November 1, 2006

Acute otitis externa typically is caused by bacterial or fungal overgrowth, and chronic disease usually is the result of a more generalized dermatologic or allergic problem. Topical application of acidifying solution usually is adequate in treating early disease.

Several instruments are available to screen for seasonal affective disorder, but improved outcomes require personalized attention to patients’ individual symptoms. Physicians should be aware of comorbid factors that could signal a need for further assessment.

The transition from infancy to toddlerhood is an important time for physicians to monitor growth and make recommendations for healthy eating. Children one to four years of age require a nutritionally appropriate diet without excess restriction.

Acute abdominal pain often manifests differently in older patients than in their younger counterparts. Morbidity and mortality are high for older patients with acute abdominal pain, and these patients often require hospitalization and surgery.

These closely related vasculitic conditions occur almost exclusively in patients older than 50 years. Corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy, and both conditions have good prognoses with treatment.

The AAFP Annual Scientific Assembly in Washington, D.C., drew more than 15,000 people, including nearly 5,000 family physicians. Many of those physicians stopped by the Publications booth to visit with staff members and complete a brief survey about AFP and Family Practice…

Family Physicians, AAFP Rally on Capitol Hill for Health Care Reform | Analysis Finds U.S. Health Care System Below International Benchmarks | Experts Concerned About Pace of Pandemic Influenza Preparedness | Surveyed Physicians Cite Benefits and Burdens of Medicare Part D…

I scream, you scream, we all scream—for smaller bowls of ice cream? A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests that people wanting to lose weight should eat from smaller bowls and use smaller serving spoons. Eighty-five nutrition experts were given a 17-oz…

The toddler stage (i.e., one to four years of age) is a highly influential time in the prevention of obesity in children. In this issue ofAmerican Family Physician, Allen and Myers provide valuable information on dietary intake of milk and other beverages, fats, and vitamin and…

Relatively healthy women taking combined continuous hormone therapy have higher risks of myocardial infarction and venous thromboembolism after one year, stroke after three years, and breast cancer after five years. In women who take hormone therapy continuously for five years…

Antidepressants in Older Persons

Interventions for Molluscum Contagiosum

What are the effects of nondrug and oral drug treatments and injection therapy?

Few high-quality studies have been conducted examining the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions performed by primary care physicians for patients with major depression. Two randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) found that a psychosocial intervention, specifically…

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

Low literacy is more prevalent than previously thought. In 2003, almost 25 percent of Americans (45 million persons) who spoke English as their first language had the lowest level of literacy skills (i.e., level 1 out of 5) in reading, writing, and functioning in the English…

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has updated its evidence-based guidelines on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women to address the need for standards of care as they relate to menopause-associated health conditions.

CDC Reports Prevalence of Dating Violence in High School Students

ACOG Releases Practice Guideline on Management of Vaginitis

Raising a healthy, active toddler takes work, and parents need to know the best foods to give their child. Feeding toddlers isn’t always easy, but knowing about nutrition and eating habits will help you make the best choices for your child.

Arteritis (ar-ter-EYE-tis) is when your blood vessels (the tubes that carry your blood) become swollen. Giant cell arteritis (or GCA) usually affects the artery on the side of your head. This is called the temporal artery.

Erectile dysfunction is when a man can’t get an erection to have sex or can’t keep an erection long enough to finish having sex. Erectile dysfunction also is called impotence. It can occur at any age, but it is more common in men older than 65.

The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system(see the drawing below). The prostate makes a fluid that mixes with sperm and other fluids during ejaculation. A normal prostate is about the size of a walnut.

Cancer is when cells in the body grow out of control. This can happen in one or both of the testicles. The testicles are located in the scrotum. The scrotum is a skin “sack” that hangs beneath the penis. The testicles produce male hormones and sperm.