• Articles

    Intracranial Aneurysms: Current Evidence and Clinical Practice

    CHARLES VEGA, JEREMIAH V. KWOON, SEAN D. LAVINE

    Most intracranial aneurysms remain asymptomatic until the time of rupture. Because of the morbidity and mortality of surgical intervention, screening for aneurysms remains controversial.

    Percutaneous Vertebroplasty: New Treatment for Vertebral Compression Fractures

    THOMAS A. PREDEY, LUKE E. SEWALL, STEVEN J. SMITH

    Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a newer technique for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures. This procedure involves the injection of a cement-like substance into the painful fractured vertebral body to stabilize and strengthen the vertebra.

    Allergy Testing

    JAMES T. LI

    Physicians frequently encounter patients with allergic diseases. Allergy testing can help determine if a patient's problem is caused the allergen.

    Benefits and Risks of Psychiatric Medications During Pregnancy

    RANDY K. WARD, MARK A. ZAMORSKI

    Maternal use of psychiatric medications has potential risks for and benefits to the health of mother and child. Treatment decisions should be individualized.

    Tick Removal

    MATTHEW GAMMONS, GOHAR SALAM

    Timely and complete removal of ticks is essential to reduce the risk of infection and disease transmission.

    Inside AFP

    AFP Home Page Receives a Facelift as Part of AAFP Web Site Redesign

    Janis Wright

    If you haven't visited the Web site of the American Academy of Family Physicians lately, you may be pleasantly surprised when you find a new look. A redesigned Web site was launched on July 1 and includes a sleeker home page for AFP. The new site was designed with ease of...

    Newsletter

    Newsletter

    Matthew Neff

    Senate Approves Appointment of Carmona to Surgeon General | HHS Grants to Help Create Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps | AAFP Launches HIPAA Information Web Site | Initiative Seeks to Improve Physician Education on Pesticide Issues | HRSA Awards Funds to Centers for Children...

    Quantum Sufficit

    Quantum Sufficit

    Sarah Evans, Heather McNeill

    “Who knew?” Although accidental exposure through ingestion of peanuts and tree nuts is common, a Letter to the Editor in the New England Journal of Medicine says that there have also been several reports of transmission of allergens through kissing. Of 379 patients with self...

    Graham Center Policy One-Pager

    Title VII Funding Is Associated with More Family Physicians and More Physicians Serving the Underserved

    Title VII funding of departments of family medicine at U.S. medical schools is significantly associated with expansion of the primary care physician workforce and increased accessibility to physicians for the residents of rural and underserved areas. Title VII has been...

    Editorials

    Vertebroplasty: Weighing the Benefits and the Risks

    JEFFREY M.SPIVAK

    Vertebral injection treatments of fractured or pathologically weakened bone are an important advancement in the management of painful vertebral compression fractures and vertebral metastases. Vertebroplasty introduces a low viscosity cement under relatively high pressure to...

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    “Her other medical problems include methadone treatment of heroin addiction, hepatitis C, seizures, and chronic depression. Plus, she is under a lot of stress at home because her teenaged son is in a gang,” reported CG. The second-year resident was describing a woman in her...

    U. S. Preventive Services Task Force: Recommendations and Rationale

    Screening for Depression: Recommendations and Rationale

    This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for screening for depression and the supporting scientific evidence and it updates the 1996 recommendations in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, second edition.

    Tips

    High-Risk Patients Need Tight Dyslipidemia Management

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Short Course of Acyclovir for Genital Herpes

    BILL ZEPF

    Test-and-Treat Strategy for Dyspepsia Is Supported

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Checklist Improves Awareness of Child Abuse

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Effect of Smoke Exposure on Otitis Media Recurrence

    KARL E. MILLER

    Ramipril Reduces Risk of Stroke in High-Risk Patients

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Extension Test Can Screen for Elbow Injury After Trauma

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Which Treatment Is Better in Childhood Atopic Eczema?

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Practice Guidelines

    American Cancer Society Issues 2002 Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer

    Karen L. Hellekson

    The American Cancer Society (ACS) has issued its 2002 update of cancer screening. The screening guidelines are organized by site of cancer and include discussions of recent research, recommended tests or procedures, recommended frequency of testing, and updates on the state...

    Clinical Briefs

    Clinical Briefs

    Brian Torrey

    Resumption of Routine DTaP, MMR Immunizations | FDA Approval of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Tests

    Letters to the Editor

    Thrombolytic Therapy vs. Anticoagulation for PE

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Vertebroplasty for Spine Fracture Pain

    About 50 million people in the United States have osteoporosis (a decrease in the amount of bone mass) or have thinning of the bones that puts them at risk for spine fractures (broken bones). Thinning of the bones can occur at any time, but is most common in elderly persons. ...

    Allergy Testing

    If you have a stuffy nose, trouble breathing (especially in the summer), or hives after eating certain foods, you may have an allergy. Allergy tests can help you and your doctor find out if these problems are caused by an allergy and which things you are allergic to. That way...

    Medicines for Mental Health During Pregnancy

    Any mental problem may occur during pregnancy. These problems include depression, manic-depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia (say: skit-zoh-free-nia).

    How to Remove a Tick

    It is important to remove the tick as soon as possible. Use the following steps:



    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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