January 15, 2013

Diagnostic criteria include findings of low iron stores and a hemoglobin level two standard deviations below normal. Women should be screened during pregnancy, and children screened at one year of age. Asymptomatic men and postmenopausal women should not be screened, but should…

The initial diagnosis of endometriosis in primary care usually is clinical, but can be confirmed with laparoscopy if initial treatment is ineffective. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hormonal contraceptives are effective treatment options for symptoms; however…

Corneal abrasions may result from mechanical injury, foreign bodies, contact lens wear, or flash burns. The diagnosis is made clinically with an eye examination and fluorescein staining. Topical antibiotics are used routinely to prevent superinfection, and topical nonsteroidal…

House Bills Would Strengthen Federal Regulations for Compounding Pharmacies | HHS Launches Initiative and Online Tools to Protect Patient Privacy on Mobile Devices | Quality Improvement Interventions May Improve Vaccination Rates | Study Shows Patients Utilize More Services…

The health care of transgender persons has begun moving out of the shadows and into the spotlight; as transgender health care moves into the mainstream, primary care physicians will be increasingly called upon to provide compassionate and individualized care to this diverse…

What are the effects of treatments for generalized anxiety disorder in adults and children and adolescents?

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

Case study: A 75-year-old woman presents to your office for a routine well-woman examination. She mentions that her friend was recently diagnosed with hearing loss and fitted for a hearing aid. She has no perceived hearing loss, but she wonders whether she needs a hearing aid.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has published an updated guideline on the oral pharmacologic management of type 2 diabetes. Recommendations are based on a systematic evidence review of head-to-head comparisons of oral pharmacologic treatments for type 2 diabetes, and…

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for hearing loss in asymptomatic adults 50 years or older.

Anemia (ah-NEE-me-uh) is a condition that affects your red blood cells. These cells carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Hemoglobin (HEE-moh-glow-bin) is the protein in red blood cells that allows them to carry oxygen. Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin.