• Articles

    Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    ANTHONY J. VIERA

    Effective treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome include wrist splinting, oral corticosteroid therapy, local corticosteroid injection, and carpal tunnel release surgery.

    Diagnosis and Management of Syphilis

    DAVID L. BROWN, JENNIFER E. FRANK

    Diagnostic techniques and treatments depend on the stage of the disease. Neurosyphilis can develop in any stage ofTreponema pallidum infection.

    Vaccinations in Pregnancy

    DENISE K. SUR, DAVID H. WALLIS, THEODORE X. O'CONNELL

    Misconceptions about the safety of current vaccine use during pregnancy often cause physicians to hesitate to administer them and patients to accept them. Despite these misconceptions, family physicians are in a good position to implement appropriate guidelines for...

    Necrotizing (Malignant) External Otitis

    OPHIR HANDZEL, DORON HALPERIN

    Necrotizing external otitis, a relatively rare complication of external otitis, occurs primarily in immunocompromised persons, especially older persons with diabetes mellitus. Treatment includes correction of immunosuppression (when possible), local treatment of the auditory...

    Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections: A Primary Care Review

    ADRIENNE J. HEADLEY

    Necrotizing soft tissue infections must be detected and treated rapidly to prevent loss of limb or a fatal outcome. Antibiotic therapy is important, but controlled surgical debridement of necrotic and diseased tissues remains the cornerstone of treatment.

    Inside AFP

    AFP Online: Looking Back and Moving Ahead

    Janis Wright

    ILLUSTRATION BY FLOYD E. HOSMEROur most recent research shows that half of AFP's readers may not know that they have full access to the journal online. They may not know that it's available at a price that can't be beat—it's still free of charge. AFP online is such a good...

    Quantum Sufficit

    Quantum Sufficit

    Sarah Evans, Heather McNeill, Shab Vakil

    Toilet training can take longer if a child is not ready. A study published in Pediatricscompared the length of intensive toilet training (directing the child to use the toilet more than three times a day) in 378 children in a suburban private pediatric practice. Parents were...

    Newsletter

    Newsletter

    Matthew Neff

    CDC Web Page Provides Up-To-Date Information on Monkeypox | HHS Streamlines FDA Regulations for Generic Drug Approvals | AHRQ Releases Men's Health Brochure for Screening Tests and Staying Healthy | Coalition Announces Agenda for Addressing the Issue of Low Health Literacy |...

    Editorials

    JNC 7 Express: New Thinking in Hypertension Treatment

    LEE GREEN

    In May 2003, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Seventh Joint National Committee on High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) released its recommendations for the most current diagnosis and management of hypertension.1In both its process and its aim, this iteration of the time...

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    This morning I arrive early to orient two third-year medical students about to start their family medicine clerkship. Today’s students are the kind I like best—nervously eager, attentive, and thoughtful. One is leaning toward pediatrics, and the other, adolescent medicine. “I...

    Cochrane for Clinicians

    Should We Offer Routine Breast Cancer Screening with Mammography?

    SEAN P. DAVID

    While there is good evidence that mammography starting at age 50 reduces breast cancer mortality, this meta-analysis does not provide evidence of a mortality benefit for mammography screening in women aged 40 to 49. Controversy exists over whether to include in the analysis...

    U.S. PREVENTIVE SERVICES TASK FORCE: RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATIONALE

    Screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Recommendation and Rationale

    This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on screening for gestational diabetes and the supporting scientific evidence. It updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, second...

    POEMs and Tips

    Vitamin D Prevents Fractures

    ALLEN SHAUGHNESSY

    Not All Types of Fish Prevent Heart Disease

    MARK EBELL

    Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists vs. Steroids

    ALLEN SHAUGHNESSY

    Short-Interval Follow-up Mammography Is Low Yield

    HENRY BARRY

    Depression in Older Women with Urinary Incontinence

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Update on Childhood Rhabdomyosarcoma

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Risks of Outpatient Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Nebulizers vs. Metered-Dose Inhalers for Wheezing Infants

    KARL E. MILLER

    GBS Strains Are Increasingly Resistant to Antibiotics

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Amiodarone for Cardioversion on Recent-Onset Atrial Fibrillation

    KARL E. MILLER

    Surgery for the Treatment of Chronic Seizures

    CHUCK CARTER

    Unnecessary Prescriptions for Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Repetitive Behaviors: a Clue to Early Dementia

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Statins Limit Subclinical Progression of Atherosclerosis

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Diagnosing Chronic Testicular Pain

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Practice Guidelines

    NHLBI Releases New High Blood Pressure Guidelines

    Genevieve W. Ressel

    New guidelines for the prevention and management of hypertension are available from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). According to the NHLBI, hypertension affects about 50 million persons in the United States.

    Clinical Briefs

    Clinical Briefs

    Carrie Morantz, Brian Torrey

    Recommendations on Screening for Chlamydia | Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Shortage Resolved | Toxic Substance Fact Sheets Available Online | Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk in Children

    Letters to the Editor

    Sexual History Taking Should Be Taught in Medical School

    YOLANDA WIMBERLY, SANDRA MOORE

    Should Pelvic Examination Be Continued After Hysterectomy?

    Diagnostic Testing for HIV Infection

    JEFFREY T. KIRCHNER

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve. This is a nerve that goes through your wrist (see the picture below). The median nerve can become pinched at the carpal tunnel, which is a small canal, or space, near the base of the palm of your hand. In this...

    Syphilis

    Syphilis (say: sif-ih-liss) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterium named Treponema pallidum. (say: Trep-oh-nee-mah pal-lih-dum). If syphilis is not treated, it can cause serious problems. The good news is that syphilis usually can be cured with...

    Heart Failure

    The term “heart failure” simply means that your heart is not pumping blood as well as it should. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped working or that you are having a heart attack.

    Heart Attack: Warning Signs and Tips on Prevention

    Heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) is the name we use when part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies because it is not getting enough oxygen. Oxygen is carried to the heart by the arteries (also called blood vessels). Most heart attacks are caused by a...

    Heart Attack: Getting Back into Your Life After a Heart Attack

    Most people can go back to work and the activities they enjoy within a few months of having a heart attack. Others may have to limit their activity if their heart muscle is too weak. The amount of activity you can do will be based on the condition of your heart. Your doctor...



    Disclosure

    All editors in a position to control content for this activity, AFP journal, are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships. View disclosures.


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