October 1, 2004

Infectious mononucleosis should be suspected in patients 10 to 30 years of age who present with fever and sore throat, particularly if they also have significant anterior cervical adenopathy, significant fatigue, posterior cervical adenopathy, inguinal adenopathy, splenomegaly…

Bisphosphonates are the most effective agents for reducing the risk of vertebral and nonvertebral fractures. Other options include teriparatide, raloxifene, and salmon calcitonin. Although hormone therapy reduces fracture risk, the benefits may not outweigh the reported risks.

Trauma is the most common cause of nonobstetric death among pregnant women in the United States. All pregnant women with traumatic injury should be assessed formally in a medical setting. Prevention of trauma through proper use of seat belts and recognition of domestic violence…

Injuries to the nose are relatively common; in cases of facial trauma, nasal fractures account for about 40 percent of bone injuries. Treatment in the primary care setting consists of evaluation, pain and infection management, minimal debridement and, when the physician is…

AFP’s editors work toward offering a variety of topics in each issue, covering diagnosis and treatment of diseases commonly seen in primary care. This issue offers a review of osteoporosis, representing the 2004 Annual Clinical Focus (ACF) of the American Academy of Family…

HHS Releases National Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan | DEA and Other Experts Release Guide for Treating Patients in Pain | HHS and USDA Have Updated Dietary Guidelines | HRSA Reports HIV/AIDS Programs Are Slowing Spread of Disease | COGME Releases Report on Physician…

The summer months bring warmer weather, longer daylight hours, and more risk for tetanus. According to survey results from the National Gardening Association, 40 percent of consumers surveyed said they were not immunized against tetanus. Annually, 80 percent of gardeners…

A 60-year-old, small-framed woman with good general health but a strong family history of osteoporosis presents for her well-woman examination. Because she meets screening criteria for osteoporosis,1 her family physician orders a bone density test. Her T-scores are −2.8 at the…

For more than a decade there has been agreement in the United States that information technology is a critical part of any effort to achieve high performance health care for everyone. The potential benefits of moving from sequences of disconnected and episodic visits between…

The triage nurse, MF, asked hesitantly if JOH wanted to see the patient who had taken “four buses” to reach the mobile clinic. Her problem was really more social than medical. She had bipolar disorder and was taking two potent medications for this problem, but she would soon…

Evidence indicates that male condoms reduce the risk of heterosexual HIV transmission by 80 percent.

Drug Treatments for Patients with Dysthymia

Optimal Dosage of Tricyclic Antidepressants

What are the effects of treatment?

Case study: RG, a 75-year-old, college-educated man, presents for an annual physical examination. His friend recently was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. RG is concerned about his occasional memory lapses and is worried that he also has the disease.

Four antiviral agents have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of influenza infection: amantadine (Symmetrel), oseltamivir (Tamiflu), rimantadine (Flumadine), and zanamivir (Relenza). No head-to-head trials have compared the effectiveness of…

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

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently issued clinical management guidelines for vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC) in various situations.

Influenza Activity in the United States

AAP Report on Adolescent Sexuality

Infectious mononucleosis (say: in-feck-shuss mon-oh-new-clee-oh-siss), or mono, often is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Mono usually is not serious, but some people with mono feel very tired and have pain in their joints that lasts for several weeks.

Yes, you should always wear a seat belt. Wearing your seat belt protects you and your baby. The most common reason a fetus dies after a car crash is because the mother dies.

Colds and the flu have many of the same symptoms. A cold is usually mild, while the flu tends to be more severe.

The flu (also called influenza) is an infection in the nose, throat, and lungs that is caused by a virus. 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…

Antibiotics (say: “ant-eye-by-ah-tiks”) are medicines that can stop some infections and can even save lives. But antibiotics can do 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…