March 1, 1998

The mechanism of injury, radiographic projections, plain-film signs and advanced imaging techniques for some commonly missed fractures and dislocations of the upper limb are discussed.

This article provides guidance in the treatment of the patient with hard-to-control hypertension, including ways to foster compliance, avoid inadequate therapeutic regimens and recognize associated conditions that cause drug resistance.

Celiac disease is a disorder of the small bowel that results from a malabsorption syndrome. It is underdiagnosed because of its protean manifestations. A gluten-free diet brings about complete resolution of symptoms in almost all patients.

A one-minute examination of the placenta performed in the delivery room may be important to the care of a mother and her newborn. Developmental, infectious, neoplastic and other abnormalities of the placenta, umbilical cord and fetal or maternal membranes may affect the…

Family physicians may encounter unique clinical presentations in patients who are immigrants and refugees, including infectious diseases, psychologic problems and effects of trauma.

Drug therapy is available to reduce the impact of infections caused by varicella virus, herpes simplex virus, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza type A virus, although not all infected children need or benefit from this therapy.

Hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes benefit from a rational approach to glycemic control. Insulin supplementation given in accordance with an algorithm may be a logical alternative to the traditional sliding-scale insulin regimen.

(Great Britain—The Practitioner, October 1997, p. 571.) Oral contraceptives are effective in preventing pregnancy and are associated with many health benefits, such as protection against ovarian and endometrial cancer, improvement of menstrual disorders and reduced risk of…

AFP has always offered readers a convenient way of earning CME credit. By simply taking the “Clinical Quiz” in each issue and sending in the quiz card, readers can rack up a substantial number of credit hours each year. Now AFP is making it even easier to earn credit. Instead…

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

What do U.S. adults enjoy doing to pamper themselves? According to a Roper Starch Worldwide survey, taking a day off from work was cited by 23 percent of men and 15 percent of women. Buying clothing was cited by 19 percent of men and 36 percent of women, and eating a special…

Family physicians, managed care organizations and health planners are becoming increasingly aware of the value of good nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease. Our focus as a health care system will shift from individual disease-oriented office visits to concern…

One criticism of physicians is our difficulty in responding to the emotional circumstances of patients who are terminally ill. Working as a consultation-liaison psychiatrist for many years, I have had an opportunity to assist physicians from all specialities in attending their…

At the beginning of one's career as a family physician, it seems that all of the consultations are one-sided; that is, all of the consults go out and none come in. However, as time passes and our colleagues begin to know us, a shift toward a balance between in and out is…

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

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), under the auspices of the ACOG Committee on Educational Bulletins, has issued a report (ACOG Educational Bulletin No. 242) on the management of women who are victims of sexual assault. The report includes…

The first in a series of reports on Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) covers the nutrients associated with bone growth and osteoporosis. The report, “Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride…

The Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) has published a document titled “Progress Report on Alzheimer's Disease, 1997.” The 46-page report describes recent research focusing on changes in the brain in patients with…

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Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition that raises the pressure inside the blood vessels (veins and arteries). High blood pressure damages the blood vessels. It can lead to serious health problems, including stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.

Your doctor says you have celiac disease. What does that mean to you? It means some good things and some not-so-good things: