February 1, 1998

The American Heart Association's recently revised guidelines for the prevention of bacterial endocarditis are intended to more clearly define when prophylaxis is and is not recommended, as well as to improve practitioner and patient compliance.

Of the 1 million ankle injuries that occur annually in the United States, 85 percent are sprains of the lateral ligaments. Milder sprains respond to rest and immobilization, while more serious sprains may require casting or surgery.

The Medicare Hospice Benefit allows hospice programs to provide valuable and effective interdisciplinary services to support the family physician's palliative care of terminally ill nursing home residents.

Amnioinfusion has been shown to decrease variable decelerations and, correspondingly, to decrease operative intervention associated with a nonreassuring fetal heart rate tracing. Dilution of thick meconium with amnioinfusion can potentially reduce the risk of meconium aspiration.

New choices in antiepileptic therapy provide improved seizure control, but a thorough understanding of drug interactions and possible life-threatening side effects is imperative for physicians who employ these medications.

(Australia—Australian Family Physician, August 1997, p. 917.) Several Web sites relate to health care issues and offer resources for those with chronic diseases. Recommendations for sources of information on diabetes mellitus include the Diabetic Gourmet (http…

One of our readers' favorite AFP departments continues to be “Tips from Other Journals.” It's one of our favorites too. Also known as “Tips,” this department consists of practical summaries of research and review articles from other medical journals. In this issue, you'll find…

Selected policy and health issues news briefs from AAFP News Now.

The Tobacco Institute was the subject of one of Science & Government Report's recent “Non-Profit Pay Checks” reports. The boring part was that in 1996, the Institute reported $46.5 million in revenues from its 12 “corporate sponsors” (companies that manufacture cigarettes…

A renewed interest in the United States in appropriate health care and decision making at the end of life has focused attention on hospice programs. Additionally, the aging of our population along with efforts of third-party payers to shorten inpatient lengths of stay have…

Not one of us has been in practice for more than a week before we've heard the words, “Oh, by the way . . .” One of the benefits of family practice, however, is the fact that we also, as physicians, get the opportunity to turn the tables sometimes and utter, “Oh, by the way…

Photo Quiz presents readers with a clinical challenge based on a photograph or other image.

The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Task Force on Practice Guidelines has developed guidelines for cardiovascular exercise testing. The entire guidelines are published in the July 1997 issue of the Journal of the American College of…

Because as many as 70 percent of pregnant women in the United States undergo ultrasound examination at various times during gestation, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) undertook an analysis of the literature to determine the benefit or lack of…

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The injury that occurs when your foot “rolls,” or turns in on itself, is called an ankle sprain. In this injury, the ligaments that hold the ankle and foot bones in place are stretched and weakened.

Hospice is the name for a special program of care for terminally ill (dying) patients and their families. Rather than trying to cure an illness, hospice efforts are directed toward making the patient comfortable, easing pain and other troublesome symptoms, and supporting the…