September 1, 2013

The ankle-brachial index can be used to screen for and diagnose peripheral arterial disease in the primary care setting. The most common presenting symptom is claudication. Management includes exercise, smoking cessation, statin therapy, and antiplatelet therapy with aspirin or…

The choice of contrast agent depends on route of administration, desired tissue differentiation, and suspected diagnosis. Contraindications for using an intravenous contrast agent with computed tomography include a history of reactions to contrast agents, pregnancy, radioactive…

Pituitary adenomas are the most common type of pituitary disorder. They present clinically in three ways: syndromes of hormone hypersecretion or deficiency; neurologic manifestations; or an incidental finding. Treatment depends on the type of tumor, and should be managed with a…

CMS Reverses Decision on CPT Code Edit | Troubling News on HPV Vaccination Rates | Study Links Improved Chronic Disease Management with Preventive Care Services | Initiative Recommends That Newborns Receive Birth Dose of Hepatitis B Vaccine | AIM-HI Program Improves Patient…

The use of CT imaging has risen dramatically in the past two decades, and there is substantial evidence that it is overused. One concern is that the harms and risks of CT have been underestimated and poorly understood, and are not often discussed with patients. These harms…

Compared with placebo, minocycline generally improves acne, but it offers no clinical advantages over other therapies and has more serious adverse effects.

It is essential for physicians to understand the relevance of childhood sexual trauma to adult medical conditions. Recognizing this connection can help physicians begin to manage the resulting damage. Exposure to childhood sexual trauma is highly prevalent in the United States…

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

Aliskiren increases the likelihood of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes and kidney or heart disease, and cannot be recommended.

Boosting low testosterone levels into the normal range did not further improve the effectiveness of sildenafil in men with erectile dysfunction. The researchers did not determine whether testosterone replacement alone is as effective as sildenafil for the treatment of erectile…

Vitamin D supplementation at a dose targeted to reach a 25-hydroxyvitamin D plasma level greater than 36 ng per mL for two years did not reduce symptomatic knee pain in adults with osteoarthritis.

Use the Wells criteria to determine the likelihood of deep venous thrombosis; patients at moderate to high risk should go straight to ultrasonography. Patients at low risk should have d-dimer testing, followed by ultrasonography only if the results are positive. This approach…

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has updated its 2002 guideline on managing group A streptococcal pharyngitis. The illness primarily occurs in children five to 15 years of age. Patients typically present with sudden onset of a sore throat, pain with swallowing…

A prolactinoma (pro-LACK-tin-OH-muh) is a type of tumor that affects your pituitary (pih-TWO-uh-TAYR-ee). The pituitary is a small gland at the base of your brain. It helps to regulate hormone levels in your body. A prolactinoma may cause the pituitary to make too much of a…

Incorrect statement regarding gastrointestinal (GI) risks of aspirin/NSAID use. The Implementing AHRQ Effective Health Care Reviews, “Analgesics for Osteoarthritis” (March 1, 2013, p. 354), contained an error in the fourth sentence in the second paragraph of the Practice…