• Articles

    Diagnosis and Treatment of Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinomas

    DANIEL L. STULBERG, BLAIN CRANDELL, ROBERT S. FAWCETT

    Rates of squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas have been increasing, possibly as a result of increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Primary care physicians can expect to diagnose six to seven cases of basal cell carcinoma and one to two cases of squamous cell...

    Pneumonia in Older Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities

    CHRISTIAN DAVIS FURMAN, ABI V. RAYNER, ELISABETH PELCHER TOBIN

    Compared with community-dwelling persons, residents in long-term care facilities have more functional disabilities and underlying medical illnesses and are at increased risk of acquiring infectious diseases. Pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this...

    Assessment and Management of Personality Disorders

    RANDY K. WARD

    Patients with personality disorders are common in primary care settings; caring for them can be difficult and frustrating. The characteristics of these patients' personalities tend to elicit strong feelings in physicians, lead to the development of problematic physician...

    Pregnancy Prevention in Adolescents

    SAWSAN AS-SANIE, ANGELA GANTT, MARJORIE S. ROSENTHAL

    Although the pregnancy rate in adolescents has declined steadily in the past 10 years, it remains a major public health problem with lasting repercussions for the teenage mothers, their infants and families, and society as a whole. Successful strategies to prevent adolescent...

    Inside AFP

    A Survey of Personality Disorders

    JANIS WRIGHT

    A recent e-mail news release from the American Academy of Family Physicians caught my attention. A landmark survey has reported the prevalence of personality disorders in the United States. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National...

    Newsletter

    Newsletter

    GENEVIEVE RESSEL

    Vaccine Manufacturer Expecting Delays in Distribution of Fluvirin | U.S. Census Bureau Report Confirms Rising Number of Uninsured Americans | CDC Reminds Physicians to Consider West Nile Virus in Pregnant Women | New Studies from Robert Graham Center Focus on Race and Access...

    Quantum Sufficit

    Quantum Sufficit

    SARAH EVANS, LINNEA KORINEK, LORI PARRY, JENNY RESSEL, KAREN VAUGHN

    Sometimes diagnosis can be as easy as cherry pie. An article in the American Journal of Surgery describes an 80-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. A computed tomographic scan showed a foreign body in the colon, and a left...

    Editorials

    Teenage Pregnancy Prevention: What Can We Do?

    JANET P. REALINI

    Adolescent pregnancy and its prevention are topics that excite intense controversy. In this issue of American Family Physician, As-Sanie and colleagues1 describe the impact of this public health problem and outline strategies to address it. Despite recent declines, teenage...

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Diary

    KATHY SOCH

    “When in doubt, always ask the patient more questions,” KS reminded herself for the 100th time. A 44-year-old woman had been referred from the gynecology clinic for evaluation of hyperkalemia. On chart review, she was a healthy woman scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy...

    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    Prevention of Dental Caries in Preschool Children: Recommendations and Rationale

    This statement summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on the primary care clinician’s role in the prevention of dental disease among preschool-aged children based on the USPSTF’s examination of evidence specific to dental disease in young...

    Point-of-Care Guides

    Evaluating the Patient with an Ankle or Foot Injury

    MARK H. EBELL

    The Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules are validated clinical decision rules. The process by which the Ottawa rules were developed and validated serves as a model for researchers in developing decision support tools for other clinical problems.

    Photo Quiz

    Cutaneous Ulceration in a Patient with HIV

    MARK D. GOODMAN, GARY N. ELSASSER, JOHN BIEHLE

    Photo Quiz presents readers with a clinical challenge based on a photograph or other image.

    POEMs

    Beta Agonists May Slightly Increase the Risk of Adverse Cardiac Events

    MARK EBELL

    School-Based Drug Abuse Prevention Programs Ineffective

    HENRY BARRY

    Liposuction Does Not Improve Cardiovascular Risk Factors

    MARK EBELL

    Nonsurgical Treatments Are Effective for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    HENRY BARRY

    Restricted Diet Improves Parental Perception of Hyperactive Behavior

    HENRY BARRY

    Lutein Improves Vision in Men with Macular Degeneration

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Calcium Prevents Colon Polyps

    HENRY BARRY

    Practice Guidelines

    NCEP Issues Interim Guidelines on Management of Cholesterol

    MATTHEW J. NEFF

    The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recently issued interim guidelines as an addendum to the 2002 Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines regarding the management of cholesterol.

    Practice Guideline Briefs

    Practice Guideline Briefs

    CARRIE MORANTZ, BRIAN TORREY

    First-Trimester Screening for Genetic Defects

    Practice Guideline Briefs

    CARRIE MORANTZ, BRIAN TORREY

    CDC Report on Cancer Mortality Surveillance

    Practice Guideline Briefs

    CARRIE MORANTZ, BRIAN TORREY

    School-Based Mental Health Services

    Letters to the Editor

    Thrombophlebitis: A Common Complication of Amiodarone

    HENRIQUE HORTA VELOSO, ANGELO AMATO VINCENZO DE PAOLA

    Definitive Statements Should Only Be Made with Evidence

    Suggestions for Performing Aspiration of Breast Cysts

    DAVID R. PENNES

    NSAIDs Should Not Be Used in Treatment of Stress Fractures

    STEVEN D. STOVITZ, ELIZABETH A. ARENDT

    Tips from Other Journals

    Home Monitoring of Blood Pressure Predicts CV Events

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Homocysteine Levels and Reduction of Stroke Risk

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Identifying Short-Term Risk in Patients with Syncope

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Grade 1 Concussion in Athletes

    KARL E. MILLER

    Laparoscopic vs. Abdominal Hysterectomy: a Comparison

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Is Antibiotic Use Associated with Breast Cancer Risk?

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Effect of Hormone Therapy on Cognition in Elderly Women

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Managing Patients with Urolithiasis Over Time

    BILL ZEPF

    Caloric Restriction Decreases Incidence of Breast Cancer

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Coffee Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    A Trial of Topiramate for Migraine Prophylaxis

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Intensive Lipid-Lowering Therapy and Atherosclerosis

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Moderate Alcohol Consumption May Reduce Risk of Diabetes

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Using Infliximab to Close Fistulas in Crohn’s Disease

    BILL ZEPF

    Two Doses of Varicella Vaccine Are Better than One

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Potential Dangers of Aspirin Use in Patients with Asthma

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    High Blood Pressure

    Think of your arteries as tubes that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Blood pressure is the force your blood puts on the walls of your arteries. If your blood moves through your arteries with more force than normal, you have high blood pressure (also...

    Blood Pressure Monitors

    Measuring your blood pressure at home and writing down the readings will show you and your doctor how much your blood pressure changes during the day. Your doctor can use the measurements to see how well your medicine is keeping your blood pressure low.

    Corrections

    Correction



    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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