• Articles

    Arthropod Bites and Stings

    Joel Herness, Matthew J. Snyder, Raquelle Suzanne Newman

    Insect and arachnid bites and stings account for up to 1 million emergency department visits annually in the United States. Arthropods' most significant effects on humans are as vectors for infectious diseases, and direct effects of their bites and stings are typically only a...

    Diverticular Disease: Rapid Evidence Review

    Justin Bailey, Sheev Dattani, Ann Jennings

    This rapid evidence review briefly summarizes signs and symptoms of and tests and clinical prediction rules for diagnosing acute diverticulitis. Management is guided by symptom severity, development of complicated disease, and patient response to treatment.

    Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder in Adults

    Katharine C. DeGeorge, Molly Grover, Gregory S. Streeter

    Generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder are common mental health conditions often seen in primary care. Evaluation should be considered in patients who express recurrent, pervasive worry or present with multiple somatic symptoms not attributed to underlying medical...

    Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

    Kabiul Haque, Peeyush Bhargava

    A history of smoking is the greatest risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Most aneurysms are asymptomatic until they rupture. This article discusses which populations should be screened for AAA, recommendations for aneurysm surveillance, and medical and surgical...

    Multiple Sclerosis: A Primary Care Perspective

    Aaron Saguil, Edwin A. Farnell, IV, Teneisha S. Jordan

    Multiple sclerosis is the most common cause of nontraumatic neurologic disability in young adults. Multiple sclerosis has a relatively high prevalence and patients have a long life span after diagnosis. Disease-modifying therapy has been shown to slow disease progression and...

    Scrotal Masses

    Robert C. Langan, Manuel E. Puente

    Scrotal masses can be broadly categorized into painful vs. painless masses. Painful masses include testicular torsion, torsion of the testicular appendage, and epididymitis. Painless masses can include hydrocele, varicocele, and testicular cancer. This article presents...

    Editorials

    Neurosyphilis, Ocular Syphilis, and Otosyphilis: Detection and Treatment

    Jennifer G. Jones-Vanderleest

    Syphilis rates in the United States are rapidly increasing. Treponema pallidum can infect the visual, auditory, and central nervous systems leading to serious clinical consequences if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.

    Countering Medical Misinformation Online and in the Clinic

    Asha Shajahan, Irene V. Pasquetto

    Countering medical misinformation requires addressing longstanding challenges within social, psychological, economic, technological, and political dynamics.

    AFP Clinical Answers

    Smoking Cessation, Stomatitis, Parathyroidectomy, Antibiotics for COVID-19, Heart Murmurs, Fractures

    Key clinical questions and their evidence-based answers directly from the journal’s content, written by and for family physicians.

    Medicine by the Numbers

    Awake Prone Positioning for Nonintubated Patients With COVID-19 and Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure

    Brit Long, Michael Gottlieb

    Learn more about awake prone positioning for noninubated patients with COVID-19 and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.

    Graham Center Policy One-Pager

    Increased Physician Awareness Is Needed to Implement Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination

    Rita K. Kuwahara, Yalda Jabbarpour, John M. Westfall

    To counter a rising incidence of acute hepatitis B, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) now recommends universal hepatitis B vaccination for adults 19 to 59 years of age.

    Cochrane for Clinicians

    Can Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Improve Clinical Management and Patient Care?

    Ariel L. Hoffman, Zachary P. Thompson, Tyler S. Rogers

    PROMs (e.g., CAGE questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item questionnaire) completed by patients (or other individuals pertinent to the patient) improve diagnosis and documentation of relevant health information in the patient’s chart, such as accurate coding,...

    Exercise Training for Adults Undergoing Maintenance Dialysis

    William E. Cayley, Jr.

    Regular exercise probably improves functional capacity for adults undergoing maintenance dialysis and might be associated with small improvements in pain, depression, and quality of life; it is uncertain whether any effect on risk of death or cardiovascular outcomes occurs.

    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    Screening for Impaired Visual Acuity

    The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for impaired visual acuity in older adults.

    Diary of a Family Physician

    Diary of a Family Physician

    Jonisha R. Brown, Roshni Kakaiya

    First-person accounts from the front lines of family medicine.

    FPIN's Clinical Inquiries

    Intravenous Iron vs. Oral Iron in Iron Deficiency Anemia

    Anne Mounsey, Emily Peacock, Leif Magnusson

    Intravenous iron administration does not reduce the need for blood transfusion compared with oral iron supplementation. Compared with oral iron, intravenous iron has no effect on mortality. Intravenous iron may increase the risk of infection compared with oral iron.

    Photo Quiz

    Rapidly Spreading Erythematous Rash

    Anna Nelson, Suchitra Nair, Ian Thomas, Matthew Hogan

    A patient presented with a diffuse, pruritic, erythematous, maculopapular rash in a reticulated pattern.

    Proximal Femoral Pain in an Adolescent

    Julie Creech, Jeffrey Leggit

    A teenager presented with pain, limited range of motion, and a palpable firm, tender mass over the lateral quadriceps.

    Implementing AHRQ Effective Health Care Reviews

    Cannabis for Treatment of Chronic Pain

    Dean A. Seehusen, Kaitlin Kehoe

    What are the benefits and harms of cannabis and cannabis-related products for treatment of chronic pain?

    POEMs

    Large Increases in the Risk of Cardiovascular Events Following COVID-19 Infection That Required Hospitalization

    Mark H. Ebell

    Screening Colonoscopies Are Overused

    Allen F. Shaughnessy

    Updated American College of Chest Physicians Guideline on Antithrombotic Therapy for Venous Thromboembolism

    Mark H. Ebell

    High-Efficiency Air Cleaners Decrease Exacerbations and the Use of Rescue Medication in Former Smokers With COPD

    Henry C. Barry

    Practice Guidelines

    Shared Decision-Making: Guidelines From the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

    Meghan F. Raleigh, Madalyn D. Nelson, Dana R. Nguyen

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidelines to offer practical advice for incorporating shared decision-making into everyday encounters.

    Medical Cannabis or Cannabinoids for Chronic Pain: BMJ Rapid Recommendation

    Pamela R. Hughes, Jennifer Nwokocha

    The BMJ/MAGIC Group performed a systematic review to determine the benefits of noninhaled medical cannabis or cannabinoids in chronic cancer and noncancer pain.

    Letters to the Editor

    Remove Race as an Initial Identifier From Clinical Presentations

    Alan Blum

    Reply: José E. Rodrigues, Kendall M. Campbell, Judy C. Washington

    Additional Information on the Management of Infants Born to Mothers With HIV Infection

    Christine Chang Pecci, Lealah Pollock, Pooja Mittal

    Case Report: Moyamoya Disease in a 47-Year-Old Woman

    Fazal Dalal, Garrett Frazier, Sanjay Reuben Dass

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Ticks: How to Protect Yourself

    Avoiding ticks and places where ticks could be is the best way to keep from getting sick from a tick bite. After being outside in places with ticks, carefully check yourself and family members for ticks (Figure 1). Children should be checked with extra care. Removing ticks...

    Help for Anxiety and Panic Disorders

    Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder (PD) are mental health disorders that cause anxiety or worry. All of us worry or panic sometimes, but you might have GAD or PD if these feelings often affect your life.

    Corrections

    Correction

    Conditions incorrectly listed in table. In the article, “Cervical Ripening and Induction of Labor” (February 2022, p. 177), the second section “Placental or uterine” should not have been included in Table 1, “Indications for Labor Induction” (page 178). Placenta previa;...



    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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