June 15, 2003

Because some over-the-counter medications used during pregnancy may adversely affect the developing fetus, physicians should educate pregnant women on the safety and efficacy of various drugs and health products.

Acute interstitial nephritis should be considered early in the differential diagnosis of acute renal failure. It can be caused by medications, infections, and other clinical syndromes.

Epinephrine remains the treatment of choice for acute anaphylaxis subsequent to an insect sting. Because of demonstrated efficacy, venom immunotherapy is recommended for use in patients who are at risk for severe systemic reactions to future insect stings.

The appearance of a newborn's fontanels is an indicator of overall health, with the normal fontanel varying widely in size and time of closure.

Patients frequently present to their family physicians to have painful and difficult-to-remove splinters extracted. This article discusses initial evaluation, removal techniques, and follow-up care.

Although the causes of hirsutism are often not life-threatening, clinical evaluation is necessary to rule out more serious pathology. Treatment should include nonpharmacologic as well as pharmacologic therapies.

The editors of AFP have had the pleasure of observing the births of two sister publications: Family Practice Management, whose first issue was delivered almost 10 years ago in the fall of 1993, and now Annals of Family Medicine, whose first issue just crossed our desks this…

Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) may benefit women's voices, according to a small study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Researchers compared the voice stability (frequency and amplitude variations) of six OCP users and six non-OCP users and found that the women who…

Web Sites Expand Health Information for Asian and Pacific Americans | Consensus Report Identifies 30 Patient Safety Practices for Health Care Settings | Sexual Issues Are Top Health Concern for American Adolescents and Young Adults | Report Shows That 25 Percent of American…

In this issue of American Family Physician, Black and Hill1 review the safety profiles of many over-the-counter (OTC) medications in pregnancy. This is important considering the approximately 6 million pregnancies that occur in the United States annually,2 and it is not unusual…

“Thank goodness that horrible crawling sensation in my legs has gone away completely,” reported the 66-year-old woman. She had been hospitalized a month earlier with microcytic anemia, which ultimately was diagnosed as chronic gastritis secondary to nonsteroidal anti…

This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on counseling to promote a healthy diet in primary care patients and the supporting scientific evidence, and it updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical…

The National Center for Infectious Diseases recently issued consolidated and updated guidelines for the prevention and control of infections with hepatitis viruses in juvenile and adult correctional settings.

AHRQ Report on Allergic Rhinitis | AAP Statement on Home Apnea Monitors | AHRQ Report on Ineffective Treatment of Bronchiolitis | FDA Approvals

The kidneys are a pair of organs located just behind the stomach. They filter bacteria and extra salt and water from the body. The kidneys stop working when illness or injury keeps them from filtering properly. In kidney failure, these bacteria and salts build up and can have…