December 15, 2005

S. aureus infections are of growing concern for family physicians because of the high incidence, morbidity, and mortality. Rates of antimicrobial resistance are increasing in community-acquired and nosocomial infections.

Despite recommendations, new evidence suggests that routine imaging studies do not improve clinical outcomes of uncomplicated urinary tract infection in children.

Physicians are instrumental in helping new mothers transition smoothly to the postpartum period. A structured approach to postpartum office visits can ensure that patients' physical and emotional health concerns are addressed sufficiently and that any postpartum problems are…

Therapies for this common syndrome should target specific gastrointestinal dysfunctions (e.g., constipation, diarrhea, pain). If nonprescription remedies do not alleviate symptoms, or if symptoms are severe, pharmacotherapy should be considered.

In January 1992, the first issue of Family Physician's Notebook: Diary from a Week in Practice was filled with stories ranging from nocturnal leg cramps in an elderly man, to pixie dust for a teen's contused foot, to treating scabies in a six-month-old infant. The first…

AAFP, ACP, AOA Urge Congress to Stop Medicare Payment Cuts | HHS Awards Emergency Health Care Aid to Louisiana Katrina Victims | HHS Grants Contracts for Nationwide Health Information Network | FDA Introduces Electronic Drug Labels to Improve Patient Safety | HHS Launches U.S…

Does having a better education help you sleep at night? According to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, it does—for women. Data were analyzed from a national study that followed the social trends of almost 40,000 people in Taiwan. Researchers…

Aside from discharge planning in the hospital or a home nurse visit, a new mother may have no further contact with a physician until the six-week postpartum office visit. Blenning and Paladine discuss the traditional six-week postpartum visit in this issue of American Family…

There has been a recent explosion of knowledge in genetics. This “big bang” and its ensuing discoveries are affecting medical understanding of both rare and common disorders. However, many new findings, especially in the realm of predictive genetic testing, have greatly…

“I am so proud of you!” I exclaimed to the nine-year-old boy. His beaming face showed that he was proud of himself too, and his mother looked as though she was about to burst with pride. The third grader had found out that he had scored “commendable” on the state achievement…

A previous Point-of-Care Guide identified a clinical decision rule that estimates the likelihood of an abnormal biopsy for prostate cancer. One of the next questions facing the patient and his physician is the likelihood of recurrence after surgery.

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

Case study: In keeping with the 2002 recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) that women 65 years of age and older should be screened for osteoporosis, you have ordered a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry test for a 66-year-old white woman. The…

Rifaximin is safe and effective for treatment in most patients with traveler's diarrhea, but it offers no advantages over ciprofloxacin. At the same cost, it has a less convenient dosage interval than ciprofloxacin and has more limitations.

The 2006 Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule provides a concise tool to help family physicians identify who to vaccinate, when to vaccinate, and which vaccine to use.

The Committee on Environmental Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a policy statement on lead exposure in children.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a report on preventable measles in the United States.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a clinical report on the risk factors of nitrate poisoning in infants. Health care professionals who suspect that an infant has methemoglobinemia should contact the local poison control center or a toxicologist to…

Most healthy women do not have any serious medical problems after they have a baby (called the postpartum period). However, some women may be tired, have less interest in sex, and have vaginal pain. More serious concerns include problems with your thyroid (a gland in your neck…