January 15, 2002

Gender-specific differences in risk factors for coronary heart disease should be considered in women. Established therapies directed at risk reduction should be more widely implemented in the primary care setting.

A growing body of evidence suggests that obstructive sleep apnea is a major contributing factor in the development of essential hypertension. Although many patients with obstructive sleep apnea have clear symptoms of the disorder, about 80 to 90 percent of cases are undiagnosed…

Genitourinary tract infections are one of the causes of preterm delivery; prematurity is one of the leading causes of perinatal mortality in the United States. Physicians can substantially decrease the risk of preterm delivery by diagnosing and treating genitourinary infections.

This article provides guidelines for writing an evidence-based article forAFP. Resources and a checklist are included.

Careful examination of the newborn at delivery can permit detection of anomalies, birth injuries, and disorders that may compromise successful adaptation to extrauterine life. Significant potential anomalies include abdominal wall defects, developmental hip dysplasia, ambiguous…

If you have kept up with your journal reading lately, you might have noticed that AFP is enhancing its delivery of evidence-based clinical recommendations in a number of ways. This issue contains a special feature entitled, “How to Write an Evidence-Based Clinical Review…

HIPAA Administrative Transaction Standards Requirements Delayed | ACIP Updates Vaccine Recommendations for Children | Overweight and Obesity Threaten Recent Gains in U.S. Health | Rural Health Agencies Need More Nurses, Educators, Scientists

Only one third of older rural residents with memory-related problems associated with Alzheimer's disease consult their family physician. In contrast, results of a study published in the Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research show that one half of urban residents…

As mentioned in the August 1, 2001, “Inside AFP, ” we are strengthening the process for incorporating an evidence-based approach in our clinical review articles. We now ask all authors to rate the level of evidence for key clinical recommendations on diagnosis and treatment. As…

After 10 to 15 years of trying to improve the quality of medical care by developing and disseminating literally tons of clinical guidelines, it is time to admit that we have been doing it wrong. The best evidence for my claim is summarized in the latest report on quality from…

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs in 2 percent of women and 4 percent of men between 30 and 60 years of age.1 (This compares with an incidence of 4.5 percent for asthma in this age category.)2 OSA is infrequently diagnosed. The National Center on Sleep Disorders Research…

JDF was in her office dictating charts while awaiting the arrival of her next patient when the commotion began. A local transportation aid appeared in the doorway and said the patient she had brought for a routine office appointment was in the van and was unresponsive. She said…

This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for screening for lipid disorders and the supporting scientific evidence, and it updates the 1995 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, second…

(Great Britain—The Practitioner, June 2001, p. 481.) Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) affect approximately 40 per 100,000 persons per year but because symptoms are frequently brief and minor, the condition is significantly underdiagnosed. The symptoms depend on the affected…

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 (HIV) are available from the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS).

AAP Policy Statement on Use of Bicycle Helmets | FDA Approves Weekly Birth Control Patch | Scientific Exhibit Deadline for AAFP Assembly | Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Use Statistics

While I was reviewing the chart of a two-year-old girl brought into the clinic by her mother, a medical assistant pulled me aside and said, “That woman was really rough with her child in the waiting room. You might want to ask about abuse.” My small patient had a rash, but I…

Heart disease is a disease of the arteries that bring blood to the heart muscle. It is the number one killer of American women.

Heart disease is a disease of the arteries that bring blood to the heart muscle. It is the number one killer of American women. The build-up of cholesterol (say: ko-less-tur-all) in the arteries of the heart is an important risk factor for heart disease.

When you sleep, the muscles in your throat relax. This lets the airway partly close. Air then has to move faster through the narrower passage. This causes the palate and tongue to vibrate. We hear this vibration as snoring.