November 15, 2000

Anemia should be considered a sign, not a disease. The goals of evaluation and management are to make an accurate and efficient diagnosis, avoid unnecessary testing, correct underlying treatable causes and ameliorate symptoms when necessary.

Beta blocker therapy can reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. Appropriate candidates for therapy with beta blockers have left ventricular systolic dysfunction with mild or moderate impairment in functional capacity. They should be appropriately…

Anemia should be considered a sign, not a disease. The goals of evaluation and management are to make an accurate and efficient diagnosis, avoid unnecessary testing, correct underlying treatable causes and ameliorate symptoms when necessary.

The most readily available form of emergency contraception consists of two doses of either an estrogen-progestin combination oral contraceptive or levonorgestrel, taken 12 hours apart. Emergency contraception should not be considered an alternative form of contraception but can…

Depression in children and adolescents is an underdiagnosed and growing problem. Prompt diagnosis, treatment and referral may prevent long-term complications and lessen the risk of suicide.

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.

At the end of last year we received word that the AAFP board had passed a resolution naming 2000 as the year of AFP, just as we prepared to celebrate the 50th year of publication of the journal. As this year and AFP's celebration begin to wind down, I would like to recognize…

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

Even though we have come far since movies of frothing dogs, that image still haunts our minds. According to a UCLA study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, this ghost has led to an increased use of the rabies vaccine in emergency departments nationwide. In a…

Informed consent is a crucial concept connected with the prescription of any medical therapy. When it comes to the practice of emergency postcoital contraception, discussions about the expected outcomes, the potential side effects and the possible mechanisms of action are…

Emergency contraception is an effective, if underused, means of preventing pregnancy when unprotected intercourse has occurred. Why should physicians know about emergency contraception? Unwanted pregnancies exact a high price emotionally and economically.1 Inconsistent use of…

The diagnostic difficulty associated with acute venous thromboembolism (i.e., deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or both) is underscored by the frequency with which patients die before the diagnosis is made.1 Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs in hundreds of thousands of…

Researchers disagree about whether attempts should be made to eradicate Helicobacter pylori in patients who have nonulcer dyspepsia. WLL has one such patient who has not been helped by conservative therapies. Recently, he told WLL he had found a “cure”: taking a dietary…

(Canada—Canadian Family Physician, May 2000, p. 1081.) Although earache is one of the most common symptoms seen by family physicians throughout the Western world, the accepted optimal treatment strategy for otitis media, the primary cause of earache, varies dramatically from…

The U.S. Headache Consortium guidelines for preventive therapy of migraine identify three goals of preventive therapy: (1) a reduction in the frequency, severity and duration of attacks; (2) an improvement in the patient's responsiveness to treatment of acute attacks; and (3…

Among persons 65 years and older, injuries related to falls are the main cause of injury deaths and disabilities. The most serious fall injury is hip fracture. In 1996, 340,000 hospitalizations for hip fracture occurred among persons 65 years and older, and 80 percent of these…

Normocytic anemia is a blood problem. It means you have normal-sized red blood cells, but you have a low number of them.

Melanoma is a kind of skin cancer. It is sometimes called malignant melanoma. Melanoma is becoming more common every year. This is a very serious kind of skin cancer that can cause death. If this cancer is caught early, when it is very small, it can be cured. A melanoma can…

Ask your child about his or her thoughts and feelings. It may also be a good idea to talk to your doctor about your child's behavior and your concerns about depression. In most cases, taking your child to your doctor's office is a good idea. A medical problem may be causing the…

Your child's teenage years can be a difficult time. Teens may feel overwhelmed by the emotional and physical changes they are going through. At the same time, they may be facing a number of pressures from friends to fit in and from parents and other adults to do well in school…

Eating healthy foods doesn't mean losing flavor. You can choose and prepare low-fat foods that your family will enjoy. Just follow the advice below.

Stress is caused by the body's instinct to defend itself. This instinct is good in emergencies, such as getting out of the way of a speeding car, but it can cause physical symptoms if it goes on for too long, such as in response to life's daily challenges and changes.