January 15, 2008

Primary care physicians commonly provide care for patients throughout the course of a terminal illness. A systematic approach can help physicians appropriately discuss a poor prognosis, offer patients support and realistic hope, and coordinate treatment and the transition to…

Research suggests that glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and S-adenosylmethionine may reduce symptoms of pain related to osteoarthritis. Other dietary supplements promoted for osteoarthritis treatment include methylsulfonylmethane, devil's claw, tumeric, and ginger; however…

Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are diagnosed most often in young women. Recommended treatment varies for each disorder and is determined by the patient's needs and available resources.

Peritonsillar abscess is the most common deep infection of the head and neck. Patients may present with symptoms, such as fever, malaise, sore throat, dysphagia, and otalgia, and physical findings, such as trismus and muffled voice. Treatment includes drainage of the abscess…

We are pleased to announce that AFP will soon begin using Editorial Manager, a Web-based manuscript submission and peer review system. During the past several months, AFP has been working with Aries Systems, the developer of Editorial Manager, to transition from our current e…

Congress Offers a Temporary Solution for Medicare Physician Payment Cuts | <b><i>MedWatch</i></b>: Merck Announces Voluntary Recall of 1 Million Hib Vaccine Doses | Bipartisan Legislation Includes Mandatory E-Prescribing, Incentives for Physicians | Bill Aims to Reinstate…

The personal side of medicine told from the patient's perspective. The patient's story is followed by commentary from a physician and a list of resources.

Without the contribution of family physicians, large areas of the country would be without adequate emergency medical care.1 At least one third of the emergency medicine workforce is trained in family medicine.2 More than 65 percent of family physicians provide emergency care…

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

Bariatric surgery has become increasingly common in the United States. Recent randomized controlled trials have shown that mortality is modestly reduced 11 years after bariatric surgery (absolute risk = 5.0 versus 6.3 percent; P = .04; number needed to treat = 77).2 The overall…

Lybrel appears to be as safe and effective as other combined oral contraceptives; however, at this time, there is little published data about this specific product. Other combined monophasic oral contraceptives, some of which cost less than Lybrel, can be used continuously and…

In the context of their usual office or hospital settings, family physicians are not often called upon to deal with violent or hostile patients. However, just like advanced cardiac life support training prepares physicians for rare and unexpected cardiac arrest situations…

The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) has released pulmonary rehabilitation guidelines that update the recommendations published in 1997 and examine new areas of research.

Guideline source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Guidelines on the management of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) are available from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). PROM occurs in about one third of preterm births and can lead to significant perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Letter

If you have anorexia (an-oh-RECKS-see-uh), you are very thin, but do not think of yourself as being thin. You may feel scared of gaining weight and choose not to eat very much, or at all. You may not think you have an eating problem, though. You also may try to lose weight by…

A peritonsillar abscess (pair-ee-TON-sill-er AB-sess) is when a sore filled with pus (a thick, whitish-yellow fluid) forms near one of your tonsils at the back of your throat. It is caused by an infection, but doctors don't know why it happens. Most of these abscesses are a…