January 15, 2003

By detecting eating disorders at an early stage, family physicians can play a crucial role in helping patients recover.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a potentially lethal lung inflammation that can develop in critically ill patients. The fundamentals of therapy include providing supplemental oxygen, lung rest, and supportive care.

If possible, seizure control in the elderly should be achieved with one agent given in the lowest effective dosage. All antiepileptic drugs can cause dose-dependent sedation and cognitive impairment.

Osteoarthritis is the leading medical condition for which people use alternative therapies. Common therapies for osteoarthritis include herbs, supplements, exercise, and nondrug modalities.

Family physicians should be proactive in diagnosing and managing the changes in sexual functioning that can occur in patients who have chronic illness. Patient education and reassurance are essential.

An Illustrator's Gallery: Artist Mark Schuler

Number of Physicians Providing Care to Medicaid and Charity Patients Declines | HHS Grants Expected to Provide Health Care Services for 195,000 Americans | Survey Reveals Continued Trend of Decline in Illicit Drug Use by Adolescents | HHS Awards $100 Million to Help Prevent and…

“Bzzzzz.” Cold weather has quieted that sound for many Americans, but mosquitoes are still creating a buzz. According to BMJ, mosquitoes native to the United States may be responsible for two cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria in the Washington, D.C., area last summer. Some…

It is well established that hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), and routine screening is recommended for standard lipids and other major modifiable risk factors, including blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and lifestyle habits.1 Advances in…

Linda, a 40-year-old woman, presented this afternoon to review a recent computed tomographic (CT) scan. The scan was obtained to further evaluate a six-week history of abdominal pain. The pain was crampy, located in the left upper quadrant, and initially associated with…

These are the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the primary prevention of chronic conditions in postmenopausal women. This statement updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to…

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a statement on the management of cancer symptoms, including pain, depression, and fatigue. Physicians need to be able to identify who is at risk for these cancer-related symptoms, what treatments work best to address these…

Group B Streptococci Screening Recommendations | HTAC Recommendations on Tumescent Liposuction | FDA Approval

Differential Diagnosis for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | Letters to the Editor

If you have an eating disorder, you are very concerned about the way your body looks, and you use food to control your emotions. You want very much to be thin and are afraid of becoming fat.

A chronic illness is a health problem that you have for a long time, such as heart disease, lung disease, arthritis, or cancer.

Increased physical activity can lead to a longer life and better health. Exercise helps prevent heart disease and many other problems. Exercise builds strength, gives you more energy, helps reduce stress, and can help you lose weight. It is also a good way to curb your appetite…

Lifting weights can cause serious injury. You can lift weights more safely by following these basic guidelines.

Most injuries that affect runners are called overuse injuries. This type of injury most often occurs because the runner is trying to run too far, too fast, and too soon. With every mile you run, your feet must absorb about 110 tons of energy. Up to 70 percent of runners get…

Most injuries that affect runners are called overuse injuries. This type of injury most often occurs because the runner is trying to run too far, too fast, and too soon. With every mile you run, your feet must absorb about 110 tons of energy. Up to 70 percent of runners get…