September 15, 2010

Oral contraceptive pills may be used in women with a range of comorbidities, including well-controlled hypertension, uncomplicated diabetes mellitus, depression, and uncomplicated valvular heart disease. Progestin-only options are available for women with contraindications to…

Successful weight loss maintenance is defined as maintaining a weight loss of at least 10 percent for at least one year. Effective approaches include a consistent, healthy diet and regular exercise; behavioral interventions; weight loss medication; and bariatric surgery.

Diagnosis of recurrent urinary tract infections typically involves culture, assessment for risk factors, and identification of a causative organism. Treatment should be guided by community resistance patterns and whether the infection is complicated or uncomplicated…

Proteinuria is usually benign, although it can be a marker for a serious underlying condition. Pertinent history, physical examination, and laboratory findings can help differentiate benign from clinically significant proteinuria.

Pulmonary rehabilitation includes patient assessment, exercise training, self-management education, and psychosocial support. Positive outcomes include increased exercise tolerance, reduced dyspnea and anxiety, improvement in health-related quality of life, and reduced hospital…

ACIP Expands Influenza Vaccine Guidelines, Advises Against Afluria for Young Children | AAFP Responds to Proposed Medicare Rule, Creates Related Toolkit to Educate Patients | AHRQ Issues New Summary Guides on Adjunctive Therapy for Patients with CHD | AAFP, Other Medical Groups…

Are childhood vaccinations associated with subsequent development of autism? This month's article provides the science and statistics to dispel the theory that childhood vaccinations induce autism.

Currently, a gap of more than $135,000 separates the median annual subspecialist income from that of a primary care physician, yielding a $3.5 million difference in expected income over a lifetime. These income disparities dissuade medical students from selecting primary care…

The November 2009 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation for breast cancer screening, while sparking much controversy, was not a radical departure from the previous 2002 recommendation. The USPSTF approached the recommendation update with the basic…

It is time to make a decision. Which will be our health promotion strategy—primary prevention or secondary prevention?

What are the effects of empiric treatment in adults and children with suspected bacterial conjunctivitis? What are the effects of treatment in adults and children with culture-confirmed bacterial or suspected or clinically confirmed gonococcal conjunctivitis?

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

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends biennial screening mammography for women 50 to 74 years of age.

Methylnaltrexone can temporarily relieve opioid-induced constipation in patients with advanced illness who have not responded to laxative treatment. However, it must be given by injection, is expensive, and has been studied only for short-term use.

The Surgical Infection Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America recently updated recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of intra-abdominal infections. Intra-abdominal infections are the second most common cause of infectious mortality in intensive care units…

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently updated its guidelines on the management of cryptococcal disease. The new guidelines include a discussion of the management of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in three risk groups: patients who are HIV-positive, organ…

Interpreting and Evaluating the Details of the JUPITER Study

Vitamin D Supplementation in Patients with Tuberculosis

Malaria Chemoprophylaxis and Travel Immunizations

Weight loss maintenance is considered successful if you lose at least 10 percent of your body weight and keep that weight off for at least one year.

The kidneys remove waste from the blood. This waste leaves the body in urine. Usually, proteins are too big to go through the kidneys and into the urine. But sometimes, protein can leak into the urine. This is called proteinuria.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program for patients with lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It helps you breathe and makes it easier for you to do normal activities. The program includes exercise, social support, and tools to help you cope with…