October 1, 2002

Patients with diabetes are twice as likely as persons in the general population to have hypertension. Most patients with concomitant diabetes and hypertension require more than one agent to attain adequate blood pressure control to help prevent diabetic complications.

Clinicians caring for infants and toddlers should focus on the primary prevention of iron deficiency and be aware of the risk factors and screening techniques for iron deficiency.

Adverse reactions to contrast agents range from itching to life-threatening emergencies. Awareness of the different types of adverse reactions allows for early recognition and prompt treatment.

Patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, often respond to treatment with antidepressants and lifestyle changes.

The purposes of electrosurgery are to destroy benign and malignant lesions, control bleeding, and cut or excise tissue. Electrosurgery is simple to perform and master.

Early detection and biopsy of any abnormal vulvar lesions are imperative to diagnosing vulvar cancer in the early stages and improving morbidity and mortality.

Among the top articles published in AFP last year were those nominated for the Kemp Award, which the AAFP has presented each year in recognition of the most outstanding AFP article written by family physicians. Articles are judged on the basis of quality of editorial…

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Boring, they're not. But are school-based sex education programs helping teenagers? In a randomized trial of 8,430 adolescents published in BMJ, researchers compared a teacher-delivered sex education program that focused on active learning and skills development with standard…

In the United States, diabetes is the most common cause of both blindness and end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis. Diabetes is responsible for almost one half of the approximately 326,000 persons currently receiving dialysis, with an annual Medicare cost of more than $50…

The painful lesion on his foot brought a homeless man to the mobile clinic. After walking 55 miles from Columbus to Dayton one week earlier, the patient naturally developed sore feet. But the pain was now barely tolerable. The skin over the ball of the foot was callused and…

This review indicates that continuous caregiver support during childbirth has a number of benefits with minimal to no risks. It was less likely that women would need pain medications or have an operative vaginal delivery, a cesarean section, or a five-minute Apgar score of less…

What are the effects of drug treatments for obesity in adults?

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

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed a practice guideline on the diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children. This syndrome occurs in children of all ages, but it is thought to be most common in preschool-aged children.

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Confidentiality between physician and patient has long been regarded as a sacred trust. It is embodied in the Hippocratic oath and in the ethical codes of virtually all health-related professions. Yet it is widely recognized that the physician's duty to respect confidentiality…

Anemia means having fewer or smaller red blood cells than normal. Iron is a key part of hemoglobin, which is the part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs out to the rest of the body. Children can get iron deficiency anemia when there is not enough iron in…

PMDD is a severe form of a common problem called premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. About 75 percent of women of childbearing age have some PMS problems. About 2 to 10 percent of women in this age group have PMDD.

The vulva is the skin and fatty tissue between the upper thighs of women, from the area of the anus to about an inch below the pubic hairline. Cancer of the vulva most often affects the two skin folds (or lips) around the vagina, known as the labia.

People with good emotional health are in control of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They feel good about themselves and have good relationships. They can keep problems in perspective.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is ongoing, excessive worry or fear that is not related to a particular event or situation. It is out of proportion to what you would expect. For instance, a parent who has GAD may constantly worry about a child who is perfectly healthy.

Panic disorder is a common condition in which a person has episodes of intense fear or anxiety that occur suddenly (often without warning). These episodes—called panic attacks—can last from minutes to hours. They may occur only once in a while, or they may occur frequently. The…