• Articles

    Evidence-Based Contraception: Common Questions and Answers

    Scott L. Paradise, Corinne A. Landis, David A. Klein

    Primary care clinicians are uniquely situated to provide holistic contraceptive care. This article addresses emergency contraception, fertility awareness methods of contraception, long-acting reversible contraception, and contraception options for transgender people with a...

    Acute Headache in Adults: A Diagnostic Approach

    Anthony J. Viera, Brian Antono

    A detailed history and physical examination can distinguish between key features of benign primary headaches and concerning symptoms that warrant further evaluation for a secondary headache. Among primary headache disorders, tension-type is the most common, although migraine...

    Malaria: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment

    S. David Shahbodaghi, Nicholas A. Rathjen

    Malaria causes an estimated 500,000 deaths annually worldwide, with an estimated 2,000 cases occurring each year in the United States. All febrile travelers who have recently returned from a malarious area should be evaluated for malaria.

    Thrombocytopenia: Evaluation and Management

    Robert L. Gauer, Daniel J. Whitaker

    Thrombocytopenia is defined as a platelet count less than 150 × 103 per μL and can occur from decreased platelet production, increased destruction, splenic sequestration, or dilution or clumping. Although thrombocytopenia is classically associated with bleeding, there are...

    Chronic Constipation in Adults

    Kerry Sadler, Frank Arnold, Spencer Dean

    Evaluation of chronic constipation should distinguish primary from secondary constipation. First-line treatment for primary constipation includes fluid intake, dietary fiber, and osmotic laxatives. Second-line therapy includes a brief trial of stimulant laxatives followed by...

    Tuberculosis: Common Questions and Answers

    Holly Hartman-Adams, Robert M. Gerbo, Saira George

    Latent tuberculosis (TB) infection is asymptomatic and not contagious, but without treatment it can progress to active TB disease. Individuals with symptoms of TB disease and those at increased risk of latent TB infection should be screened. This article discusses screening...

    Editorials

    Contraception Recommendations: Updates for the Busy Clinician

    Elizabeth A. Clark, Kathryn M. Curtis

    Primary care clinicians are an important source of reproductive health care for their patients. Knowledge of contraception methods is essential to informed patient-centered decision-making about contraceptive options.

    Incorporating Lifestyle Medicine Into Practice: A Prescription for Better Health

    Alex McDonald

    The U.S. health care system’s focus on high-tech procedures and the latest pharmaceutical treatments is straining health budgets and worsening outcomes. The 10 leading causes of death in the United States can be directly impacted by lifestyle interventions.

    Medicine by the Numbers

    Risk of Infection With Intravenous Iron Infusion

    Jarett Beaudoin, Daniel J. Frasca

    Learn more about the risk of infection with intravenous iron infusion.

    AFP Clinical Answers

    Venous Thromboembolism, Thalassemia, Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, Menopause, PAD, Diabetes

    Key clinical questions and their evidence-based answers directly from the journal’s content, written by and for family physicians.

    Cochrane for Clinicians

    Oral Antihistamine/Analgesic/Decongestant Combinations for the Common Cold

    Karl T. Clebak, Michael T. Partin, Nathan Borrero

    Antihistamine/analgesic/decongestant combinations have some general benefit in adults and older children. However, these benefits must be weighed against the risk of adverse effects. There is no evidence of effectiveness in young children.

    Lamotrigine in the Maintenance Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

    Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar

    Compared with placebo, lamotrigine reduces the recurrence of manic symptoms at one year and the need for additional psychotropics necessitated by worsening clinical symptoms. The adverse effect profile of lamotrigine is similar to that of placebo.

    Lown Right Care

    Collaborative Care for Depression in Older Adults

    Alan Glaseroff, Ann Lindsay, Helen Haskell, John James

    A collaboration between AFP and the Lown Institute promotes a vision of delivering health care that is based on the evidence, balanced in its approach, and focused on the patient.

    FPIN's Clinical Inquiries

    Recreational Cannabis and Emergency Department Visits

    Rebecca Mullen, Hannah Aho, Kristen DeSanto

    Legalization of recreational cannabis is associated with an increase in cannabis-related visits to the ED, especially in patients younger than 29 years.

    STEPS

    Ibrexafungerp (Brexafemme) for the Treatment of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

    Kelsea Woolfolk, Jonathan Hughes

    Compared with oral fluconazole, ibrexafungerp is a significantly more expensive treatment option for adolescent, adult, and postmenarchal patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis and has not been shown to be more effective to date.

    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

    The decision to initiate low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD in adults aged 40 to 59 years who have a 10% or greater 10-year CVD risk should be an individual one. The USPSTF recommends against initiating low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of...

    Putting Prevention Into Practice

    Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

    Howard Tracer, Caitlin N. Newhouse

    This PPIP quiz is based on the recommendations of the USPSTF.

    Photo Quiz

    Red, Tender Nodules in a Child With Cellulitis

    Kent H. Do, Sukhmani Dhaliwal

    A six-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with a rash and fever three months after completing treatment for streptococcal pharyngitis.

    Chronic, Nonhealing Wound

    Courtney Humphrey, Christina Julian

    An 81-year-old man presented with a wound above the medial malleolus, with surrounding erythema and pitting edema.

    Diagnostic Tests

    Procalcitonin for Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, and Prognosis of Respiratory Tract Infections

    Joseph R. Yancey, Madalyn D. Nelson, Nicholas J. Whalen

    Procalcitonin testing offers physicians a way to limit antibiotic therapy to adult inpatients with bacterial lower respiratory tract infection who are most likely to benefit. Using procalcitonin levels to aid decision-making for discontinuation of antibiotics in patients with...

    Point-of-Care Guides

    Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in Women

    Mark H. Ebell, Ildiko Gagyor

    How can signs, symptoms, and urine dipstick testing best be used for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in women?

    POEMs

    Surgery Is No Better Than Nonoperative Treatment for Achilles Tendon Rupture in Adults

    Mark H. Ebell

    Comparable Outcomes With Five and 10 Days of Antibiotics in Children With CAP

    Henry C. Barry

    Influenza Vaccine Shortly After Myocardial Infarction Reduces One-Year Mortality

    Mark H. Ebell

    Ketamine Reduces Suicidal Ideation Quickly, but May Not Reduce the Short-term Likelihood of Suicide Attempts

    Allen F. Shaughnessy

    Practice Guidelines

    Predicting and Preventing Preterm Birth: Recommendations From ACOG

    Michael J. Arnold

    The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has new recommendations for predicting and preventing preterm birth.

    Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Update From ACR

    Michael J. Arnold

    The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) published updated guidelines focused solely on medical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

    Letters to the Editor

    Incorporating Music Therapy Into Primary Care

    Julie Schoonover, Susan E. Rubin

    COVID-19 and Congenital Abnormalities in a Pregnant Woman

    Kerry K. Swindle

    Reply: Shiv Dallas, Michael Rausch, Rick Kellerman

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Thrombocytopenia

    A platelet is a kind of blood cell. Platelets help your blood to clot after an injury, like when you scrape your knee. These clots help you stop bleeding.

    Chronic Constipation in Adults

    Constipation is when you feel like you are not able to have a complete bowel movement. You can also have hard stool, stomach pain, bloating, or swelling.



    Disclosure

    All editors in a position to control content for this activity, AFP journal, are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships. View disclosures.


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