January 1, 2006

Preventive therapy can reduce the frequency of migraines and should be consideredin patients who experience significant disability or have no benefit from acutetreatment. First-line agents include propranolol, timolol, and amitriptyline.

Many patients with depression do not respond to antidepressant medications, areprone to relapse, or prefer nonpharmacologic therapy. Cognitive therapy can enablepatients to correct false self-beliefs that lead to negative moods and behaviors.

As the number of adults with cerebral palsy is on the rise, newer evidence-basedrecommendations are challenging the historical management of this disorder.

The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology has issued evidencebasedguidelines for women with histologic abnormalities of the cervix. The optionsfor management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1, 2, and 3 are ranked accordingto the strength of the…

Many people work behind the scenes to ensure AFP remains the premiere resource for family physicians. Unfortunately, we rarely have the opportunity to recognize everyone who contributes to AFP’s success. One such group is the Editorial Advisory Board, which was created decades…

CMS Transitions Dual Eligible Beneficiaries to Medicare Part D | Campaign to Provide Community Education About Medicare Part D | CDC Proposes Updates to Communicable-Disease Regulations | AAFP President Supports Family Medicine–Based Health System | Health IT Bill to Benefit…

Heart attack death rates peak in December, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed approximately 128,000 Medicare patients who were hospitalized with heart attacks over a two-year period. Almost 14,500 of those heart attacks occurred during…

Ideally, psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy are complementary and synergistic.1,2 They are inseparable because all clinical encounters, even those limited to medication management, contain at least informal psychotherapeutic elements and opportunities. However, not all patients…

The 2006 Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule, published in this issue of American Family Physician,1 is a joint product of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Immunization Program, the American Academy of Family Physicians…

Although IVF is used routinely for the treatment of unexplained infertility, there is limited evidence to show that it is more effective than expectant management, and there is insufficient evidence to recommend it as an alternative to other therapies such as clomiphene citrate…

Is Oral Vitamin B12 as Effective as Intramuscular Injection?

Tolterodine (Detrol) is as effective as immediate-release oxybutynin (Ditropan) and causes less dry mouth. A dose of 1 mg tolterodine twice daily is as effective as higher dosages of tolterodine. Extended-release preparations have less risk of dry mouth but are more expensive.

This statement summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on screening and interventions for overweight in children and adolescents and the supporting scientific evidence, and it updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to…

What are the effects of preventive intervention and treatment?

The sensitivity and specificity of the urine dipstick varies somewhat with the setting and population, as does its recommended interpretation. Women with classic urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms have a high pretest probability of infection, and use of the dipstick adds…

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

This scenario asks two basic questions: (1) Why would a physician perform screening tests more often than recommended? and (2) What should a physician do if he or she has a colleague who does not follow current practice recommendations?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have released the 2006 recommended immunization schedule for children and…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Task Force on Community Preventive Services reviewed school- and worksite-based strategies for the short-term prevention and control of overweight and obesity.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that education and counseling about emergency contraception be incorporated into the annual preventive visits of adolescent patients when issues of sexuality are addressed.

A migraine is a type of headache that is very painful. Migraines aren’t the same for everyone. Often, people with migraines have blurred vision or a blind spot before the headache starts. If you have a migraine, you may feel a throbbing pain on one side of your head. Bright…

Cognitive (say: KOG-na-tiv) therapy is when a doctor talks to you about your bad thoughts and helps you to replace them with good thoughts. This can put you in a better mood and stop you from being depressed.

Cerebral palsy is a disability caused by infection or brain damage. Children with cerebral palsy may have stiff muscles or make unusual muscle movements. These symptoms make normal movements hard to do. Babies with cerebral palsy may be slow to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or…