March 2023

Osteoporosis affects 10.2% of adults older than 50 years and is expected to increase to 13.6% by 2030. Osteoporotic fractures, specifically hip fractures, have significant impacts on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect more than 40 million Americans, and distinguishing between the two can be difficult. Accurate diagnosis requires spirometry that demonstrates a characteristic pattern.

Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders characterized by progressive deterioration of the optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer. Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form in the United States.

This article presents evidence-based answers to common questions about the diagnosis and management of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur in response to a broad range of traumatic events. Psychological symptoms can be mistaken for anxiety or mood disorders, which are often comorbidities of PTSD. There are several assessment tools available to help diagnose PTSD and…

Pulmonary nodules are commonly discovered incidentally on chest imaging or from dedicated lung cancer screening. Screening adults 50 to 80 years of age who have a 20-pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years with low-dose computed…

An analysis of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Lung Study found that the use of race corrections in spirometry interpretation did not help to predict chronic lower respiratory disease events any more accurately than the use of race-neutral calculations.

Because of known limitations and inadequate evidence, primary care clinicians should focus on providing USPSTF-recommended, evidence-based preventive services and only use multicancer early detection tests in the context of well-designed clinical research studies and not in…

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

We assigned a color recommendation of yellow (unclear benefits) due to modest improvements for radicular back pain and an incomplete view of potential patient-oriented harms. The most clinically meaningful evidence to patients is the potential for corticosteroids to improve…

Best medical practices for the initial treatment of uncomplicated DVT include anticoagulation, compression stockings, and physical exercise. In the management of DVT, adding an antiplatelet agent to standard practices does not show clear benefits or cause significant adverse…

Customized or prefabricated foot orthoses do not result in significant improvements in pain, function, or parent and child quality-of-life scores. Importantly, quality-of-life scores were not reported in patients who were asymptomatic.

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

The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for obstructive sleep apnea in the general adult population.

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

A comprehensive treatment program that includes dry needling may provide some benefit in decreasing pain scores and perceived disability vs. standard physical therapy and home physical therapy in the short term. However, this improvement is small, and the clinical significance…

In children and adolescents with lower abdominal pain, is there a way to identify low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups for suspected appendicitis?

Family physicians encounter patients with adnexal masses who require surgery, some of whom may have ovarian cancer. The ROMA test can assess the presurgical likelihood of malignancy in patients who already have a planned surgery.

A patient presented with black discoloration of all fingernails, without pitting, spooning, or ulceration.

A patient presented with an ulcerated and crusted erythematous plaque with well-demarcated borders on his lower lip that developed during the mask mandate.

Viloxazine reduces ADHD symptoms but has not been directly compared with atomoxetine or first-line stimulant medications. Adverse effects are common, and the risks of suicidal ideation and increased heart rate and blood pressure are a concern.

This case addresses a common situation in primary care that can occur when new evidence changes practices that were once taken for granted by physicians and patients as contributing to quality care. Discontinuing low-value interventions can be challenging for patients and…

POEM

POEM

POEM

POEM

The 2023 child/adolescent and adult immunization schedules have been approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notable changes include updates to COVID-19 recommendations and mpox (formerly monkeypox…

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense published guidelines on the management of major depressive disorder.

Letter

Reply: Nathan Hitzeman

Osteoporosis means bones (“osteo”) that are porous (“porosis”), or weak. When your body loses calcium, your bones become weaker and more likely to break.

It is a test that measures how much and how quickly you can move air in and out of your lungs compared with other people who have breathing problems like yours. For the test, you will blow through a tube as hard, as fast, and as long as you can. After that, you may be given…

Glaucoma (glaw-KOH-muh) is a disease that damages the nerve in the back of your eye called the optic nerve.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS for short) is a common condition. It is usually related to your hormones being out of balance.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health illness that can happen after you have had or witnessed a trauma, such as a life-threatening event, sexual violence, or serious injury. PTSD affects your mood and body. PTSD can last for months, or it can last for many…

A lung nodule (NA-jule; also known as pulmonary nodule) is a small, often ball-shaped tissue collection that can grow in the lungs. They can range in size from smaller than a pea to the size of a golf ball or larger. Most of the time, people with lung nodules have no symptoms…