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Articles

Evidence-Based Contraception: Common Questions and Answers

Scott L. Paradise, Corinne A. Landis, David A. Klein

Primary care clinicians are uniquely situated to provide holistic contraceptive care. This article addresses emergency contraception, fertility awareness methods of contraception, long-acting reversible contraception, and contraception options for transgender people with a...

Acute Headache in Adults: A Diagnostic Approach

Anthony J. Viera, Brian Antono

A detailed history and physical examination can distinguish between key features of benign primary headaches and concerning symptoms that warrant further evaluation for a secondary headache. Among primary headache disorders, tension-type is the most common, although migraine...

Malaria: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment

S. David Shahbodaghi, Nicholas A. Rathjen

Malaria causes an estimated 500,000 deaths annually worldwide, with an estimated 2,000 cases occurring each year in the United States. All febrile travelers who have recently returned from a malarious area should be evaluated for malaria.

Thrombocytopenia: Evaluation and Management

Robert L. Gauer, Daniel J. Whitaker

Thrombocytopenia is defined as a platelet count less than 150 × 103 per μL and can occur from decreased platelet production, increased destruction, splenic sequestration, or dilution or clumping. Although thrombocytopenia is classically associated with bleeding, there are...

Chronic Constipation in Adults

Kerry Sadler, Frank Arnold, Spencer Dean

Evaluation of chronic constipation should distinguish primary from secondary constipation. First-line treatment for primary constipation includes fluid intake, dietary fiber, and osmotic laxatives. Second-line therapy includes a brief trial of stimulant laxatives followed by...

Tuberculosis: Common Questions and Answers

Holly Hartman-Adams, Robert M. Gerbo, Saira George

Latent tuberculosis (TB) infection is asymptomatic and not contagious, but without treatment it can progress to active TB disease. Individuals with symptoms of TB disease and those at increased risk of latent TB infection should be screened. This article discusses screening...

Editorials

Contraception Recommendations: Updates for the Busy Clinician

Elizabeth A. Clark, Kathryn M. Curtis

Primary care clinicians are an important source of reproductive health care for their patients. Knowledge of contraception methods is essential to informed patient-centered decision-making about contraceptive options.

Incorporating Lifestyle Medicine Into Practice: A Prescription for Better Health

Alex McDonald

The U.S. health care system’s focus on high-tech procedures and the latest pharmaceutical treatments is straining health budgets and worsening outcomes. The 10 leading causes of death in the United States can be directly impacted by lifestyle interventions.

Medicine by the Numbers

Risk of Infection With Intravenous Iron Infusion

Jarett Beaudoin, Daniel J. Frasca

Learn more about the risk of infection with intravenous iron infusion.

AFP Clinical Answers

Venous Thromboembolism, Thalassemia, Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, Menopause, PAD, Diabetes

Key clinical questions and their evidence-based answers directly from the journal’s content, written by and for family physicians.

Cochrane for Clinicians

Oral Antihistamine/Analgesic/Decongestant Combinations for the Common Cold

Karl T. Clebak, Michael T. Partin, Nathan Borrero

Antihistamine/analgesic/decongestant combinations have some general benefit in adults and older children. However, these benefits must be weighed against the risk of adverse effects. There is no evidence of effectiveness in young children.

Lamotrigine in the Maintenance Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar

Compared with placebo, lamotrigine reduces the recurrence of manic symptoms at one year and the need for additional psychotropics necessitated by worsening clinical symptoms. The adverse effect profile of lamotrigine is similar to that of placebo.

Lown Right Care

Collaborative Care for Depression in Older Adults

Alan Glaseroff, Ann Lindsay, Helen Haskell, John James

A collaboration between AFP and the Lown Institute promotes a vision of delivering health care that is based on the evidence, balanced in its approach, and focused on the patient.

FPIN's Clinical Inquiries

Recreational Cannabis and Emergency Department Visits

Rebecca Mullen, Hannah Aho, Kristen DeSanto

Legalization of recreational cannabis is associated with an increase in cannabis-related visits to the ED, especially in patients younger than 29 years.

STEPS

Ibrexafungerp (Brexafemme) for the Treatment of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

Kelsea Woolfolk, Jonathan Hughes

Compared with oral fluconazole, ibrexafungerp is a significantly more expensive treatment option for adolescent, adult, and postmenarchal patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis and has not been shown to be more effective to date.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

The decision to initiate low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD in adults aged 40 to 59 years who have a 10% or greater 10-year CVD risk should be an individual one. The USPSTF recommends against initiating low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of...

Putting Prevention Into Practice

Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

Howard Tracer, Caitlin N. Newhouse

This PPIP quiz is based on the recommendations of the USPSTF.

Photo Quiz

Red, Tender Nodules in a Child With Cellulitis

Kent H. Do, Sukhmani Dhaliwal

A six-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with a rash and fever three months after completing treatment for streptococcal pharyngitis.

Chronic, Nonhealing Wound

Courtney Humphrey, Christina Julian

An 81-year-old man presented with a wound above the medial malleolus, with surrounding erythema and pitting edema.

Diagnostic Tests

Procalcitonin for Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, and Prognosis of Respiratory Tract Infections

Joseph R. Yancey, Madalyn D. Nelson, Nicholas J. Whalen

Procalcitonin testing offers physicians a way to limit antibiotic therapy to adult inpatients with bacterial lower respiratory tract infection who are most likely to benefit. Using procalcitonin levels to aid decision-making for discontinuation of antibiotics in patients with...

Point-of-Care Guides

Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in Women

Mark H. Ebell, Ildiko Gagyor

How can signs, symptoms, and urine dipstick testing best be used for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in women?

POEMs

Surgery Is No Better Than Nonoperative Treatment for Achilles Tendon Rupture in Adults

Mark H. Ebell

Comparable Outcomes With Five and 10 Days of Antibiotics in Children With CAP

Henry C. Barry

Influenza Vaccine Shortly After Myocardial Infarction Reduces One-Year Mortality

Mark H. Ebell

Ketamine Reduces Suicidal Ideation Quickly, but May Not Reduce the Short-term Likelihood of Suicide Attempts

Allen F. Shaughnessy

Practice Guidelines

Predicting and Preventing Preterm Birth: Recommendations From ACOG

Michael J. Arnold

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has new recommendations for predicting and preventing preterm birth.

Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Update From ACR

Michael J. Arnold

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) published updated guidelines focused solely on medical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Letters to the Editor

Incorporating Music Therapy Into Primary Care

Julie Schoonover, Susan E. Rubin

COVID-19 and Congenital Abnormalities in a Pregnant Woman

Kerry K. Swindle

Reply: Shiv Dallas, Michael Rausch, Rick Kellerman

Information from Your Family Doctor

Thrombocytopenia

A platelet is a kind of blood cell. Platelets help your blood to clot after an injury, like when you scrape your knee. These clots help you stop bleeding.

Chronic Constipation in Adults

Constipation is when you feel like you are not able to have a complete bowel movement. You can also have hard stool, stomach pain, bloating, or swelling.



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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