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Articles

Common Causes of Vision Loss in Elderly Patients

DAVID A. QUILLEN

The principal causes of loss of vision in elderly patients (age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract and diabetic retinopathy) may be detected and monitored with careful annual eye examinations that include dilation.

Ludwig's Angina in Children

RICHARD W. HARTMANN, JR.

Ludwig's angina is a potentially life-threatening diffuse inflammation of the submandibular and sublingual spaces. Following treatment with high doses of penicillin, most patients recover without complications.

Prevention and Treatment of Traveler's Diarrhea

GREGORY JUCKETT

Judicious eating and drinking to avoid contaminated foodstuffs is essential in preventing traveler's diarrhea. The condition can usually be treated initially with loperamide; a fluoroquinolone can be added if loperamide fails to stop the diarrhea. Because drug resistance is...

Vasectomy Techniques

TIMOTHY L. CLENNEY, JAMES C. HIGGINS

Isolation of the vas is key to a successful vasectomy. Techniques for managing the vasal ends include surgical clipping, cautery, fascial interposition and the open-ended technique.

A Rational Approach to the Treatment of Hypertension in Special Populations

W. DALLAS HALL

Hypertension in black patients is usually characterized by a low-renin, volume-expanded and salt-sensitive state. Isolated systolic hypertension and combined systolic and diastolic hypertension are common in older patients. Diuretics and calcium channel antagonists are the...

Responses to Questions About the Specialty of Family Practice as a Career

JULEA G. GARNER, JOSEPH E. SCHERGER, JOHN W. BEASLEY, WM. MACMILLAN RODNEY, DAVID E. SWEE, ELIZABETH A. GARRETT, NORMAN B. KAHN, JR.

Updated information is presented on a variety of subjects about family practice, including income, scope of the specialty, continuing medical education, board certification and residency training.

Screening for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

LINDA M. FRENCH, FREDERICK R. DIETZ

Ultrasound imaging may have a role in the surveillance of mild hip abnormalities in infants and possibly in selective screening for developmental dysplasia.

Prevention of Osteoporosis and Fractures

PAUL ULLOM-MINNICH

Some risk factors for fractures can be modified or eliminated. Based on cost-effectiveness and clinical efficacy, combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation should be first-line therapy in patients at risk for osteoporotic fractures.

Disorders of Puberty

RICHARD D. BLONDELL, MICHAEL B. FOSTER, KAMLESH C. DAVE

If the clinician has an adequate working knowledge of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, the cause of aberrant puberty can often be identified with a focused medical history, a directed physical examination and selected diagnostic testing.

Depression in Women: Diagnostic and Treatment Considerations

SUBHASH C. BHATIA, SHASHI K. BHATIA

In evaluating and treating depression in women, family physicians should consider gender-related biopsychosocial differences, as well as phases of the reproductive cycle.

Clarification

In a letter to the editor on the use of melatonin for insomnia (April 15, 1998, page 1783), the author, Ray Sahelian, M.D., failed to disclose that he was the author of a book on melatonin.

Inside AFP AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

Newsletter

Rosemarie Sweeney, Verna L. Rose

Selected policy and health issues news briefs from AAFP News Now.

Quantum Sufficit

Quantum Sufficit

Monica A. Preboth, Shyla Wright

Continuous irrigation makes full range of motion possible in patients with an infected finger, reports Physician's Weekly. Seven men with purulent tenosynovitis had a butterfly catheter (with the needle removed and holes cut in the sides) inserted in the tendon sheath from...

Editorials

Family Practice as a Career Choice

JAY SIWEK

As a specialty choice, family practice has come of age. It is the second most popular choice of residency among medical students, second only to internal medicine. Surprising as it may seem, as a career choice family practice is number one. More office-based physicians in the...

Pain, Depression and Survival

PETER S. STAATS

Adequate pain relief has an obvious positive effect on a patient's quality of life. However, recent data suggest that pain control also improves morbidity and mortality, that pain relief administered before surgery and during the postoperative period improves clinical...

Diary from a Week in Practice

Diary from a Week in Practice

CAG received an excellent suggestion from our nurse practitioner, Lori White, for giving eye drops to children and adults. The patient lies supine with the eyes closed, and another person places two drops in the medial canthus of each eye. Once the eyes are opened, the...

Photo Quiz Conference Highlights

Conference Highlights

Verna L. Rose

(48th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology) Women have a higher short-term mortality rate after myocardial infarction than men, but only when the myocardial infarction occurs before the age of 75 years. This is the conclusion of an analysis of data...

Family Practice International

Family Practice International

Anne D. Walling

(Australia—Australian Family Physician, March 1999, p. 223.) Postnasal drip refers to the accumulation of mucus in the postnasal space, caused by hypersecretion from the paranasal sinuses or a disturbance of normal drainage. In addition to “congestion” and local discomfort,...

Curbside Consultation

A Troubled Teen: Matters of Confidentiality

SUBHASH C. BHATIA

This case highlights a family physician's dilemma regarding confidentiality when caring for a minor patient. This sort of scenario is not uncommon in an office practice.

AAFP Core Educational Guidelines Special Medical Reports Clinical Briefs

Clinical Briefs

Verna L. Rose

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that most women still do not know that an adequate intake of folic acid can prevent some serious birth defects. Even fewer women know that folic acid must be taken before and during the first few weeks of pregnancy,...

Resident and Student Voice Physician's Bookshelf

Book Reviews

JAN FLATTUM-RIEMERS, GARY GRAY, MARY JEWELL

Also Received

Letters to the Editor Tips from Other Journals Information from Your Family Doctor

Preventing and Treating Traveler's Diarrhea

Traveler's diarrhea is a kind of diarrhea you might get when you're traveling in less developed countries. Many countries in Africa, Asia and Central and South America are risky places for travelers' diarrhea. It's usually caused by eating food or drinking water that is...

Having a Vasectomy

A vasectomy is a procedure that makes a man sterile (this means he has no sperm in his semen and can't make a woman pregnant). The doctor cuts and removes part of the tube that carries sperm from the testicles to the semen. (This tube is called the “vas deferens.”)

Infant Hip Problems

A few babies have hip problems that can lead to dislocation of the hip bones. This means that the long bone in the upper leg comes out of the hip socket. If your baby has this problem, it's important to find out early so it can be fixed (see Picture 1).

Depression in Women

About 20% of women have depression at least once. If you're depressed, you may have some of these symptoms:

Corrections


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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