Depression

Primary care clinicians are encouraged to use the latest evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies from prospective randomized, controlled trials in their practice. But are the participants in these trials typical patients?

A succinct review of hyperkalemia . . . its various causes, clinical manifestations and consequences, ECG findings, and treatment approaches.

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- For growth-retarded children, an excess of play, talk, and toys can help avoid psychosocial hurdles in adolescence, according to a 16-year follow-up study.

VIENNA -- Carotid stenting can significantly ease both the frequency and severity of so-called "vascular depression," according to investigators here.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Unopposed transdermal estradiol at an ultra-low dose over two years did not affect cognitive function or health-related quality of life in post-menopausal women, researchers here reported.

BALTIMORE -- Forty years after the psychedelic drug culture proclaimed that psilocybin induces a profound mystical and spiritual experience, investigators at Johns Hopkins have agreed.

GAINSEVILLE, Fla. -- Apathy independent of depression may be a feature of Parkinson's disease for some patients, researchers here have found.

ADANA, Turkey - Illicit anabolic steroids may pump up athletes' gums as well as their muscles, according to periodontists here.

ASPEN, Colo. - Cardiologists suggested today that the sudden death here of Enron founder Kenneth Lay, 64, is a textbook example of catastrophic stress that can increase the risk of cardiac events.

Depression and obesity are often partners in pathology, according to investigators here.

abstract: There is increasing evidence that close monitoring and early intervention lead to better outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis. At each office visit, spirometry should be performed and sputum culture specimens should be obtained; if the patient cannot produce sputum, a throat culture can be done instead. New respiratory symptoms or other evidence of worsening lung disease should prompt antibiotic therapy, increased airway clearance, and adjunctive anti-inflammatory medication as appropriate. Close attention should be paid to the patient's diet, appetite, stooling pattern, and growth measurements. Adolescents should be given additional information about their medications and adjunctive therapies to encourage them to take on a larger role in their own care. (J Respir Dis.2006;27(7):298-305)

A 68-year-old woman presents with recurrent nausea, vomiting, left upper quadrant pain, decreased appetite, and a 2.3-kg (5-lb) weight loss 1 month after she underwent selective splenic artery embolization for refractory thrombocytopenia secondary to hypersplenism.

Although the relationship is not completely understood, it is clear that anxiety and depression can adversely affect the course of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. - Constipation can trigger physical aggression in a nursing home resident with dementia, researchers here reported.

PRAGUE ? The evidence that led the FDA to warn that Paxil (paroxetine) taken during the first weeks of pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects, including serious heart defects, was disputed by German researchers today.

HOUSTON - Two drugs are waiting in the wings if Gleevec (imatinib) fails or is too toxic for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

WASHINGTON - Lorcaserin, an investigational drug for the treatment of obesity, was successful at producing weight loss ranging between four and 7.9 pounds (1.8 to 3.6 kg) in a 12-week study, reported investigators here.

ROCKVILLE, Md. - The FDA today approved Wellbutrin XL (bupropion extended release) for prevention of major depressive episodes in patients with a history of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It is the first drug approved for SAD.

WASHINGTON ? Antidepressant medications appears to further increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in those with impaired glucose tolerance, researchers reported here.

ATLANTA ? Evista (raloxifene) may be a better choice than tamoxifen for preventing breast cancer in a high-risk post-menopausal woman if she has a uterus?and isn't sexually active.

ATLANTA ? Women who take yoga classes for two hours a week may feel healthier while undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer researchers reported here.

ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands ? Liver transplant recipients report being physically fatigued even 15 years after receiving a new organ, according to researchers here.

Patients with psychiatric disordersoften present a diagnostic challenge-even for psychiatrists. Their demeanormay not readily reveal the nature orseverity of the problem. Nevertheless,there are clues that can help you sortthrough the differential and arrive atthe correct diagnosis.

A description of the characteristics that distinguish adult ADHD from bipolar disorder.

A woman has white, numb, cold hands after vigorous exercise, emotional stress, and exposure to cold. Is this caused by Buerger disease (thromboangiitis obliterans), acute arterial occlusion, Raynaud disease, or acrocyanosis?