Lower Extremity Abnormalities in Children

CAITLYN M. RERUCHA, CALEB DICKISON, DREW C. BAIRD

Although childhood leg and foot problems are a common concern for parents, most are normal variants of growth that resolve without treatment. A history and physical examination are often sufficient in the evaluation of lower extremity abnormalities. The musculoskeletal...

Top POEMs of 2016 Consistent with the Principles of the Choosing Wisely Campaign

ROLAND GRAD, MARK H. EBELL

The Choosing Wisely initiative seeks to advance dialogue on avoiding wasteful or unnecessary medical tests, treatments, and procedures. Using results from highly-rated POEMs (patient-oriented evidence that matters) of research studies, physicians and patients can avoid...

Preventing Falls in Older Persons

LAINIE VAN VOAST MONCADA, L. GLEN MIRE

All adults older than 65 years should be screened annually for history of falls, frequency of falls, difficulty with gait and balance, and fear of falling. Multifactorial interventions to prevent falls include exercise, particularly balance, strength, and gait training;...

AAFP News: AFP Edition

AAFP Urges FDA to Revise Plans for Physician Opioid Education | New Research Assesses Progress on Nation's Move to Value-Based Care | AAFP Recommends Health Care Fixes | Study Examines Why Primary Care Physicians Leave Rural Areas

The CDC's STEADI Initiative: Promoting Older Adult Health and Independence Through Fall Prevention

ROBIN LEE

Every second of every day in America, an older adult falls, and every 20 minutes an older adult dies from a fall.1 To put this into perspective, in 2014, there were 29 million falls, 7 million requiring medical treatment.1 This makes falls far more common than many health...

Health Literacy Tools in the Outpatient Setting

ANNE MOUNSEY, BRIANNA SEXTON

Single-question screening tools regarding the need for help with understanding and completing medical forms and reading materials can be effective for detecting inadequate health literacy in the outpatient setting.

Screening for Gynecologic Conditions with Pelvic Examination

TINA FAN, ADAUGO AMOBI

A 37-year-old woman presents to your office for her annual wellness visit. She is not due for a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear this year. She is not pregnant, reports no problems, and has no risk factors for sexually transmitted infections. She asks if she should have a pelvic...

An Annular Plaque on the Back

HEI SUNG KIM, HYEREE KIM, JEONG DEUK LEE

A 24-year-old man presented with a mildly pruritic, spreading rash that was preceded by a single plaque on his back.

Lixisenatide (Adlyxin) for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

VALERIE NIEDERMIER, GINA AYERS, SYDNEY SPRINGER

ixisenatide is an easy-to-use, once-daily injectable therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults. It is at least as effective as exenatide at reducing A1C and body weight, with similar rates of gastrointestinal adverse effects.

Accepting Family Care in Chronic Illness

CAROLINE WELLBERY

A story of two sisters: one with a chronic illness, the other a family caregiver. They emphasize close listening, the tuned-in give-and-take in response to a loved one's changing needs.

Pregabalin Does Not Decrease the Pain of Sciatica

MARK H. EBELL

Pregabalin does not relieve pain in patients with sciatica.

Dexamethasone May Reduce Sore Throat Symptoms in Adults at 48 Hours

BENJAMIN HANSEN

A single dose of oral dexamethasone is no more effective than placebo in resolving acute sore throat symptoms at 24 hours in adults who do not receive immediate antibiotic therapy. However, among a multitude of exploratory secondary outcomes, the authors found that, compared...

No Increased Risk of ASD, ADHD, or SGA with First-Trimester Antidepressant Use

DAVID SLAWSON

This study found that maternal antidepressant use during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth, but not SGA, ASD, or ADHD. Another study in the same issue also reported no increased risk of ASD with in utero exposure to...

No Added Benefit with Higher Doses of Ketorolac for Treatment of Acute Pain in the Emergency Department

NITA SHRIKANT KULKARNI

A 10-mg dose of ketorolac is as effective as higher doses for the short-term treatment of acute pain for patients in the emergency department.

Cerumen Impaction: An Updated Guideline from the AAO–HNSF

LISA HAUK

Key Points for Practice

Screening for Gynecologic Conditions with Pelvic Examination: Recommendation Statement

The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic, non-pregnant adult women.

Tips for Preventing Falls

Older adults are at risk of falling. Anyone who has fallen before, has weak leg muscles, or has problems with walking or balance also has a higher risk.