essentially, Intervention will be in four forms: Pharmacological therapy, Non-pharmacological therapy, Specialist referral & Watchful waiting.
Four Interventions in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
    • Eventually, Revaluation is a post-treatment evaluation of the case & proper further interventions, if necessary.
    • N.B, we do suggest that a further segment "Intervention Confirmation", which deals with medication-related problems (MRPs) must be added after the Intervention, golden star. Yet, this segment has not been implemented in the EMA (i.e, MRPs are not involved in the current EMA, so cation must be taken).


General structure

Any slide in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA) composed of five main parts.

   Each slide contains five sections, which are as the following - from top to bottom: 
  • starting with the Segment name, at the top: Here you will find in what segment you are. As mentioned above segments come in six forms (Condition conformationGathering InformationExclusion For Self-TreatmentDiagnosisIntervention & eventually Revaluation).
  • passing through Clarification about the segment: Information in this section is preceded by "🔸", and they will clarify which idea is going to be covered in this slide (page) (N.B. each segment is composed of multiple ideas, and you are directed through them according to your case evaluation).
  • Question – Answer these questions according to your case evaluation. But, what if you can not certainly evaluate the case? Don't worry, just take a look at the Key.
    • In this section, you may encounter this emoji "🌐", which is a Technical director to give you a hand to deal with our system (e.g. my patient has multiple symptoms and I can't choose more than one symptom at a time - what should I do? Our Technical director will guide you in such cases).
  • Key – Key contains information to help you in the evaluation. This information is classified into three types & is determined with the preceding emoji, as the following:
    • "ℹ️": Clarification of scientific information or vocabulary.
    • "⭐": Decision consultant, which contains information directly related to the question (how to certainly determine the final evaluation).
    • "★": Further information which will never help you in the evaluation; however, provide you with an additional idea about the section (e.g. regulations, pricing, availability, ....).  
  • Eventually, end with Navigators in the outer bottom: NEXTBACK & SUBMIT.


It's a bulk of emojis, isn't it? 

  • Bellow each tool, you can find the "Key box" to remind you of their meaning:

Key: 🔸: Segment clarification, 🌐: Technical director, ℹ️: Clarification, ⭐: Decision consultant, ★: Further information, 📚: References.

    • This box only contains the used emojis in the selected EMA.
    • "📚: References": Will appear after clicking SUBMIT at the end of each tool and it contains all used literature to create the used EMA  - do not worry, users' personal information will never be recorded, whether they click SUBMIT or not.


Let's go back to deal with our case, step-by-step 
  • Condition Confirmation: Simple heartburn.
    • "Substernal burning sensation after eating heavy meals.
    • "Occasional acid regurgitation."
Condition Confirmation in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
  • Gathering InformationAssess patient's symptoms; obtain medication history:
    • "Substernal burning sensation after eating heavy meals." 
    • "Feeling of fullness and occasional acid regurgitation."
    • "Tried drinking chamomile tea."
    • "Ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate contraceptive, venlafaxine 75 mg for depression, multivitamin every day. calcium citrate 630 mg with vitamin D 400 IU twice daily."
Gathering Information in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
  • Exclusion For Self-Treatment: Check the presence of each point separately, then make your final decision by answering the question below the table.
Exclusion For Self-Treatment in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
  • Diagnosis
    • Episodic heartburn: "It occurs once a week."
Diagnosis in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
    • Mild, infrequent heartburn: "The discomfort is rated a 4 on a scale of 1-10."
Diagnosis in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
  • Intervention
    • Any suggested intervention is appropriate; however, the final decision depends on HCP's experience and knowledge. In this case, we recommend "OTC low-dose H2RA."
Intervention in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
    • Any suggested OTC drug is appropriate; however, the final decision depends on HCP's experience and knowledge. In this case, we recommend "Famotidine."
Intervention in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
    • She is a 36-year-old, so the age category is "Adults, children ≥12 years or adolescents."
Intervention in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
    • Follow the selected OTC drug dosage guideline in the selected age category.
Intervention in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
    • Non-pharmacological therapy will be suggested after any intervention. In some cases, non-pharmacological therapy may be the primary intervention.
Intervention in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
  • Reevaluation
    • Check patient prognosis while taking the OTC drug, let's suppose that our patient symptoms respond to the selected therapy.
Reevaluation in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
    • Consider the recommended interventions.
Reevaluation in the Extended Medical Algorithm (EMA).
    • Remember: you will access all of the used literature after clicking SUBMIT at the end of each tool - do not worry, users' personal information will never be recorded, whether they click SUBMIT or not.