Leave a Message
Articles

Management of COPD Exacerbations

ANN E. EVENSEN

Several interventions have been proven effective in the treatment of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The choice of therapy depends on the severity of the exacerbation. Effective management combines relieving acute symptoms and lowering the risk of...

Adverse Effects of Antipsychotic Medications

JOHN MUENCH, ANN M. HAMER

Deciding which antipsychotic medication to prescribe should depend on the potential for adverse effects in individual patients. This article reviews some of the more important adverse effects and comparative risks.

Common Tongue Conditions in Primary Care

BRIAN V. REAMY, RICHARD DERBY, CHRISTOPHER W. BUNT

The diagnosis of tongue conditions includes a thorough history and examination of tongue morphology. Many conditions do not require treatment, although referral should be considered in patients with lesions of unclear etiology.

Urine Drug Screening: A Valuable Office Procedure

JOHN B. STANDRIDGE, STEPHEN M. ADAMS, ALEXANDER P. ZOTOS

Urine drug screenings may be required for employment, military or sports participation, or health reasons. Immunoassay testing is the preferred initial test, with a high predictive value for marijuana and cocaine. Positive tests should be confirmed using gas chromatography...

AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

Surgeon General Releases Goals and USPSTF Updates Recommendations on Obesity | MedPAC to Ask Congress for 1 Percent Rate Increase in 2011 Medicare Physician Payment | Obama Reiterates Need for Health Care Reform, Budget Invests in Primary Care | Obama Administration Issues...

Editorials

Use of Atypical Antipsychotics in Children: Balancing Safety and Effectiveness

INGRID KOHLSTADT, BENEDETTO VITIELLO

The authors of “Adverse Effects of Antipsychotic Medications” in this issue of American Family Physician aptly state that, “The use of antipsychotic medications entails a difficult trade-off between the benefit of alleviating psychotic symptoms and the risk of troubling,...

Cochrane for Clinicians

Topical Treatments for Chronic Plaque Psoriasis

JUSTIN BAILEY, BREA WHITEHAIR

Topical vitamin D analogues, corticosteroids, anthralin, and tazarotene (Tazorac) are all more effective than placebo. Vitamin D and high-potency corticosteroids were equally effective when compared head to head, but were more effective in combination than either product...

Addition of Long-Acting Beta Agonists for Asthma in Children

Jessica Servey

In children with persistent asthma who are already taking inhaled corticosteroids, the addition of a LABA does not lower the rate of exacerbations requiring oral steroids, rescue medication, or hospitalizations, but it improves measurable lung function.

Photo Quiz

Vaginal Swelling in a Newborn

BABAFEMI ADENUGA, ROXANE I. HILTON CLARKE

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

Curbside Consultation

Discussing Treatment Options with Patients

MICHAEL LEFEVRE

Sometimes it may seem easier to inject a subacromial bursa or aspirate a knee joint than to engage in shared decision making with your patients about the use of aspirin for coronary artery disease prevention or a PSA test for prostate cancer screening. The path that led to...

Practice Guidelines

ACC and AHA Update on Chronic Heart Failure Guidelines

LIZ HORSLEY

In 2009, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) published a focused update of the ACC/AHA 2005 Guideline Update for the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult.

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

Sudden Worsening of COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is also known as emphysema (em-feh-SEE-ma) or chronic bronchitis (bron-KI-tis). It is a lung problem that is usually caused by cigarette smoking. The air spaces in the lung are damaged, and it is hard for air to go in and out.



Disclosure

All editors in a position to control content for this activity, AFP journal, are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships. View disclosures.


Tag Legend

Legend

CME Continuing Medical Education Credit
POC Point-of-Care Resource
FREE Free Access
Alg Algorithm
DDx Differential Diagnosis
PtEd Patient Education