December 15, 2001

Peripheral vascular disease is a common condition affecting as many as 10 million persons in the United States. Physicians should be able to identify patients at risk and be aware of the available treatments.

Giving bad news to a patient can be one of the most difficult things a physician has to do. The ABCDE mnemonic and other practical recommendations are provided to aid physicians with this task.

Neurotic excoriations are self-inflicted lesions produced by repetitive scratching as a manifestation of an emotional problem. Family physicians are well equipped to help patients with this problem.

Mucous cysts may be cured with simple surgery, cryosurgery, or repeated needling.

This issue of AFP features recommendations on newborn hearing screening that were just released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Alfred O. Berg, M.D., M.P.H., and Janet Allan, Ph.D., R.N., C.S., have written an editorial (see page 1945) to accompany the…

Framingham Heart Study Will Research the ‘Third Generation’ | ‘Patient and Physician Safety Act of 2001’ Is Introduced to House of Representatives | Senate Passes ‘Teaching Children To Save Lives Act’ | AAFP Sets Deadlines for Awards, Proposals in 2002

“Yummy.” Results of a study published in the Journal of Urology show that taking a daily supplement of bacteria could prevent kidney stones from forming. The bacteria break down and lower high levels of oxalate, a byproduct of digestion that is the major cause of kidney stones…

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USP-STF) is back. Following in the steps of its predecessors, which produced similar evidence reports in 1989 and 1995, the third USPSTF (convened by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ] in 1998) systematically reviews…

In this issue of American Family Physician, VandeKieft discusses breaking bad news to patients.1 The increased importance noted by current literature in family medicine on end-of-life issues reflects the desire on the part of society to collaborate with their family physicians…

“Why are you ordering a lipid profile?” asked KS, the faculty member on call in the Family Practice Center. She and a second-year resident, SO, were discussing the work-up of an 82-year-old woman who was in excellent health aside from mild hypertension. SO replied, “I order…

This statement summarizes the third U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on newborn hearing screening and the supporting scientific evidence, and it updates the 1995 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, second edition.

The U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) has updated its previous guidelines for the management of health care personnel who have occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids that might contain hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) or human immunodeficiency virus…

West Nile Virus Activity Update | AAP Policy on Safe Air Travel for Children

Neurotic excoriations (say: x-kor-ee-a-shuns) are scrapes and scabs caused when you scratch or pick at your skin. The scabs are on easy-to-reach parts of your body, such as your face, upper back, upper arms and legs. There isn't a physical reason that your skin itches. The…

Neurotic excoriations (say: x-kor-ee-a-shuns) are scrapes and scabs caused when you scratch or pick at your skin. The scabs are on easy-to-reach parts of your body, such as your face, upper back, upper arms and legs. There isn't a physical reason that your skin itches. The…