December 1, 2011

Acute management of kidney stones includes oral hydration and pain management. Further evaluation and interventions are focused on the specific type of stone. Even when kidney stones cannot be retrieved, urine pH and 24-hour urine assessment can guide prevention measures.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis typically present with pain and stiffness in multiple joints. If rheumatoid arthritis is suspected, testing for rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies, and measurement of C-reactive protein level or erythrocyte…

Patients who have challenging personality traits must be carefully treated to ensure patient-centered quality medical care. Psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and brief interventions designed for use by family physicians can improve the health of patients with these disorders.

The risk of falls and resulting serious injury increases with age, but falls are not an unavoidable consequence of aging. Multifactorial risk assessment should be performed in all older persons who report a single fall and have unsteadiness on gait examination; who report two…

AFP uses the Strength-of-Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT),1 to label key recommendations in clinical review articles. In general, only key recommendations are given a Strength-of-Recommendation grade. Grades are assigned on the basis of the quality and consistency of available…

Outcomes Data Demonstrate Effectiveness of Patient-Centered Medical Homes | Academy Creates Summary of Final Rule on Medicare Accountable Care Organizations | Deadline Approaching for Implementation of 5010 Electronic Transaction Standards | Study Shows Primary Care Physicians…

Prolotherapy is an injection-based complementary therapy for common chronic musculoskeletal conditions including tendinopathy, knee osteoarthritis, and low back pain. It involves the injection of irritant solutions into tender ligamentous and tendinous attachments and adjacent…

Defying expectations, typical electronic health record (EHR) use in practices belonging to a primary care network has been associated with poorer diabetes care quality and outcomes. Current expansion of primary care EHR implementation must focus on use that improves care.

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.

Although mammography can lead to false-positive results, emotional stress, and unnecessary biopsies, it appears to reduce deaths from breast cancer by about 15 percent.

There is insufficient evidence to recommend one laxative over another for the treatment of constipation in patients receiving palliative care. Methylnaltrexone can increase the frequency of bowel movements at four hours (odds ratio = 7.0; 95% confidence interval, 3.8 to 12.6…

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

Topical salicylic acid, cryotherapy, and topical fluorouracil are effective for treating nongenital warts.

The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) have released updated guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation. Since the previous guidelines were issued in 2006, new data have become…

Letter

Letter

Staying hydrated is not as simple as just drinking water. Other things to consider include:

Older adults are at risk of falling, but anyone who has had a previous fall, has weak leg muscles, or has problems with walking or balance has a higher risk.