Authors

Latest:

Infectious disease specialist Rodger MacArthur, MD, took a long-awaited vacation--and got COVID. He shares his conclusions about the BA.5 variant in particular.

Latest:

The practice of academic detailing is gaining interest and momentum in some health care circles. The primary aim of academic detailing is to prevent the overuse and misuse of certain medications. This is done by educating prescribers on the therapies that are clinically appropriate as well as the costs of therapeutically similar choices. It is less an issue of switching to generics than it is of favoring step therapy or moving toward cost-effective therapeutically equivalent options. A well-designed program should maintain prescriber autonomy and quality of care while helping manage drug costs for both health plans and patients.

Latest:

A 41-year-old African American man presented with the chief complaint of a constant, dull headache for 3 days. The headache had a gradual onset and was associated with nausea and mild neck stiffness that was not relieved by acetaminophen. The man denied experiencing visual disturbances, fever, night sweats, weight loss, cough, shortness of breath, emesis, or weakness. He had no recent history of trauma or sick contacts.

Latest:

abstract: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is 1 of 5 types of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Symptoms may include dyspnea on exertion, fatigue, near-syncope, and palpitations. Physical findings include lower extremity edema, jugular venous distention, and a loud P2. Findings on chest radiography, transthoracic echocardiography, and electrocardiography can suggest the presence of PAH; however, right heart catheterization is the gold standard for confirming the diagnosis and for differentiating PAH from other forms of PH. It is essential to exclude chronic thromboembolic PH, since this can be surgically corrected. The treatment of PAH depends on the severity. In addition to the standard treatments, such as diuretics and anticoagulation, more advanced treatment options include prostaglandin therapy (epoprostenol, treprostinil, and iloprost), endothelin receptor antagonists (bosentan), and phosphodiesterase inhibitors (sildenafil).

Latest:

Parental fears and misinformation about vaccines can be overcome, says this expert. Here are some suggestions.

Latest:

Latest:

Vaccination rates in adults are lower than those in children, but the consequences of lack of immunization in adults are just as significant. Barriers to adult immunization include patients’ lack of knowledge or misconceptions about vaccines and health care providers’ failure to recommend vaccination.1

Latest:

ABSTRACT: The number of medical therapies for patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) has increased in recent years because of our expanded understanding of the physiologic and neurologic causes of ED. Oral agents range from testosterone to antidepressants to phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Nitroglycerin and minoxidil have shown some effectiveness as topical agents. Alprostadil, which can be applied intraurethrally, is also effective as intracavernosal injection therapy. Prostaglandin E1 and papaverine are effective as intracavernosal injection agents. Some studies have shown that combined use of intracavernosal injection and oral therapy produces satisfactory erections.

Latest:

A 62-year-old African American woman was brought to the emergency department (ED) after the sudden onset of slurred speech and weakness in her left arm and leg. Her medical history included hypertension, insulin-dependent diabetes, and congestive heart failure.

Latest:

The mediastinal benign schwannomas is a nerve sheath tumor composed of Schwann cells. These tumors are often asymptomatic and found incidentally.

Latest:

Although topical corticosteroid therapy can be highly effective, such treatment can be costly-especially whenbrand-name products are prescribed for extensive or chronic conditions. Here we describe an economical approachthat does not sacrifice either efficacy or safety.

Latest:

Take this brief quiz to see what you’ve learned about the challenges and opportunities of obesity management.

Latest:

Selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, such as celecoxib, rofecoxib, and valdecoxib, are an effective and commonly used class of drugs for the management of pain. They are particularly useful in patients who are unable to tolerate aspirin or traditional NSAIDs because of side effects.

Latest:

Although the common cold is usually benign, it can lead to exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and it is a leading cause of missed school and work. Strategies for prevention have been directed at interruption of viral transmission between persons, as with the use of virucidal agents or disinfectants, and prevention of infection after acquisition of the pathogen. Hand washing continues to be recommended, but there is no proof that hand sanitizers or virucidal tissues are effective in preventing colds. Prophylactic therapies that have been considered include vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, Echinacea, ginseng, and probiotics. Although some evidence may suggest possible benefits with zinc and probiotics, for example, overall, the data are insufficient to recommend any of these as prophylaxis for the common cold. (J Respir Dis. 2009;30)

Latest:

A 34-year-old woman presented with a blistering, intensely pruritic rash that had erupted 3 days earlier. Multiple papular lesions were densely clustered on areas of exposed skin. Excoriations were present, but there was no evidence of bacterial infection.

Latest:

An examination the most recent data on the pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and safety of 5 commonly used herbs: echinacea, St John's wort, ginkgo biloba, saw palmetto, and black cohosh.

Latest:

For 4 weeks, a 49-year-old man has had progressively worsening pain between his scapulae and in the lower part of his neck. The pain is now severe, and he takes high doses of acetaminophen and NSAIDs for relief.

Latest:

For 6 years, a 32-year-old man had a recurring rash on his back, shoulders, and chest. He stated that the rash appears in the spring, itches, and enlarges into ringlike areas. Previously, when treated with cephalexin, the rash had cleared within several weeks. Antifungal medication (econazole cream and oral terbinafine) had failed to resolve the rash.

Latest:

For several months, a 52-year-old woman has had burning discomfort in the region of her lower sternum and frequent acid/sour sensations in her throat; the symptoms are usually associated with burping after meals and recumbency.

Latest:

The authors report a case of adult-onset acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) presenting with a right upper lobe infiltrate associated with acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP), which resolved spontaneously during the course of chemotherapy.

Latest:

To what extent are patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) at increased risk for postoperative complications? Are there any specific interventions that reduce the risks?

Latest:

If you suffer from allergies or asthma, there are a variety of things you can do inside your home to limit your exposure to allergens that can cause asthma or make it worse.

Latest:

A 53-year-old man presented with a 3-day history of bilateral pain in the lower extremities. He also had a 3-month history of thickening and desquamation of skin, with associated itching, and a 5-lb (2.27-kg) weight loss. The skin changes initially appeared on the hands and subsequently became generalized.

Latest:

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare but life-threatening infection characterized by widespread necrosis and production of gas within the kidney.

Latest:

When patients come in for a Pap smear, we have them write their name and address on an envelope, which we file in a box organized by month. Then as results come in, we retrieve the appropriate envelopes from the box and mail them out. Any envelopes left in the folder at the end of the month serve as reminders that those patients haven't been contacted yet.

Latest:

The patient described here was treated for pneumonia, but a chest wall mass and CT changes suggested that more was going on.

Latest:

Latest:

More than 22,000 persons in the United States are affected bycatscratch disease (CSD) annually. Despite the discovery of thecausative organism more than a decade ago, much is still unknownabout this illness. Recent data suggest that ticks, as wellas cats, may transmit the disease to humans. Immunofluorescenceassay is proving to be the most efficient and noninvasivetechnique for diagnosing CSD. Among available antimicrobials,azithromycin has proved to be especially useful, although randomized,double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are warrantedto define the best treatment method for patients with CSD.[Infect Med. 2008;25:242-246, 250]

Latest:

Which test should you order if you suspect Clostridium difficile infection-and how often do you check the stool for the C difficile toxin? Here: the answer-and explanation.

Latest:

A 40-year-old man was concerned about an enlarging painless mass on the right side of his neck that had been present for 6 months. The patient reported no other health problems; his medical history was unremarkable, and he was taking no medications.