August 1, 2010

Contact dermatitis, characterized as irritant or allergic, usually leads to erythema and scaling. The main focus of treatment is determining and avoiding the causative substance. If avoidance and empiric therapy are ineffective, or the cause is unknown, patch testing may be…

A diagnosis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis should be considered in children presenting with limping and pain in the groin, hip, thigh, or knee. Radiography findings confirm diagnosis, and usual treatment involves referral to an orthopedic surgeon for in situ fixation with…

Calculating global risk of coronary heart disease allows for more accurate estimates than those obtained from the conventional risk factor approach. Global risk is based on an empiric equation that combines major risk factors to determine a patient’s risk of coronary heart…

Several States Report Spike in Pertussis Activity, Need for Vaccination Emphasized | Obama Uses Recess Appointment to Name Berwick as New CMS Administrator | Dosing Error Risk Increased with Shortage of Prefilled Epinephrine Syringes | FDA Warns of Potential for Overdose on…

To prevent heart attack, stroke, or death, the American Heart Association recommends estimating patients’ absolute risk of having a coronary heart disease (CHD) event in 10 years. Before physicians adopt routine risk calculation, we should use the evidence to determine the best…

Although neuraminidase inhibitors can reduce the risk of contracting symptomatic, confirmed influenza and reduce the time to recovery for those with laboratory-confirmed influenza, they are not effective for reducing the risk of influenza-like illness or asymptomatic influenza…

At one to three years, adults with GERD who were treated with laparoscopic fundoplication had more improvement in overall and GERD-specific quality of life scores and less exposure to acid in the lower esophagus compared with patients who use proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and…

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

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.

Many of women use hormonal contraception for its noncontraceptive benefits, such as making menstruation more predictable and correcting menstrual irregularities caused by oligo-ovulation or anovulation. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) provides…

Encouraging Physical Activity Among Frail Older Persons

It is when your skin has a reaction to something you touch. The skin may get itchy, red, and swollen. You may also get blisters or bumps.

A heart attack (also called a myocardial infarction [MY-oh-CARD-ee-ul in-FARK-shun]) happens when part of the heart does not get enough blood. Fats build up in the blood vessels and block the blood supply to the heart. This is called coronary artery disease or coronary heart…

Correction