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  • Articles

    Treatment of Alzheimer Disease

    BRADFORD T. WINSLOW, MARY K. ONYSKO, CHRISTIAN M. STOB, KATHLEEN A. HAZLEWOOD

    The goal of treating Alzheimer disease is to slow the progression of symptoms and improve patients' cognition and activities of daily living. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are considered first-line agents, and may be combined with the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor...

    Update on Vitamin B12 Deficiency

    ROBERT C. LANGAN, KIMBERLY J. ZAWISTOSKI

    Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common cause of megaloblastic anemia, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and elevated serum homocysteine levels. No major medical organizations have published guidelines on screening asymptomatic or low-risk adults, but high-risk persons may warrant...

    Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia: Prevention and Management

    JULIA FASHNER, AMANDA L. BELL

    The diagnosis of herpes zoster is usually based on the appearance of the classic rash. Antiretroviral therapy can decrease symptoms, although it is unclear whether the therapy prevents postherpetic neuralgia. Adjunct medications are often needed to control pain during the...

    Common Adverse Effects of Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Disease

    CARIN E. REUST

    Long-term complications of human immunodeficiency virus infection can be related to the virus itself or to adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy. Each drug class has adverse effects, and patients should be regularly monitored for drug toxicities. Long-term morbidity...

    AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

    AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

    AAFP Urges CMS to Modify Changes to Accountable Care Organization Proposal | HHS to Award $100 Million in Community Grants to Help Combat Chronic Diseases | Women Make Up More Than 40 Percent of Full-Time Family Medicine Faculty | CMS Checklist Useful in Examinations for...

    Editorials: Controversies in Family Medicine

    Appropriate Aspirin Use for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

    W. FRED MISER

    The factor most strongly associated with appropriate aspirin use is a conversation between the patient and physician. The National Committee for Quality Assurance has proposed that health plans measure their members' use of aspirin, as well as the extent to which physicians...

    The Case Against Routine Aspirin Use for Primary Prevention in Low-Risk Adults

    ALISON L. BAILEY, SUSAN S. SMYTH, CHARLES L. CAMPBELL

    A policy of generalized aspirin use in adults for the primary prevention of CVD is probably not warranted. Instead, the benefits and risks of aspirin therapy for primary prevention need to be considered on an individual basis, and should be reserved for persons at highest...

    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    Aspirin for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Recommendation Statement

    The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends the use of aspirin in men 45 to 79 years of age when the potential benefit of a reduction in myocardial infarctions (MIs) outweighs the potential harm of an increase in gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage.

    Putting Prevention Into Practice

    Aspirin for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

    KENNETH W. LIN

    Case study: K.T., a 48-year-old man, presents for a routine office visit. He is worried about cardiovascular disease (CVD) and asks whether he should take daily aspirin to lower his risk. His blood pressure is 120/60 mm Hg, and his total cholesterol is 180 mg per dL (4.66...

    Photo Quiz

    Rapidly Growing Mass in the Chest Wall

    JANINE E. BURGHER-JONES, MARIA-ELENA BENDANA

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

    Clinical Evidence Handbook

    Crohn Disease

    SARAH MILLS, ALEXANDER C. VON ROON, PARIS P. TEKKIS, TIMOTHY R. ORCHARD

    What are the effects of medical and surgical interventions to induce and maintain remission in adults with small bowel Crohn disease? What are the effects of medical interventions to maintain remission after surgery in adults with Crohn disease? What are the effects of...

    FPIN's Clinical Inquiries

    Treatment of Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

    J. DELRENE DAVIS, AMY L. HARPER

    A six-month treatment regimen with an antifungal agent decreases the recurrence of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

    STEPS

    Adapalene/Benzoyl Peroxide (Epiduo) for Acne Vulgaris

    HEATHER PICKETT, SCOTT WILTZ

    Epiduo is a combination of topical adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% in a gel formulation. It is labeled for the treatment of acne vulgaris in patients at least 12 years of age.1 Benzoyl peroxide releases oxygen free radicals to oxidize bacterial proteins and decrease...

    Practice Guidelines

    NIAID Releases Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy

    LISA GRAHAM

    Food allergy can be difficult to diagnose. Because diagnosis and management options vary, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) helped develop guidelines to provide physicians with “best practices” for diagnosing and treating patients with food...

    AAP Revises Policy Statement on the Use of Postnatal Corticosteroids for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

    LISA GRAHAM

    Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a major morbidity in very preterm infants that negatively affects neurodevelopmental outcomes and is resistant to therapeutic interventions. A 2002 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement determined that the routine use of...

    Letters to the Editor

    When Is Postexposure Prophylaxis Recommended for Needlestick?

    MINA MATIN, RONALD H. GOLDSCHMIDT

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Alzheimer Disease

    Alzheimer (ALTZ-hi-mer) disease is a condition that affects the brain. It is the most common cause of dementia, which is a loss of brain function that can affect memory, attention, language, and problem solving. It is not completely clear what causes Alzheimer disease. Some...

    Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

    Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a painful rash caused by the chickenpox virus. The chickenpox virus is also called varicella-zoster. Most people get chickenpox as a child. When the infection is over, the virus stays in the body. Your immune system may weaken as you get older,...

    Common Side Effects of HIV Medicines

    The HIV virus can cause heart, kidney, bone, liver, bone marrow, and metabolic problems. These problems can also be side effects of medicines for HIV (called antiretroviral therapy, or ART). Side effects can also occur because of interactions between ART and other medicines...



    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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