June 15, 2008

Family physicians play a main role in diagnosing food allergies, as well as in redi-recting evaluation for symptoms falsely attributed to allergies. Most children will outgrow common food allergies, but adults typically remain allergic.

A person may seek an impairment assessment for determining disability from a treating physician, as a new consultation or as an independent medical examination. The evaluation includes diagnosing and determining the severity of the condition and assessing its impact on function.

Gastrointestinal complications of diabetes, including gastroparesis, intestinal enteropathy, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, are often caused by abnormal gastrointestinal motility. If possible, patients should discontinue medications that aggravate gastric dysmotility…

Venous thromboembolism is often difficult to distinguish from other pregnancy-related symptoms. Venous compression ultrasonography and multidetector-row (spiral) computed tomography are the diagnostic tests of choice for deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism…

The first time I read American Family Physician was in my third year of medical school. I remember thinking that it was incredibly clear and comprehensive, a valuable resource for a student. It was actually written in plain English, unlike so many other scientific journals that…

CMS Launches Pilot Project to Evaluate Internet-Based Personal Health Records | PCPCC Project Centers Aim to Integrate Patient-Centered Care into Payment System | Health Care Groups Oppose Proposed Rule That Could Jeopardize Access to Care | AAFP Foundation Partners with…

In this issue of American Family Physician, the article by Taiwo and colleagues1 provides a clear approach to assessing impairment and disability. Family physicians have unique and pivotal roles in this process. In addition to assessing and describing the impairment in response…

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.

A number of clinical decision models and scoring systems have been developed and validated to assist physicians in assessing the prognosis of patients with acute stroke.

What are the effects of interventions in treatment-naive persons with chronic infection but without liver decompensation? What are the effects of interventions to treat persons with chronic infection, but without liver decompensation, who have not responded to or relapse after…

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

A convergence of three policies could reduce physician Medicare payments by 14.9 to 22.3 percent in 2008, which could jeopardize access for Medicare beneficiaries in underserved areas. Congress and the Executive Branch should coordinate their roles in setting Medicare payment…

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have created guidelines on perioperative cardiovascular evaluation and care for patients undergoing noncardiac surgery in order to provide an outline for considering cardiac risk in a variety of…

A food allergy is when your body has a reaction to a certain food. This reaction is caused by your body's immune system, which is what protects you from diseases. You might have a minor reaction (for example, hives or itchy skin or lips). You could also have a more serious…

During digestion, your stomach normally adds acid to the food you have eaten and your stomach muscles move the food toward your small bowel (also called the small intestine) (see drawing). If you have gastroparesis (GAS-tro-puh-REE-sis), your stomach takes longer to move the…