August 1, 2000

Screening protocols for blood levels should be based on the prevalence of older housing and lead poisoning in a community and the recommendations of the local health department. Management strategies include family education, primary and secondary prevention and, when indicated…

Knee osteoarthritis is a common but often difficult management problem in primary care. Viscosupplementation, a newly available option for patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, involves a series of intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid.

Several tools, such as the modified CAGE questionnaire for smoking, the “four Cs” test and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, can be used in the family physician's office to quickly assess a patient's smoking behaviors.

Because early diagnosis drastically improves survival rates in women with breast cancer, family physicians should familiarize themselves with all aspects of diagnosis and screening.

Beta-lactam antibiotics are active against many gram-negative, gram-positive and anaerobic organisms. Care must be taken when selecting a specific drug because each beta-lactam group has a somewhat different antimicrobial spectrum.

This feature is part of a year-long series of excerpts and special commentaries celebrating AFP's 50th year of publication. Excerpts from the two 1950 volumes of GP, AFP's predecessor, appear along with highlights of 50 years of family medicine.

If you hadn't yet noticed the subtle change on our foot-line, take a quick glance at the bottom of this page: we've added the address of AFP's Web site as a reminder that your favorite journal is always just a couple of keystrokes away on the Internet. Is this site new? Not…

Most people (82 percent) in the United States have and use for much of their health care a usual source of care, and a majority of them name a particular primary care physician as that source. Regardless of self-reported health status, people benefit from having a usual source…

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

Now you can have your eggs and eat them too—even runny, sunny-side-up eggs. Pasteurized shell eggs began appearing on major supermarket shelves, in hospital kitchens and in major restaurant and hotel chains along the East Coast this spring. The eggs are processed in several…

In this issue of American Family Physician, Dr. Apantaku's article, titled “Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Screening,”1 provides a useful overview of issues that pertain to breast cancer. The importance of this topic is confirmed by the emphasis that breast cancer is accorded in…

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has modified its guidelines1 for use of the meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine in the prevention of bacterial meningitis and septicemia. The changes are…

In the midst of a busy day, it is always helpful to have one or two “simple-to-handle” skin-care problems on the schedule—both for diversity and efficiency. Many times the diagnosis is obvious, and there is no need for confirmatory laboratory tests. This saves time, and it's a…

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

(Hong Kong—The Hong Kong Practitioner, March 2000, p. 116.) Derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, purified protein derivative (PPD) used with correct Mantoux technique can provide the most accurate and reliable skin test for evidence of exposure to tuberculosis. Worldwide…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is best known for protecting public health by ensuring the safety of the national food supply and the safety and effectiveness of human drugs, biologics and medical devices. In addition, however, the agency helps safeguard the health…

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has updated guidelines for antiretroviral therapy in adults and adolescents with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the Work-Related Lung Disease (WoRLD) Surveillance Report for 1999.

Case study: Reflecting on your last office session, you recall several pediatric visits. Among these was a visit from a six-month-old infant who was brought in for a checkup and completion of papers for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. You ordered blood work for…

Book Review | Also Received

Letter

High lead levels in the body can cause problems with the brain, kidneys, and bone marrow (soft tissue inside bones). Symptoms of high lead levels can include belly pain, headaches, vomiting, confusion, muscle weakness, seizures, hair loss or anemia (low red blood cell count).

Osteoarthritis is a painful knee problem. It is also called degenerative arthritis or wear-and-tear arthritis. Arthritis is what happens when the tissue that protects the bones wears away. This tissue is called cartilage (say: car-till-edge).

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Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. Women more than 20 years of age should know the signs of breast cancer and the best ways to find it early.