• Articles

    A Practical Guide to Infant Oral Health

    JOANNA M. DOUGLASS, ALAN B. DOUGLASS, HUGH J. SILK

    Early childhood caries may develop as soon as teeth erupt. Promoting appropriate use of topical and systemic fluoride, and providing early oral hygiene instruction and regular dietary counseling to limit the frequency of sugar consumption can help reduce dental caries in...

    Management of Vaginitis

    MARION K. OWEN, TIMOTHY L. CLENNEY

    Vaginitis most often is associated with infection or atrophic changes. Common infectious forms of vaginitis include bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis.

    Diagnosis of Heart Failure in Adults

    STEVEN A. DOSH

    In patients with suspected heart failure, the initial evaluation includes a focused history and physical examination, a chest radiograph, and an electrocardiogram. The presence of heart failure can be confirmed by an echocardiogram.

    Outpatient Treatment of Systolic Heart Failure

    JOHN R. MCCONAGHY, STEVEN R. SMITH

    Outpatient treatment of systolic heart failure involves three goals that should be pursued simultaneously: controlling risk factors for the development and progressionof heart failure, treating heart failure, and educating patients.

    Cranberry for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections

    DARREN M. LYNCH

    Cranberry appears to be a safe, tolerable, and effective supplement for urinary tract infection prophylaxis.

    Inside AFP

    Twenty Years of Memories

    JANIS WRIGHT

    December marks my 20th anniversary of employment at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and most of my time here has been spent with American Family Physician. Such an anniversary milestone leaves one marveling at the passage of time and naturally asking: Why...

    Newsletter

    Newsletter

    GENEVIEVE RESSEL

    Physicians with Heart Delivers Medical Aid to the Republic of Georgia | AAFP Names David Satcher, M.D., as John G. Walsh Award Recipient | AAFP’s Consumer Health Publication Wins Award | AAFP Asks ABFP to Modify Maintenance of Certification Program | FDA Issues Advisory that...

    Quantum Sufficit

    Quantum Sufficit

    SARAH EVANS, LINNEA KORINEK

    Can you improve your vision while you sleep? According to a report published in The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved contact lenses to be worn during sleep to temporarily correct myopia. The idea is known as orthokeratology; the lenses...

    Editorials

    Oral Health in Primary Care Medicine: Practice and Policy Challenges

    PAUL S. CASAMASSIMO

    In this issue of American Family Physician, Douglass and associates1 provide sound and useful information to address the epidemic of early childhood caries. The authors point out that among low-income preschoolers in the United States, about one in three has dental caries....

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Diary

    JOHN O’HANDLEY

    When someone tries to contact a physician by voice mail, pager, and cell phone at 8 a.m. on the first day of the week, one has the feeling that an urgent message is being conveyed. JOH took the call from a radiologist while driving to work. Thomas was a patient who was seen...

    Cochrane for Clinicians

    Tegaserod in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

    MICHAEL SCHOOFF, CASEY STELTER

    Tegaserod offers modest improvement in global gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in women with constipation-predominant IBS, without having significant effect on symptoms of abdominal pain and discomfort.

    Cochrane Briefs

    CLARISSA KRIPKE, MARK EBELL

    Calcium and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer | Link Between Metformin and Lactic Acidosis?

    Clinical Evidence Handbook

    Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

    G. MUSTAFA SOOMRO

    What are the effects of initial treatments in adults? What are the best forms of maintenance treatment in adults? What are the effects of treatments in adults who have not responded to initial treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors?

    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    Screening for Suicide Risk: Recommendation and Rationale

    This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on screening for suicide risk and the supporting scientific evidence, and it updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2d ed.

    Putting Prevention Into Practice

    Screening for Suicide Risk

    JANELLE GUIRGUIS-BLAKE, CRAIG M. HALES

    Case study: SJ is a 17-year-old boy brought in by his mother for a pre-college physical. His mother pulls you aside and shares a story from the local newspaper about a college freshman who committed suicide after the first week of school. She is anxious because of SJ’s...

    FPIN's Clinical Inquiries

    Antidepressant Medications in Pregnancy

    JANE HUNTINGTON, VERONIKA ZANTOP

    Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered first-line agents for the treatment of depression in pregnant women. SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are considered safe and effective in pregnant women, although some studies have indicated increased...

    Photo Quiz

    An Unusual Petechial Rash

    JOHN G. BEAUMAN

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

    POEMs

    Three Indicators Herald Bacterial Conjunctivitis in Adults

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    How Contagious Is Breakthrough Varicella?

    DAVID SLAWSON

    MRI vs. Mammography in High-Risk Patients

    MARK EBELL

    Fondaparinux or Enoxaparin for Orthopedic Prophylaxis?

    MARK EBELL

    Out-of-Hospital CPR with Automated External Defibrillators

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Practice Guidelines

    ACOG Releases Guidelines on Management of Post-term Pregnancy

    MATTHEW J. NEFF

    Post-term pregnancy is defined as a pregnancy that has extended to or beyond 42 weeks of gestation. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently issued guidelines for the clinical management of post-term pregnancy.

    Practice Guideline Briefs

    Pharmacologic and Surgical Treatment of Obesity

    CARRIE MORANTZ, BRIAN TORREY

    The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released a new report entitled, “Pharmacological and Surgical Treatment of Obesity.”

    Letters to the Editor

    Acetylcysteine to Prevent Acute Contrast-Induced Nephropathy

    Insulin Therapy Components

    ALAN MOSES

    Tips from Other Journals

    Risk of Stroke Following a Transient Ischemic Attack

    ANNE D WALLING

    Fear of Childbirth Following Instrumental Vaginal Delivery

    ANNE D WALLING

    Do Combination Contraceptives Cause Weight Gain?

    ANNE D WALLING

    Patient Preferences in Prostate Cancer Treatment Selection

    ANNE D WALLING

    Management Results in the Care of Febrile Infants

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Your Baby’s Teeth

    Every baby is different, but teeth normally start appearing when a baby is about six months old, although your baby may be drooling more at four months. When teeth start to come in, they can cause pain and fussiness.

    Vaginitis

    Vaginitis (say: vaj-en-eye-tis) is an irritation of the vagina. If a woman has vaginitis, she may have a bad-smelling fluid coming out of her vagina. She also may have itching or burning in her vagina and genital area.

    Heart Failure—What Do I Need to Know About It?

    Heart failure happens when your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs and causes poor blood flow. Poor blood flow has a bad effect on many of your body’s organs, such as your brain, lungs, and kidneys.

    Corrections

    Correction

    The article “Insulin Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes: Rescue, Augmentation, and Replacement of Beta-Cell Function” (August 1, 2004, page 489) incorrectly gave the unit of measurement for insulin as milligrams rather than as units. In the abstract on page 489, the ninth sentence...



    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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