March 15, 2011

Goals of the well-child examination in school-aged children include promoting health and detecting disease. The patient history includes screening questions and addressing any concerns from the patient or family. A full physical examination, recommended screening tests, and age…

Well-child visits for school-aged children should include counseling and education to optimize health and wellness. All children in this age group should be educated about a healthy lifestyle and accident prevention. Discussions about high-risk behaviors, such as substance…

Evaluation of tremor is challenging, but history and physical examination can provide a great deal of certainty in diagnosis. Establishing an underlying cause is important, because prognosis and treatment plans vary considerably. Certain imaging modalities may be helpful in…

Statins are rarely contraindicated in patients with chronic liver disease, and liver enzyme elevations often resolve spontaneously. Statin-related myopathy is largely dose-dependent, and the risk increases when statins are taken with medications known to inhibit their metabolism.

Blood transfusion recipients may be transfused with red blood cells, plasma products, platelets, or cryoprecipitate, depending on indications. Complications of transfusion are much more likely to be noninfectious than infectious.

AAFP Responds to Obama Administration's Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2012 | CMS Postpones Implementation of Medicaid RAC Program Beyond April Date | CMS Begins Processing Retroactive Medicare Payments for Physicians | Increases in Pertussis Outbreaks Lead to CDC Health Alert…

How should a busy family physician approach well-child visits and the delivery of preventive services to children? Although there is a lack of robust patient-oriented evidence that addresses this question, several interventions improve the delivery of preventive services to…

What are the effects of treatments to prevent progression of nephropathy in persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and early and late nephropathy?

A seven-year-old boy presents with his mother for a routine well-child visit. He does not report any problems, his medical history is unremarkable, and he has no family history of heart disease or diabetes mellitus. During the physical examination, you note that he is obese…

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that clinicians screen children six years and older for obesity, and offer them or refer them to comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions to promote improvement in weight status.

Does donepezil benefit patients with Alzheimer disease, and is the new dosage superior to the standard dosage? This study showed benefit, but the data are misleading.

Antibiotic therapy does not benefit children with bronchiolitis, the common cold, or nonstreptococcal pharyngitis. If purulent rhinitis is present for more than 10 days, antibiotics shorten the duration of runny nose symptoms.

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

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

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common condition marked by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) has released guideline on diagnosis and management of ADHD in children.

A tremor is twitching or shaking of a body part that you can't control. Most tremors affect the hand, but they can also happen in the arm, head, leg, and even voice. They are more common in middle-aged and older adults, but they can happen at any age. Some tremors are barely…