July 1, 2006

Although surgical management of urinary calculi has become increasingly tolerable, medical prevention of recurrent calculi is feasible and easily accomplished. Recurrent calculi can be prevented in most patients by a simplified evaluation, reasonable dietary and fluid…

Evidence supports the “quick start” method for initiating hormonal contraceptives: most women may safely begin birth control immediately after an office visit, during or at any point in the menstrual cycle. This strategy eliminates the delay between receiving a prescription and…

A logical and consistent approach to diagnosis is recommended, with judicious use of laboratory and radiologic testing. Change in activity, constitutional symptoms, or abnormal examination findings should raise suspicion for rheumatic disease. Complete blood count, antinuclear…

Greasy scales and erythema are common with seborrheic dermatitis, a condition that can occur from infancy to old age. Effective topical therapies include antiinflammatory agents and keratolytic and antifungal shampoos.

As a person with absolutely no artistic talent, I’ve always been intrigued by people who can express a thought or idea in a painting, sculpture, or drawing. Medical illustrators have a particularly unique gift that combines their artistic talent with an extensive knowledge of…

FDA Strengthens Efforts Against Unapproved Drug Products | Colorado Governor Vetoes Bill for Health Contract Transparency | NIA Offers Easy-to-Read Booklets on Alzheimer’s and Memory Loss | HHS Posts Information on Medicare Hospital Admissions Payments | SAMHSA Issues Alert…

An apple a day — and a year or two of higher education — keeps the doctor away. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that college graduates have less calcium buildup in their coronary arteries. According to researchers, high school dropouts are…

Unintended pregnancy is a widely recognized public health concern, yet many physicians hold effective contraception hostage, thinking that they are benefiting women by giving them an incentive to obtain important but unrelated health screening.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are the only antihypertensive agents with proven effectiveness for the primary prevention of diabetic nephropathy (defined as an albumin excretion of less than 30 mg per day on three serial measurements) caused by type 1 or type 2…

Intravenous lidocaine and oral mexiletine provide a modest reduction in neuropathic pain with no indication of serious adverse effects. However, safety data are limited because most studies were of relatively short duration and fewer than 400 patients have been studied in total…

Induction of labor in patients with PROM does not increase the rates of cesarean delivery or operative vaginal delivery. Among patients who are induced there is a slightly lower incidence of chorioamnionitis (relative risk [RR] 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56 to 0.97…

What are the effects of treatments for persons with chronic peripheral arterial disease?

A1C testing is highly specific compared with a two-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) or a fasting plasma glucose test. However, because A1C testing is not sensitive enough to rule out diabetes if levels are normal, the test should not be used for diagnosing diabetes.

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

Communication training stresses that “breaking bad news” is more about listening and asking questions than it is about relaying information.

The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) recently released a scientific statement on the evaluation of syncope (i.e., transient loss of consciousness).

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has developed guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of antiphospholipid syndrome.

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has released a position statement to reflect new evidence on the evaluation of dyspepsia. The AGA defines dyspepsia as chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen.

Kidney stones are hard lumps that your body makes from waste products in your urine. If these lumps are big enough, they can get stuck in your bladder or urinary tract (see drawing). This can be very painful.