February 15, 2003

Most benign skin tumors, such as sebaceous hyperplasia, seborrheic keratoses, dermatofibromas, skin tags, keratoacanthomas, pyogenic granulomas, and epidermoid cysts, can be diagnosed and treated in the family physician's office.

The use of diagnostic and therapeutic injection for common wrist and hand pathologies is reviewed and pictorially demonstrated.

Interferon alfa or lamivudine is the preferred therapy for hepatitis B infection. Pegylated interferon and ribavirin are routinely used for treating hepatitis C infection. Ganciclovir and foscarnet may be useful for treating severe cytomegalovirus infection. Several oral and…

Family physicians now have four drugs to choose from for prophylaxis and treatment of influenza infections. Select groups of patients with respiratory syncytial virus may benefit from antiviral medications.

Exercise-induced bronchospasm is defined as the presence of symptoms, such as the obstruction of transient airflow, usually occurring five to 15 minutes after the onset of physical exertion. Appropriate management allows most patients to continue to exercise and participate in…

In my last column, I emphasized that AFP depends on feedback from readers to help determine the editorial direction of the journal. Each year we conduct several written surveys and invite readers to participate in focus groups or interviews. We read and share all of your e…

House Bill May Reclaim Title VII Family Practice Training Funds | Health Care Spending in the United States Increased by 8.7 Percent in 2001 | Two Surveys Demonstrate Negative Economic Impact of Medicaid Reductions | AHRQ Releases Fact Book on Women's Health Care in U.S…

Protecting yourself from skin cancer may one day be as easy as getting dressed in the morning. The Skin Cancer Foundation has awarded its Seal of Recommendation to Coolibar, LLC, an Australian line of garments that block the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. According to…

In a group of studies about medical errors in family medicine, the five error types most often observed and reported by U.S. family physicians were: (1) errors in prescribing medications; (2) errors in getting the right laboratory test done for the right patient at the right…

The prevalence of atopic diseases, including allergic rhinitis, is increasing rapidly in westernized societies, with some studies suggesting an increase in prevalence of 25 percent or more over the course of one or two generations. This has resulted in a large increase in the…

“Sometimes I feel more like a detective than a family physician,” JB, a third-year resident, commented to the faculty. JB was reviewing the blood glucose level of a patient who had been diagnosed with diabetes several years earlier. This 53-year-old woman checked her glucose…

U.S. PREVENTIVE SERVICES TASK FORCE

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently updated a 1997 guideline for the diagnosis and management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis. The IDSA defined group A streptococcal pharyngitis as an acute infection of the oropharynx or nasopharynx that is caused by…

ACOG Bulletin on Selective Estrogen-Receptor Modulators | International Family Medicine Poster Presentation | Guidelines for Implantation of Cardiac Pacemakers | Call for Papers of Family Practice Research Presentations | Management of Patients with Unstable Angina | ACOG…

Noninvasive Treatments for Umbilical Granulomas

Importance of Preconception Counseling

Exercise-induced bronchospasm (also called EIB) happens if the airways in your lungs shrink (get smaller) while you are exercising. If you have EIB, it can be hard for you to exercise for more than 30 minutes. You may have wheezing, difficulty breathing, or chest pain…

Colds and the flu (also called influenza) have many of the same symptoms. A cold is generally mild, while the flu tends to be more severe.

Influenza (also called the flu) is a viral infection in the nose, throat, and lungs. About 10 to 20 percent of Americans get the flu each year. Some people get very sick. Each year, about 130,000 people go to a hospital with the flu, and 20,000 people die because of the flu and…

Antibiotics are strong medicines that can stop some infections and save lives. But antibiotics can cause more harm than good if they are not used the right way. You can protect yourself and your family by knowing when you should use antibiotics and when you shouldn't.

Acute bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial tree. The bronchial (say: “brawn-kee-ull”) tree is made up of the tubes that carry air into your lungs. When these tubes get infected, they swell up, and mucus (thick fluid) forms. This makes it hard for you to breathe. You…

Pharyngitis (say: “fare-en-jy-tis”)—which is what your doctor calls a sore throat—can be caused by many things. Sometimes, when mucus from your sinuses drains into your throat, the drainage can make your throat feel sore. Viruses (such as those that cause the common cold) and…