• Articles

    Contraception Choices in Women with Underlying Medical Conditions

    RACHEL A. BONNEMA, MEGAN C. McNAMARA, ABBY L. SPENCER

    Oral contraceptive pills may be used in women with a range of comorbidities, including well-controlled hypertension, uncomplicated diabetes mellitus, depression, and uncomplicated valvular heart disease. Progestin-only options are available for women with contraindications to...

    Weight Loss Maintenance

    SAMUEL N. GRIEF, ROSITA L.F. MIRANDA

    Successful weight loss maintenance is defined as maintaining a weight loss of at least 10 percent for at least one year. Effective approaches include a consistent, healthy diet and regular exercise; behavioral interventions; weight loss medication; and bariatric surgery.

    Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Women: Diagnosis and Management

    CHARLES M. KODNER, EMILY K. THOMAS GUPTON

    Diagnosis of recurrent urinary tract infections typically involves culture, assessment for risk factors, and identification of a causative organism. Treatment should be guided by community resistance patterns and whether the infection is complicated or uncomplicated....

    Proteinuria in Children

    ALEXANDER K.C. LEUNG, ALEX H.C. WONG

    Proteinuria is usually benign, although it can be a marker for a serious underlying condition. Pertinent history, physical examination, and laboratory findings can help differentiate benign from clinically significant proteinuria.

    Pulmonary Rehabilitation in the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

    LINDA NICI, SUZANNE LAREAU, RICHARD ZuWALLACK

    Pulmonary rehabilitation includes patient assessment, exercise training, self-management education, and psychosocial support. Positive outcomes include increased exercise tolerance, reduced dyspnea and anxiety, improvement in health-related quality of life, and reduced...

    AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

    AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

    ACIP Expands Influenza Vaccine Guidelines, Advises Against Afluria for Young Children | AAFP Responds to Proposed Medicare Rule, Creates Related Toolkit to Educate Patients | AHRQ Issues New Summary Guides on Adjunctive Therapy for Patients with CHD | AAFP, Other Medical...

    AFP Journal Club

    Autism and Childhood Vaccinations: Debunking the Myth

    ROBERT DACHS, ANDREA DARBY-STEWART, MARK A. GRABER

    Are childhood vaccinations associated with subsequent development of autism? This month's article provides the science and statistics to dispel the theory that childhood vaccinations induce autism.

    Graham Center Policy One-Pager

    Income Disparities Shape Medical Student Specialty Choice

    VENIS WILDER, MARTEY S. DODOO, ROBERT L. PHILLIPS, JR., BRIDGET TEEVAN, ANDREW W. BAZEMORE, STEPHEN M. PETTERSON, IMAM XIERALI

    Currently, a gap of more than $135,000 separates the median annual subspecialist income from that of a primary care physician, yielding a $3.5 million difference in expected income over a lifetime. These income disparities dissuade medical students from selecting primary care...

    Editorials

    Mammography Screening for Breast Cancer: Recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    MICHAEL L. LEFEVRE, NED CALONGE, ALLEN J. DIETRICH, JOY MELNIKOW

    The November 2009 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation for breast cancer screening, while sparking much controversy, was not a radical departure from the previous 2002 recommendation. The USPSTF approached the recommendation update with the basic...

    Preventive Health: Time for Change

    COLIN KOPES-KERR

    It is time to make a decision. Which will be our health promotion strategy—primary prevention or secondary prevention?

    Clinical Evidence Handbook

    Bacterial Conjunctivitis

    JOHN EPLING

    What are the effects of empiric treatment in adults and children with suspected bacterial conjunctivitis? What are the effects of treatment in adults and children with culture-confirmed bacterial or suspected or clinically confirmed gonococcal conjunctivitis?

    Photo Quiz

    Enlarged Tonsils and Fatigue

    MALCOLM LEMYZE, FAVORY RAPHAEL

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

    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    Screening for Breast Cancer: Recommendation Statement

    The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends biennial screening mammography for women 50 to 74 years of age.

    STEPS

    Methylnaltrexone (Relistor) for Opioid-Induced Constipation

    BRIAN CROWNOVER, null FAAFP, ETHAN ZIMMERMAN

    Methylnaltrexone can temporarily relieve opioid-induced constipation in patients with advanced illness who have not responded to laxative treatment. However, it must be given by injection, is expensive, and has been studied only for short-term use.

    Tips from Other Journals

    Diagnosing Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction

    KENNY LIN

    A Comparison of Screening Guidelines for Diabetes Mellitus

    CARLYLE HAMSHER, III, null SEXTON

    Is Lenient Rate Control Effective for Atrial Fibrillation?

    KENNETH T. MOON

    Does Treating Periodontal Disease During Pregnancy Reduce Preterm Birth?

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Practice Guidelines

    Updated Guideline on Diagnosis and Treatment of Intra-abdominal Infections

    CARRIE ARMSTRONG

    The Surgical Infection Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America recently updated recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of intra-abdominal infections. Intra-abdominal infections are the second most common cause of infectious mortality in intensive care units....

    IDSA Releases Guidelines on Management of Cryptococcal Disease

    CARRIE ARMSTRONG

    The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently updated its guidelines on the management of cryptococcal disease. The new guidelines include a discussion of the management of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in three risk groups: patients who are HIV-positive,...

    Letters to the Editor

    Letters to the Editor

    Interpreting and Evaluating the Details of the JUPITER Study

    Letters to the Editor

    Vitamin D Supplementation in Patients with Tuberculosis

    Letters to the Editor

    Malaria Chemoprophylaxis and Travel Immunizations

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Tips on Keeping Weight Off: Successful Weight Loss Maintenance

    Weight loss maintenance is considered successful if you lose at least 10 percent of your body weight and keep that weight off for at least one year.

    Proteinuria in Children

    The kidneys remove waste from the blood. This waste leaves the body in urine. Usually, proteins are too big to go through the kidneys and into the urine. But sometimes, protein can leak into the urine. This is called proteinuria.

    Pulmonary Rehabilitation in COPD

    Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program for patients with lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It helps you breathe and makes it easier for you to do normal activities. The program includes exercise, social support, and tools to help you cope...



    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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