• Articles

    Diabetes Self-Management: Facilitating Lifestyle Change

    MARLON RUSSELL KOENIGSBERG, JENNIFER CORLISS

    Lifestyle changes that focus on weight loss and physical activity can facilitate the management of diabetes mellitus and prevent or delay the progression from prediabetes to diabetes. Physicians should begin by assessing patients' readiness for structured intensive lifestyle...

    Hair Loss: Common Causes and Treatment

    T. GRANT PHILLIPS, W. PAUL SLOMIANY, ROBERT ALLISON

    It is helpful to determine whether the hair loss is nonscarring, which is reversible, or scarring, which is permanent. Scarring alopecia is rare, and patients should be referred to a dermatologist if this condition is suspected. Androgenetic alopecia can be diagnosed...

    Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Recognition and Management

    ROBERT C. LANGAN, ANDREW J. GOODBRED

    Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common cause of megaloblastic anemia, various neuropsychiatric symptoms, and other clinical manifestations. Screening may be warranted in patients with one or more risk factors, such as gastric or small intestine resections, inflammatory bowel...

    AAFP News Now: AFP Edition

    AAFP News: AFP Edition

    CMS Accepting Applications for Quality Payment Program Hardship Exception | Study: Incentives Prompt Newly Insured Patients to Seek Primary Care | Chief Primary Care Officer Role Proposed to Improve Care Continuity in Hospitals | AAFP Urges FDA, CMS to Address Contraceptive...

    Editorials

    How Family Physicians Can Combat the Opioid Epidemic

    JENNIFER L. MIDDLETON

    Family physicians must commit to responsible prescribing of opioid medications. The decision to initiate opioid therapy should be a careful and deliberate one, especially in patients who are at risk of addiction.

    Photo Quiz

    A Persistent Rash on the Back, Chest, and Abdomen

    DEREK D. KANE, MALIA GROSSKREUTZ

    A 62-year-old breast cancer survivor presented with an erythematous, pruritic, expanding rash on her back, chest, and left lower abdomen.

    Putting Prevention Into Practice

    Screening for Syphilis Infection in Nonpregnant Adults and Adolescents

    TINA FAN, AMY ROGERS

    R.J. is a 27-year-old man who presents for a well-patient visit. He always keeps his appointments and likes to make sure he is healthy. R.J. has started a new relationship and asks if he should be screened for syphilis.

    STEPS

    Glycopyrrolate (Seebri Neohaler) for Maintenance Therapy in Patients with COPD

    CLINTON K. PONG

    Glycopyrrolate is a safe option for maintenance treatment to prevent moderate to severe exacerbations in patients with moderate to severe COPD, with only mild and rare adverse effects.

    POEMs

    No Benefit with Addition of TMP/SMX to Cephalexin for Nonpurulent Cellulitis

    NITA SHRIKANT KULKARNI

    Compared with cephalexin alone, covering for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and streptococci with cephalexin plus TMP/SMX does not improve rates of clinical cure when treating nonpurulent cellulitis. However, a trend favoring the combination regimen was...

    Steroid Treatment Adds No Benefit to Antihistamines for Acute Hives

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    The combination approach of steroids and antihista-mines offers no added benefit to antihistamines alone for the treatment of simple urticaria.

    Corticosteroid Injections Ineffective for Knee Osteoarthritis

    EMMA J. PACE

    This well-done study found that regular three-month intra-articular injections of triamcinolone for two years resulted in no significant difference in pain and function assessments compared with saline. However, a significant increase in cartilage loss and damage did occur in...

    Practice Guidelines

    Low Back Pain: American College of Physicians Practice Guideline on Noninvasive Treatments

    LISA HAUK

    The American College of Physicians has released a guideline, which partially updates its 2007 guideline, to provide recommendations for noninvasive treatment of acute (duration less than four weeks), subacute (duration of four to 12 weeks), and chronic (duration longer than...

    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    Screening for Celiac Disease: Recommendation Statement

    The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for celiac disease in asymptomatic persons.



    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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