July 1, 2016

Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) infection causes up to 30% of sore throats in children and up to 15% in adults. It is more common in the late winter and early spring. The strongest independent predictors are patient age of five to 15 years, absence of cough, tender…

Cardiac rehabilitation is an approach to care that is individually tailored to patients with cardiovascular disease. Typical components include an exercise program, nutrition counseling, and behavioral counseling, with medical care focused on managing blood pressure, lipid…

Vertebral compression fractures can lead to chronic pain, disfigurement, height loss, impaired activities of daily living, increased risk of pressure sores, pneumonia, and psychological distress. Patients with acute fractures may report abrupt onset of back pain with position…

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Deciding which medications to take during pregnancy and lactation can be a complex and individualized decision that should be discussed with a physician. The new PLLR can help remove some of the uncertainty clinicians and patients face by replacing the potentially confusing…

For patients one to 18 years of age, providing honey for cough symptoms can reduce the frequency and severity of cough, as well as improve sleep for patients and parents, when compared with placebo or no treatment. Honey is no better than dextromethorphan for symptom control.

Intermittent inhaled corticosteroid therapy reduces the risk of asthma exacerbations in children and adults with mild persistent asthma. Intermittent use appears to be safe in these patients.

A man presented with itching and erythema on his right forearm and legs after a fishing trip. The rash consisted of multiple papules and vesicles.

A procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy algorithm should be used to decrease antibiotic use in adults with acute respiratory infections. The use of a procalcitonin-guided therapy algorithm reduces antibiotic use by 3.47 days without increasing morbidity or mortality in adults…

In addition to improving cardiovascular outlook, a Mediterranean diet produced greater sustained weight loss than a low-fat diet and similar weight loss to other diets in patients who were overweight or obese, most of whom had type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recently released the third edition of its guidelines on psychiatric evaluation of adults. The nine-part guideline has been updated based on new evidence identified since the previous edition was released in 2006.

Studies show that patients had improved pain control with diclofenac gel, ketoprofen gel, and ibuprofen gel with no increase in local or systemic adverse events. See why.

Strep throat is an infection caused by bacteria. It is most common in children three to 15 years of age. It usually happens in late winter and early spring.