• Articles

    Care of the Returning Veteran

    JEFFREY D. QUINLAN, MICHAEL R. GAURON, BRUCE R. DESCHERE, MARK B. STEPHENS

    Veterans returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan should be screened for post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and depression. Symptoms associated with traumatic brain injury from blast injuries can overlap with those of posttraumatic stress disorder. Suicide...

    Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of New Drugs

    SCOTT PEGLER, JONATHAN UNDERHILL

    At the time of launch, a new drug usually has not been as widely tested as other available therapies, and there is often insufficient good-quality published evidence to adequately judge its true effectiveness and safety. A careful and critical approach to the assessment and...

    Gait and Balance Disorders in Older Adults

    BROOKE SALZMAN

    Gait and balance disorders are a major cause of falls in older adults, and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and reduced level of function. They are usually multifactorial in origin and require a comprehensive assessment to determine targeted interventions.

    Pain in the Quiet (Not Red) Eye

    DAVID C. FIORE, ANDREW V. PASTERNAK, RABAB M. RADWAN

    The first step in the evaluation of pain in the quiet, nonred eye is to determine the anatomic origin of the pain and whether it is caused by a vision-threatening condition. The differential diagnosis is extensive and involves ocular, orbital, cranial, neurologic, and...

    AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

    AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

    NIH Proposes Rules to Revise Research Funding Regulations | Study Finds That High Percentage of Physicians Use FOBT Inappropriately | AAFP Calls for Senate Approval of Berwick Nomination to Head CMS | FDA Seeks Input on Public Disclosure Proposals from Transparency Initiative...

    Curbside Consultation

    Improving Sensitivity to Patients from Other Cultures

    VIDYA BHUSHAN GUPTA

    In this scenario, the physician is facing several challenges: making a patient from another culture feel at ease; managing a female patient's discomfort with a male physician; and recognizing the patient's chief concern. Physicians often treat patients from cultures different...

    Photo Quiz

    Hip Pain Without Injury

    BABAFEMI ADENUGA, DAHLIA HASSAN, FEMI ARANMOLATE

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

    Editorials

    Prescribing Evidence: The Effectiveness and Safety of New Drugs

    ADRIANE FUGH-BERMAN

    Our society values brand-name products, and drugs are no exception. However, only rudimentary safety information is available for new drugs. Required safety studies are short-term and may involve only 100 to 300 patients. Randomized controlled trials, the gold standard for...

    Cochrane for Clinicians

    Opioid Therapy for Chronic Noncancer Pain

    DEAN A. SEEHUSEN

    Weak evidence suggests that opioids reduce chronic noncancer pain in some highly selected patients, although the effects on quality of life and functional status are unclear.1 Many patients will discontinue opioids because of adverse effects or inadequate pain relief.

    Effectiveness of Antidepressants Compared with Placebo for Depression in Primary Care

    JANELLE GUIRGUIS-BLAKE

    Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are more effective than placebo for the treatment of depression in primary care settings.

    Tips from Other Journals

    Domperidone to Increase Breast Milk Supply in Mothers of Preterm Infants

    AMY CRAWFORD-FAUCHER

    Practice Guidelines

    AGS Releases Guideline for Prevention of Falls in Older Persons

    AMBER HUNTZINGER

    Recommendations from the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) guide physicians in screening older patients for risk of falling and preventing falls among those at increased risk.

    Letters to the Editor

    More Evidence of Green Tea's Effectiveness Is Needed

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Veterans: What to Expect When You Return from Deployment

    Returning from deployment is a time of expectation, excitement, and change. However, many military families find that the reunion can be more stressful than the separation. Many families go through an adjustment period that can last for weeks or even months. Knowing what to...

    Safety and Effectiveness of New Medicines

    There is a tool called the STEPS mnemonic. It stands for Safety, Tolerability, Effectiveness, Price, and Simplicity. This tool summarizes the five things doctors should use to make a good decision about prescribing new medicines. The STEPS tool can help you ask your doctor...



    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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