In this Issue

Inside AFP typically explains what is going on “inside” in the sense of “behind the scenes” at AFP, but the title of the department really suggests that it’s about what you will find in the current issue. With that in mind, I plan to use this page to occasionally introduce some of the articles you’ll find on the pages that follow. I will include additional behind the scenes information as warranted in the future.

Cover article: Americans love to travel, and the destinations for many include developing countries. The summer travel season also is the season for traveler’s diarrhea. Acute diarrhea is the most common illness among travelers, so it is likely that many family physicians will encounter patients who are planning trips to locations where they may be at risk for acquiring traveler’s diarrhea. The cover article by Johnnie Yates, M.D. provides valuable information on prevention and treatment of this common ailment. This article is accompanied by a patient education handout that physicians can give to travelers to help them prepare for a trip abroad.

Articles: Several AFP readers have sent us comment cards requesting more articles on diabetes. This issue includes a comprehensive article on the evaluation and prevention of diabetic neuropathy, a debilitating disorder that occurs in nearly half of all patients with diabetes. Another article in this issue discusses the pathophysiology and treatment of edema, a common condition encountered by family physicians that may have several underlying causes. Both of these articles include related patient information handouts. Acute diarrhea is common among persons who travel to developing countries. The article on page 2095 includes comprehensive information on the prevention and treatment of traveler’s diarrhea, as well as a patient education handouts.

It is time to prepare for the inevitable heat of summer. Each year, millions of people are affected by extreme heat. Heat-related illnesses are preventable, and physicians can help ensure their patients’ safety by reviewing the article and patient education handout on heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

Departments: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s new recommendation on screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm is in this issue. We also are including a Putting Prevention into Practice case study on the same topic.

Coming Soon

With summer almost here, we have other articles related to the season. We have timely articles scheduled in upcoming issues on tick borne diseases. In addition, we are preparing an article on surfing injuries for those of you in coastal areas who may encounter patients with such injuries. Other upcoming articles will provide reviews of conditions and diseases encountered by family physicians in all parts of the country, such as falls in older persons.

In addition, we are preparing several articles related to the Academy’s 2005 Annual Clinic Focus on genomics. The first full review article on family history is scheduled for the August 1 issue. We also will publish several “mini-reviews” on various genetic topics during the coming months.

We Appreciate Your Comments

I hope you’ll find these articles useful in your practice. Please tell us if you have ideas for new articles. We review all the comments received on the comment cards (included in each issue) and via e-mail (afpedit@aafp.org), so please feel free to suggest ideas.