What to Do When a Guideline Doesn't Guide
May 14th 2012Many people with arthritis also have depression; this has been known for many years. Now it has been established that anxiety is even more common than depression among arthritis patients. Dr. Elizabeth Lin discusses why and how the mental health problem as well as the physical symptoms need to be addressed and resolved.
Podcast: Arthritis, Anxiety, and Depression: Managing a Common Comorbidity
May 14th 2012Anxiety is even more common than depression among people who have arthritis, a new study has shown. Here to discuss the implications for diagnosis and treatment is Eilzabeth Lin MD, a family medicine physician who is a longstanding researcher in the field of depression and pain.
Orbital Pseudotumor Disguised as Orbital Cellulitis and Sinusitis
May 10th 2012A 58-year-old man with a past medical history of chronic sinus disease and hypothyroidism presented with left periorbital pain and erythema that worsened despite outpatient treatment with topical antibiotics. An outpatient CT scan showed pansinusitis and orbital stranding. The diagnosis was orbital cellulitis and sinusitis.
COPD, Sleep Apnea, and Asthma: American Thoracic Society Conference Highlights
May 9th 2012Among the information of interest to primary care: Asymptomatic smokers may show signs of COPD, and what to do about it. How to treat obstructive sleep apnea as effectively as a sleep center. And things you may not know about inhalers.
Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome: Simple to Diagnose, Potentially Deadly if Overlooked
May 2nd 2012Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) shares clinical symptoms with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) such as daytime sleepiness, headaches, and memory problems. Both the symptoms and their sequelae, however, can be much more severe in OHS. Here, guidance on what to look for and how to manage OHS.
Diabetes Quiz: A 79-Year-Old With Elevated AlC Who Has Had a Stroke: How Would You Treat?
May 1st 2012The elderly patient has had type 2 diabetes for 15 years is now home bound after a stroke. Her HbA1c is 9.6 and she takes only metformin. Review the rest of her laboratory results and propose a management plan.
Antiretroviral Therapy: Short-Term, Earlier Interventions Show Promise
April 20th 2012New guidelines on the use of antiretroviral therapy, together with recently published studies, highlight the benefits of early, short-term treatment on outcomes, clinical signs of the disease, morbidity and mortality, and secondary transmission.
Update on HIV in Children and Adolescents
April 18th 2012A recent approval of an antiretroviral for children with HIV highlights the difficulties in treatment for pediatric HIV, which is not entirely eliminated in the US and tragically abundant elsewhere. It's also important for HIV among adolescents, which remains a concern in the US.
Podcast: Dental X-Rays and Brain Tumors-A Sensible Response
April 14th 2012A new study that showed a link between a yearly dental x-ray and meningioma must have sent a shiver down many a spine. Here, oral medicine specialist Dr Jeff Burgess offers guidance about what to think, and how to respond when a concerned patient asks.
Corticosteroids for Asthma and Rhinitis: Safety and Efficacy Today
April 14th 2012Despite widespread concern about the use of these drugs for patients with asthma and allergies, a review of the evidence shows that (used as recommended) there is very little risk from introducing a steroid into the upper respiratory system on a fairly regular basis, even for a child.