Common Dental Emergencies

ALAN B. DOUGLASS, JOANNA M. DOUGLASS

Most dental pain is caused by caries, pericoronitis, periodontal disease, or trauma. This article discusses the underlying pathology, diagnosis, and management of dental emergencies.

Cytomegalovirus

GREGORY H. TAYLOR

Immunosuppressed patients can experience severe illness caused by reactivation of latent cytomegalovirus. Highly active antiretroviral therapy has decreased the incidence of cytomegalovirus retinitis but has resulted in a new set of ophthalmologic complications induced by...

Hip Fractures in Adults

LANCE C. BRUNNER, LIZA ESHILIAN-OATES, TONY Y. KUO

Early recognition and treatment of hip fracture are important in reducing morbidity and mortality and preserving quality of life. When initial radiographic findings are indeterminate, other imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging or bone scanning, can be useful...

Antidepressants: Update on New Agents and Indications

ADRIENNE Z. ABLES, OTIS L. BAUGHMAN, III

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have become the drugs of choice in the treatment of depression. Selecting an appropriate antidepressant depends on the pharmacologic profile, secondary actions, and tolerability of these agents.

Thyroid Nodules

MARY JO WELKER, DIANE ORLOV

The main objective of evaluating thyroid nodules is to exclude malignancy. Laboratory evaluation may include thyroid-stimulating hormone testing and fine-needle aspiration. Surgery remains the primary treatment for malignant lesions, and ablation by postoperative radioactive...

How to Get More Out of AFP

Janis Wright

AFP depends on your feedback to help us understand your needs as readers. We collect your thoughts and ideas from written surveys, structured focus groups or interviews, casual conversations, e-mails, telephone calls, and letters. We appreciate your comments and find your...

Newsletter

Matthew Neff

IOM Report Targets 20 Key Areas for Transforming Health Care System | New AHRQ Fact Sheet Provides Tips for Preventing Medical Errors in Children | CDC Report Indicates Continued Decline in Number of Uninsured Children | Deadline for Medicare Participation Forms Is Feb. 28 |...

Quantum Sufficit

Sarah Evans, Heather McNeill

“Oh, boy.” China may soon run out of girls. According to figures published in BMJ, 116.86 boys are born in China for every 100 girls. A normal ratio would be about 102 boys to 100 girls. The Chinese have a traditional preference for male children, especially in rural areas,...

Medical Needs of Foster Children

Renate G. Justin

It is likely that foster children will be seen in the family physician's office. Approximately 550,000 children are in foster care in the United States,1(p2) and the number is increasing, especially in children under the age of five years.2 Often, foster children come to the...

Diary from a Week in Practice

The second-year medical student had taken a meticulous history from a 30-year-old man whose chief complaint was headache. When JOH came into the mobile clinic's examination room, however, the story changed. What started out sounding almost like temporal arteritis turned into...

Are Low-Fat Diets Better than Other Weight-Reducing Diets in Achieving Long-Term Weight Loss?

Michael Schooff

A 40-year-old overweight woman seeks advice on weight loss.

Systemic Glucocorticoids for Childhood Wheezing

RICHARD SADOVSKY

Using Systolic Blood Pressure to Identify Neurologic Lesions

ANNE D. WALLING

Mastectomy vs. Less Invasive Surgery for Breast Cancer

BILL ZEPF

Effect of Carvedilol in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

SUMI M. SEXTON

Clinical Problem: Obstructive Sleep Apnea

BILL ZEPF

Indications for Vena Cava Filters for Recurrent DVT

KARL E. MILLER

Children's Behavior Correlates with Television Viewing

KARL E. MILLER

Greater Dietary Freedom vs. Glycemic Control

ANNE D. WALLING

Walking vs. Vigorous Exercise for Heart Health in Women

BILL ZEPF

Watchful Waiting or Surgery for Early Prostate Cancer?

BILL ZEPF

Influence of Statin Therapy After Coronary Artery Stenting

KARL E. MILLER

Confidence Level for Negative Sentinel Node Biopsy

ANNE D. WALLING

Why Don't Patients Take Their Antihypertensive Medications?

ANNE D. WALLING

Three-Day Treatment Effective for Childhood Pneumonia

ANNE D. WALLING

Preventing Initial Bleeding in Cirrhosis-Induced Varices

RICHARD SADOVSKY

Evaluation and Treatment of Patients with Herpes Zoster

BILL ZEPF

Risperidone for Aggressive Behavior in Autistic Children

BILL ZEPF

Timing Important in Reading Tuberculin Test Results

KARL E. MILLER

Duct Tape More Effective than Cryotherapy for Warts

KARL E. MILLER

What Is the Optimal Schedule for Obtaining Blood Cultures?

BILL ZEPF

Can Tamoxifen Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer?

ANNE D. WALLING

Using Statins in Children with Familial Hypercholesterolemia

SUMI M. SEXTON

Easy Breathing Program Affects Management of Asthma

KARL E. MILLER

Alendronate and BMD in Hyperparathyroid Disease

RICHARD SADOVSKY

Diagnosing Urinary Tract Stones: Helical CT vs. IVP

RICHARD SADOVSKY

Douching Increases Risk of Bacterial Vaginosis

ANNE D. WALLING

Home Exercise Program Can Improve Knee Osteoarthritis

ANNE D. WALLING

More Sensitive, Less Frequent Cervical Cancer Screening

ANNE D. WALLING

Drug Resistance Even with New HIV Infection?

BILL ZEPF

Prevention of Dust-Mite Sensitization in Children

KARL E. MILLER

Scoring for Palpable Breast Masses in Younger Women

ANNE D. WALLING

Drug Therapy and Psychologic Support in Smoking Cessation

KARL E. MILLER

What Do We Do When the Alcohol Screen Is Positive?

ANNE D. WALLING

Updating Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

RICHARD SADOVSKY

Is Breast Cancer Different in Men than in Women?

RICHARD SADOVSKY

Depression in Children and Adolescents

PHILIP HAZELL

What are the effects of treatments for depression in children and adolescents?

Woody Edema of the Legs

QUENBY L. ERICKSON, TODD KOBAYASHI, PAULA S. VOGEL

A 69-year-old man presented with severe bilateral lower extremity woody edema, pebbly hyperkeratotic plaques, and a fetid odor (see accompanying figure). Crusts were easily dislodged and left weeping erosions. This condition had progressed over many years of chronic...

AHA Releases Scientific Statement on Cardiovascular Health in Childhood

Genevieve W. Ressel

The Committee on Atherosclerosis, Hypertension, and Obesity in the Young (AHOY) of the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association (AHA), recently published a scientific statement on cardiovascular health in childhood. The full statement was...

Clinical Briefs

Carrie Morantz, Brian Torrey

Folic Acid and Prevention of Neural Tube Defects | ACOG Assessment of Cervical Cytology Screening | Surgeon General's Report on Women and Smoking | ACOG Opinion on Use of Enoxaparin During Pregnancy

A Mother Who Refuses to Vaccinate Her Child

SANFORD R. KIMMEL

Some of my young patients have parents who, despite being well educated have, in my opinion, some irrational beliefs. An example of this is a young mother who recently refused to vaccinate her baby. This mother said that she had heard of adverse reactions to vaccines, and she...

Calcaneal Ultrasonography for Bone Assessment

Vitamin D as a Risk Reduction Factor for Colorectal Cancer

William B. Grant, Cedric F. Garland

Managing Asthma Should Not Focus on Dust Mite Control

Guidelines for Proper Use of Child Safety Seats

Dermatitis Herpetiformis and a Gluten-Free Diet

What Is the Most Effective Approach to Chronic Pain?

Robert D. Gillette

Cytomegalovirus

Cytomegalovirus (say: “si-toe-meg-ah-low-vi-russ”) or CMV is a virus that infects cells and causes them to become enlarged. Many people are infected with CMV and don't even know it. People are usually infected by the time they are two years old or during their teenaged years....

Thyroid Nodules

A thyroid nodule is a lump in the thyroid gland in your neck.