• Articles

    Imaging for Suspected Appendicitis

    JERRY L. OLD, REGINALD W. DUSING, WENDELL YAP, JARED DIRKS

    Family physicians play a valuable role in the early diagnosis of acute appendicitis. However, the overall diagnostic accuracy achieved by traditional history and physicalexamination is only about 80 percent. Imaging techniques such as ultrasonographyand computed tomography...

    Procedural Sedation in the Acute Care Setting

    TODD B. BROWN, LUIS M. LOVATO, DINORA PARKER

    Procedural sedation and analgesia should be performed only by health care professionalswho are skilled in managing possible complications, including cardiorespiratorycompromise. Common agents such as etomidate, ketamine, fentanyl, and midazolam are easy to use and predictable...

    Insertion and Removal of Intrauterine Devices

    BRETT ANDREW JOHNSON

    Parous women in stable, mutually monogamous relationships who seek contraceptionare ideal candidates for the intrauterine device (IUD). Two IUDs are available: a copper-releasing device and a hormone-releasing device. Family physicians should counsel their patients about...

    Understanding and Interpreting Serum Protein Electrophoresis

    THEODORE X. O’CONNELL, TIMOTHY J. HORITA, BARSAM KASRAVI

    Serum protein electrophoresis is used to identify patients with multiple myeloma and other disorders of serum protein. Monoclonal gammopathies are associated with a clonal process that is malignant or potentially malignant, whereas polyclonal gammopathies may be caused by any...

    Inside AFP

    Announcing Enhancements to AFP’s Web Site

    JANIS WRIGHT

    If you are a user of AFP’s Web site, you will be delighted to know that we’ve installed a few new features designed to help you find the answers to your clinical questions faster than before. The result of a yearlong effort by our programmers and editors, the improvements are...

    Newsletter

    Newsletter

    GENEVIEVE RESSEL

    NIH Awards $3 Million Grant to Develop Electronic Network of Family Physicians | CDC Releases Report on Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates | NIAAA Announces New Alcohol Prevention Web Site | COLA Launches Updated and Redesigned Web Site | AAFP Offers Free Web Site Program...

    Quantum Sufficit

    Quantum Sufficit

    SARAH EVANS, LAURA COUGHLIN

    Women who use tattooing and other permanent forms of makeup to replace mascara or lipstick may risk health problems. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting consumers to the possibility of adverse events caused by permanent makeup. As reported in FDA Consumer,...

    Editorials

    The Future of Family Medicine Project: Embracing the Future

    JOHN R. BUCHOLTZ

    Most family physicians would agree that there has been a professional lethargy in our specialty over the past decade, compounded by a broken, inefficient national health care system. The issues behind this problem are complex and intertwined: the decline of professional...

    Personalizing Prevention: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Family History Initiative

    RICHARD H. CARMONA, DANIEL J. WATTENDORF

    An immense gap exists between what American families know about health and what they need to know. Chronic diseases currently account for seven out of 10 deaths in the United States. Although all of these diseases have hereditary factors, most can be prevented with relatively...

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Diary

    TONY MIKSANEK

    “Stupid!” Mr. Solomon uttered as I entered the exam room. It turned out that the 72-year-old man’s interjection was directed toward himself and not me. He was clutching the right side of his rib cage with one hand. Two weeks earlier, Mr. Solomon had tripped over a tree limb...

    Cochrane for Clinicians

    Glucocorticoids for Treatment of Croup

    MICHAEL SCHOOFF

    Compared with placebo, treatment with glucocorticoids results in reduced symptoms, less need for treatment with racemic epinephrine, fewer readmissions to emergency departments, and shorter hospital stays.

    Cochrane Briefs

    CLARISSA KRIPKE

    Antidepressants and Smoking Cessation

    Cochrane Briefs

    CLARISSA KRIPKE, CLARISSA KRIPKE

    Hormonal Contraceptives and Weight Gain

    Clinical Evidence Handbook

    Neck Pain

    ALLAN BINDER

    What are the effects of treatments for uncomplicated neck pain without severe neurologic deficit? What are the effects of treatments for acute and chronic whiplash injury? What are the effects of treatments for neck pain with radiculopathy?

    FPIN's Clinical Inquiries

    Intravenous Fluids for Children with Gastroenteritis

    J. BURTON BANKS, SUE MEADOWS

    Most children with gastroenteritis do not require intravenous fluids and will respond favorably to ORT. Intravenous fluids do not shorten the duration of gastroenteritis and are more likely to cause adverse effects than ORT.

    Photo Quiz

    Glowing Teeth

    RAYMOND T. KUWAHARA, MICHAEL H. SWANN, RON D. RASBERRY

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

    POEMs

    Physical Therapy and Stress Urinary Incontinence

    LINDA FRENCH

    Steroids Ineffective for Sepsis

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Better Quality of Life After Radiation than Prostatectomy

    HENRY BARRY

    Single-Dose Dexamethasone Effective for Even Mild Croup

    MARK EBELL

    Benefits and Risks of Parkinson’s Disease Drugs

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Compression Stockings and Post-Thrombotic Syndrome

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Peripheral Sensory Deficits Common in Elderly Patients

    DAVID SLAWSON

    Early Intensive Simvastatin and Coronary Outcomes

    DAVID SLAWSON

    Tips from Other Journals

    Creatine Supplementation and Recovery After ACL Surgery

    KARL E. MILLER

    Tramadol/Acetaminophen for Pain of Osteoarthritis Flares

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Ripening of the Cervix and Risk for Later Preterm Birth

    KARL E. MILLER

    Disulfiram, Behavior Therapy in Cocaine Dependency

    KARL E. MILLER

    Drug-induced Prolongation of the QT Interval

    BILL ZEPF

    Fracture Protection Lost Five Years After Stopping HT

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Timing of Antibiotics in Patients Hospitalized with CAP

    KARL E. MILLER

    How Critical Is Time in the Treatment of Stroke?

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Limitations of Screening Tests for Asymptomatic Chlamydia

    KARL E. MILLER

    Follow-up Renal Sonography for Vesicoureteral Reflux

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Inhaled Corticosteroids in Moderate to Severe COPD

    KARL E. MILLER

    Need for Repeat CT Following Minimal Head Injury

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Evidence-Based Guidelines for Bipolar Disorder Therapy

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Virtual Colonoscopy vs. Routine Colonoscopy

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Testing in Patients with Possible Pulmonary Embolism

    KARL E. MILLER

    Do Antibiotics Slow the Progression of Dementia?

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Uracil-Tegafur as Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer

    BILL ZEPF

    Lower Intensity Oral Anticoagulant Therapy Works

    KARL E. MILLER

    Practice Guidelines

    Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule, United States, 2005

    RICHARD KENT ZIMMERMAN

    The 2005 Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule (see accompanying charts), which is approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), is...

    Practice Guidelines Briefs

    Practice Guidelines Briefs

    CARRIE MORANTZ, BRIAN TORREY

    Definition of Metabolic Syndrome

    Practice Guidelines Briefs

    CARRIE MORANTZ, BRIAN TORREY

    DVDs on Childhood Overweight and Obesity

    Practice Guidelines Briefs

    CARRIE MORANTZ, BRIAN TORREY

    CDC Report on Asthma

    Curbside Consultation

    Is This Patient Really Incompetent?

    GEORGE K. DREHER

    This physician is trying to balance his duty to the patient and the legally appointed guardian and finds it difficult to know how to approach the patient. The physician is particularly puzzled because of his “near-normal” interactions with her. This commentary will discuss...

    Letters to the Editor

    Off-Label Uses for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

    Vitamin D Insufficiency as a Cause of Hyperparathyroidism

    ROBERT C. OH

    Use of the Term Conjunctival Icterus Instead of Scleral Icterus

    BERT BEISEL

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Kidney Cysts

    Kidneys remove waste products from your blood. They do this by filtering the blood and making urine. The waste products are removed in the urine.

    Urinary Tract Infections

    Most urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria (germs). Any part of your urinary tract can be infected. The urinary tract includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Bladder infections are the most common.

    Microscopic Hematuria

    “Microscopic” means something is so small that it can be seen only through a microscope. “Hematuria” (say “he-mah-tur-ee-ah) means blood in the urine.

    Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

    Kidneys remove waste products from your blood. They do this by filtering the blood and making urine. The urine carries waste products out of your body.



    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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