• Articles

    Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Adults: Diagnosis and Management

    ALEXANDER KAYSIN, ANTHONY J. VIERA

    Patients who are diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia are typically very young or very old. Inpatient and outpatient management strategies require consideration of a patient's risk factors and severity of illness. Validated prediction scores help guide initial...

    Initial Management of Patients with HIV Infection

    RONALD H. GOLDSCHMIDT, CAROLYN CHU, BETTY J. DONG

    Family physicians and other primary care clinicians commonly provide long-term comprehensive care for persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This article describes the scope of initial care, including obtaining a thorough history; physical examination for...

    Epididymitis: An Overview

    JOHN R. McCONAGHY, BETHANY PANCHAL

    Epididymitis is a common presentation in the outpatient setting that can affect adults and children. The condition causes unilateral swollen, tender epididymis, with an anatomically normal testis. In sexually active males 14 to 35 years of age, epididymitis is most often...

    AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

    AAFP News: AFP Edition

    AAFP Joins Other Medical Groups in Supporting ACA Contraceptive Mandate | Check Quality Reports to Avoid Pay Cuts | Agency Proposes Primary Care Role in Federal Diabetes Program | AAFP Teams Up with CDC, Other Groups to Promote Responsible Antibiotic Use

    Editorials

    Primary Care for Patients with HIV Infection: It's Not Who Should Provide It, It's How to Provide It

    RONALD H. GOLDSCHMIDT, CAROLYN CHU

    In this issue of American Family Physician, we present an article on initial management of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.1 Among the issues we did not address are studies showing that clinicians with more experience in the management of HIV...

    Cochrane for Clinicians

    The Risk of MI and Ischemic Stroke with Combined Oral Contraceptives

    WILLIAM NETTLETON, VALERIE KING

    The overall risk of MI and ischemic stroke is increased in women who use combined oral contraceptives. The relative risk of MI and ischemic stroke increases as estrogen dose rises, increasing by 60% with doses of 20 mcg and more than doubling when doses of 50 mcg or more are...

    Amiodarone for the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death

    AARON SAGUIL

    Although not a substitute for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), amiodarone is effective for the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death when compared with placebo (number needed to treat [NNT] = 47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 33 to 100), but it does not...

    Graham Center Policy One-Pager

    High-Deductible Plans May Reduce Ambulatory Care Use

    ANURADHA JETTY, DAVID RABIN, STEPHEN PETTERSON, ALLISON FROEHLICH

    Although rates of uninsured Americans are declining because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there is growing concern about out-of-pocket expenditures associated with private high-deductible insurance plans.

    FPIN's Help Desk Answers

    Topical Antifungals for Treatment of Onychomycosis

    REBECCA KRASAEATH, JOSE ELIZONDO

    Topical antifungal agents are effective in treating onychomycosis, with a number needed to treat (NNT) of 7 to 17.

    Photo Quiz

    An Activity-Induced Rash

    SHANE L. LARSON, OMICI N. UWAGBAI

    A man presented with a history of rash on his back, chest, and upper extremities that occurred after activities, such as exercise or yard work.

    Curbside Consultation

    Pet Therapy: Enhancing Patient Care Through Time with Animals

    INDU MANI, J. SCOTT WEESE

    A 16-year-old girl and her parents presented to my office for her wellness evaluation. The patient has generalized anxiety disorder with comorbid major depression, for which she has been prescribed a serotonergic antidepressant. She is a high school student, lives with her...

    Practice Guidelines

    AAO-HNS Releases Updated Guideline on Management of Otitis Media with Effusion

    MARA LAMBERT

    Otitis media with effusion (OME) is defined as the presence of fluid in the middle ear in the absence of signs or symptoms of acute ear infection. This practice guideline from the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) provides recommendations to...

    POEMs

    Getting an Infant to Sleep: Graduated Extinction and Sleep Fading Are Effective

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    This study found that graduated extinction (increasing intervals between comforting the infant) and sleep fading (putting the child to bed progressively later until the parent finds the sweet spot) are both effective at decreasing sleep latency and the number of awakenings...

    Hypertensive Urgency Not Really an Urgent Problem

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Opioid Analgesia Hard to Tolerate and Not Effective for Chronic Low Back Pain

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Effective pain control in patients with low back pain is still elusive. Approximately one-half of all patients with low back pain who take an opioid analgesic will stop treatment because of ineffectiveness or adverse effects. Patients staying the course will experience, on...

    Venous Samples Are a Less-Painful Starting Point for the Evaluation of Patients with Acute Exacerbation of COPD

    MARK H. EBELL

    There is very good agreement between arterial and venous measurements of pH and bicarbonate, and fairly good agreement at higher levels between arterial and peripheral measures of oxygen saturation. These authors suggest an algorithm for patients with acute exacerbation of...

    Medicine by the Numbers

    Valproate for Adult Migraine Prophylaxis

    ADAM R. ALUISIO, SHAHRIAR ZEHTABCHI

    Evidence supports current guideline recommendations on the use of valproate medications to prevent migraine.

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Epididymitis: What You Should Know

    The epididymis is a tube attached to the back of the testicles that holds the sperm. If you have epididymitis, the epididymis is tender and swollen. Your scrotum may also be red and swollen, usually on one side, and it may hurt to urinate.



    Disclosure

    All editors in a position to control content for this activity, AFP journal, are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships. View disclosures.


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