December 15, 2003

Primary prevention of stroke includes lifestyle modifications and measures to control blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation. The roles of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, antiplatelet therapy, and carotid endarterectomy for treatment of…

Several potential causes of orthostatic hypotension include medications; non-neurogenic causes such as impaired venous return, hypovolemia, and cardiac insufficiency; and neurogenic causes such as multisystem atrophy and diabetic neuropathy. Treatment generally is aimed at the…

Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that occurs following a traumatic event. Patient education and strong support, combined with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, constitute an effective first-line treatment course.

Family physicians can successfully manage most toe fractures, but referral is indicated for patients with circulatory compromise, open fractures, fracture-dislocations, displaced intra-articular fractures, and fractures of the first toe, which are prone to complications.

A stroke happens when there is a problem with the blood supply to a part of the brain. The area of the brain that does not get enough blood becomes damaged.

In this issue, you'll see examples of AFP's newest departments, “Clinical Inquiries from the Family Practice Inquiries Network” (page 2437) and “STEPS” (page 2429). Editorials on pages 2340 and 2342 provide background on these two features.

If equal and adequate access to health care for children in the United States is a goal, we are failing. That failing is most prominent in the setting where most children receive care and preventive services—the doctor's office.

CDC Reports Current Influenza Season Could Be More Severe Than Usual | AAFP Partners with Nine Companies to Provide Affordable EHR Systems | Annual Report Shows Continued Improvement in Overall Health in the United States | IOM Releases Clinical Research Directions for…

Extra weight around your middle puts a burden on your wallet as well as your health. According to a report published in Time, overweight and obese Americans spend $700 more a year on medical bills than those who are not overweight. Furthermore, life insurance premiums often…

Stroke is a significant medical problem that affects more than 700,000 Americans annually.1 In the United States, it is the third leading cause of death, the major cause of disability, and the primary reason for nursing home admissions.1,2 Because of the aging of the U.S…

Family physicians have many questions about appropriate diagnoses and treatments of their patients. These questions sometimes go unanswered because some of us do not have ready access to efficient resources to find answers, because the answers we find are not relevant to our…

Sorting through the myriad of claims to figure out if you should add a new drug to your arsenal is not that difficult or time consuming, providing you take the right STEPS. STEPS, one of the newest additions to American Family Physician, offers an easy way to remember the five…

The potential to save lives and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans through clinical preventive medicine is tremendous. In their classic paper, McGinnis and Foege1 linked one half of the mortality in the United States from the 10 leading causes of death to…

“You have not been able get my name off of the lawsuit?” KS echoed in disbelief to her attorney. Several weeks earlier, a constable showed up in the waiting room during a busy morning clinic to deliver a notice of suit. KS remembered how distraught she had been trying to read…

This statement summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on routine vitamin supplementation to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease and the supporting scientific evidence.

Adefovir offers an effective first-line alternative for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. It also may prove to be useful in patients who have failed therapy with lamivudine as well as in patients who have difficulty tolerating interferon alfa-2b. How it compares with other…

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

Fluoxetine (Prozac) use may result in an average, short-term weight loss of up to 3.3 kg (7 lb, 4 oz) in obese patients, but the longterm effects and maintenance of weight loss after discontinuation of the drug have not been well studied. No evidence concerning other SSRIs was…

The Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule, United States, 2003–2004 is now available, as cooperation continues between the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the American College of Obstetricians and…

Recommendations on Cervical Cancer Screening | Public Awareness Campaigns on Antibiotic and OTC Drug Safety | Childhood and Adolescent Tobacco Risk Assessment | Cancer Statistics for Hispanics

PTSD is an illness (sometimes called an anxiety disorder) that can happen after a traumatic event. The event may be a serious car crash, a natural disaster such as a hurricane or an earthquake, military combat, or a crime such as rape.

The article “The Nature and Management of Labor Pain: Part 1. Nonpharmacologic Pain Relief” (September 15, 2003, page 1109) contained an error in the series editor attribution. The article is one in a series coordinated by the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake…