June 15, 2004

Approximately 75 percent of patients who develop venous thromboembolism have at least one established risk factor. A well-validated clinical prediction rule can be used to determine the probability of deep venous thrombosis. A clinical prediction rule for pulmonary embolism is…

Unfractionated heparin followed by warfarin is the mainstay of treatment for deep venous thrombosis. Subcutaneously administered low-molecular-weight heparin is as effective as unfractionated heparin. Treatment of pulmonary embolism is similar to that of deep venous thrombosis.

The spondyloarthropathies are inflammatory arthritides that share certain genetic predisposing factors and clinical features. Inflammatory back pain is common in affected patients, and enthesitis is the basic pathologic lesion.

Craniosynostosis can occur alone or as a syndrome, the most common of which are Apert’s syndrome and Crouzon’s disease. The diagnosis relies on physical examination, plain radiography, and computed tomography.

Metabolic syndrome will soon become the number one risk factor for heart disease. Effective interventions include diet, exercise, and judicious use of pharmacologic agents to address specific risk factors such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and…

New Guidelines for Management of Otitis Media

Robert Graham Center Releases Study of Medical Errors Based on Malpractice Cases | Guideline on Otitis Media with Effusion Urges Watchful Waiting | CDC Launches Autism Awareness Campaign | AAFP Releases Updated Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule | AAMC Report…

Leading-edge treatments for stroke can be delivered and new clot-busting drugs can be tested only if patients understand the warning signs of stroke and seek help immediately. According to a press release from the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas…

In 1994, a clinical practice guideline1 on the diagnosis and management of otitis media with effusion (OME) was developed by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (now the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ]). An update2 to this clinical practice…

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force,1 Healthy People 2010,2 and the World Health Organization3 all recommend that more attention be focused on prevention of unintended pregnancy. Although unintended pregnancy has declined over the past decade, U.S. rates remain much higher…

Waiting for patients to come out of the operating room can be stressful for family physicians. KS had seen her 80-year-old patient in the holding room just minutes before he was wheeled into the operating room. He had been diagnosed with colon cancer on routine colonoscopy just…

Calcium supplementation has a beneficial effect on bone density and may reduce vertebral fractures. It has no clear effect on nonvertebral fractures, although the number of patients studied may be too small to predict this outcome.

Therapy for Speech and Language Delay

Neuraminidase Inhibitors for Treatment of Influenza

This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on screening for coronary heart disease and the supporting scientific evidence, and updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, Second…

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recently released an evidence-based practice guideline to help physicians provide the most up-to-date care for children with AOM. The subcommittee that developed the guideline included primary care…

Tiotropium improves dyspnea, decreases COPD exacerbations and hospitalizations, decreases albuterol use, improves health-related quality of life and increases mean trough FEV1. Tiotropium was more effective than ipratropium and salmeterol in improving TDI scores. It was more…

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

Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of otitis media with effusion (OME) have been released by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS).

Cases of Measles in Adopted Children from China | Report on Causes of Death in the United States | AUA Practice Guideline on Premature Ejaculation

Metabolic syndrome (sometimes called syndrome X) is a group of risk factors for heart disease. You may have metabolic syndrome if you are overweight and have high blood pressure and high levels of sugar or fats in your blood. Many patients with adult-onset diabetes also have…