Advance for nurse practitioners
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Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects young adults most often. The course of MS is unpredictable and variable on a day-to-day basis. ⋯ A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is a clinical one based on a thorough history and neurologic examination findings and supported by magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and evoked potential studies. Management strategies fall into three general categories: treatment of relapses caused by underlying disease; prevention of progression or reduction of the frequency of relapses; and control of specific symptoms.