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Articles

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

GILBERT R. UPCHURCH, JR, TIMOTHY A. SCHAUB

Most abdominal aortic aneurysms are asymptomatic. Major risk factors for this type of aneurysm are advanced age, male sex, and smoking 100 cigarettes or more in a lifetime.

Diagnostic Approach to Pleural Effusion in Adults

JOSÉ M. PORCEL, RICHARD W. LIGHT

Pleural effusion, an excess of fluid in the pleural space, can have many different causes. For diagnosis, physicians must determine whether the effusion is a transudate or an exudate.

Dementia with Lewy Bodies: An Emerging Disease

DOUG NEEF, ANNE D. WALLING

One out of five cases of dementia is believed to result from dementia with Lewy bodies. The emerging consensus is that dementia with Lewy bodies is a distinct pathologic entity sharing features with Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Vulvodynia: Diagnosis and Management

BARBARA D. REED

The diagnosis of vulvodynia depends on a consistent history, lack of a documented infectious or dermatologic cause, and pain when gentle pressure is applied to the vulva, introitus, or hymenal areas. Although evidence for treatment options is limited, several therapies have...

Inside AFP

Reflecting on the Breadth of Family Medicine

JOYCE A. MERRIMAN

Last week, I witnessed firsthand the versatility of family physicians. On a visit to my family physician, I noticed the waiting room contained men, women, and children whose ages spanned at least eight decades. Then, during my physical, my physician addressed a variety of...

AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

Newsletter

LIZ SMITH

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

Quantum Sufficit

Quantum Sufficit

LISA GRAHAM

One popular book series may help keep children injury free. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that on two weekends books in the popular Harry Potter series were released, the number of children admitted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England,...

Editorials

Screening and Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: The Best Evidence

CRAIG FLEMING

Deaths related to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) account for less than 1 percent of deaths annually in U.S. men 65 years and older.1 What sets AAA apart from more common causes of death is that it is a preventable problem. Ultrasonographic screening for aortic aneurysms is...

Graham Center Policy One-Pager Cochrane for Clinicians

Glucosamine Treatment for Osteoarthritis

JASMINE CHEN GATTI

This review shows that, compared with placebo, glucosamine sulfate produces a moderate, clinically significant reduction in pain and improvement in function for patients with osteoarthritis. However, study results were not consistent. Most studies in the review used...

Benzodiazepines for Alcohol Withdrawal

MARK H. EBELL

Benzodiazepines are safe and effective for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal, particularly for the prevention of withdrawal seizures, although their superiority to anticonvulsants has not been demonstrated convincingly. There is no clear benefit of one benzodiazepine over...

Clinical Evidence Handbook

Herniated Lumbar Disk

JO JORDON, TAMARA SHAWVER MORGAN, JAMES WEINSTEIN, KIKA KONSTANTINOU

What are the effects of surgery and drug and nondrug treatments?

FPIN's Clinical Inquiries Photo Quiz

“Wood-Grain” Skin

DAVID W. BRAY, BRIAN P. GREEN

A 79-year-old man complained of a two-month history of a minimally pruritic rash on his abdomen, flanks, and buttocks. It had appeared initially over several days. He denied any recent travel or prolonged outdoor activities. His medical history included a smoking history of...

POEMs Curbside Consultation

Confronting a Colleague Who Covers Up a Medical Error

HOWARD BRODY

In the past, physicians had no formal medical ethics training and learned that the best way to deal with medical errors and possible malpractice lawsuits was to say as little as possible, deny everything, and never to apologize or acknowledge error. Today, physicians receive...

Practice Guidelines

NAMDRC Recommendations for Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation

AMBER HUNTZINGER

The National Association for Medical Direction of Respiratory Care (NAMDRC) has developed recommendations for the assessment and management of patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation.

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

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA): What You Should Know

The main blood vessel in your body is the aorta (say: a-OR-ta). It carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body. It is a long blood vessel that reaches from your chest into your abdomen. The part of the aorta in your abdomen is called the “abdominal aorta.”

Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Dementia (duh-MEN-shuh) with Lewy bodies is the second most common form of dementia (behind Alzheimer’s disease). People who have dementia with Lewy bodies have trouble with everyday activities. They may get lost or confused in familiar places and see things or people that...

Vulvodynia: What You Should Know

Vulvodynia (say: vull-voh-DIN-ee-uh) is often present when the area around the opening of the vagina hurts for many months or years. If you have vulvodynia, the area may hurt when you have sex, use tampons, ride a bicycle, or wear tight clothes. You also might hurt for no...

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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