A 51-year-old man with a 20-year history of asthma and seasonal allergies presented with low-grade fever, progressive dyspnea on exertion, and wheezing that had persisted for 2 weeks. Four days earlier, he had been seen by his primary care physician and had started levofloxacin therapy. However, his respiratory symptoms had worsened, warranting hospitalization. He also reported pain in the abdomen and left flank and pain and swelling in the right metacarpophalangeal and right shoulder joints.
An 82-year-old woman complains that for the past 6 months, she has "not felt like herself." Previously, she was very active and energetic; in fact, 9 months earlier, she had vacationed in Hawaii. It now takes all of her energy just to get out of bed.
MRSA is the second most common pathogen isolated in the ICU setting, associated with 52.9% of nosocomial infections.1 Colonization of patients with S aureus (methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant) has been found to be important for the development of subsequent infections, including bacteremia.2-4 The primary reservoir of S aureus in humans is the anterior nares and, to a lesser extent, the perineum and skin.5,6 As a result, topical antibiotics and antiseptics have been used to eradicate colonization in a variety of patient populations in an effort to prevent infection and to control transmission of MRSA.
Is it prudent to prescribe an oral bisphosphonate for an elderly woman with osteoporosis who has had acute hemorrhaging from a lower colonic diverticulum, for which a transfusion of 3 units of packed red blood cells was required?
While spending a month in Cuba, my travel companion experienced seabather's eruption, which was described by Drs Mary Sy and Gary Williams in their Photo Essay "The Dermatologic Perils of Swimming"
The incidence of malignant melanoma has been rising at an alarming rate. There is still no cure for metastatic melanoma; thus, early diagnosis followed by prompt excision is essential for a good prognosis.
A 69-year-old woman presents with inflammation near the antecubital fossa of her right elbow that first appeared 4 days earlier. She has a cat but does not recall being scratched or bitten, and she does not recall injuring the area.
A 68-year-old white man complained of a painful "raw" lip that had gradually developed over several years. Multiple, discrete, small erosions were noted on the lower lip, some of which were covered with an adherent yellow scale/crust. Removal of the scale/crust led to bleeding. None of the involved areas were indurated; regional lymph nodes were normal.
An 84-year-old woman presents with progressive ptosis of her right upper eyelid and blurred vision in the right eye . The eyelid started to droop 1 month earlier. She denies recent ocular injury or diplopia. Her history includes bilateral pseudophakia and a trabeculectomy.
A single papule with surrounding erythema followed by bullae, gray discoloration, and pain was thought to be a reaction to the bite of a brown recluse spider, commonly known as the fiddleback or violin spider. These spiders prefer dark, dry, and undisturbed locations and are most common in the south central US.
The parents of a 16-year-old girl report that during the past several months, she has exhibited behavioral changes, irritability, increased anger, depression, and anxiety. The girl had previously been healthy, and there has been no recent illness or trauma.
Tar on the feet and legs can be an unwelcome consequence of summer trips to the beach.
I prewrite prescriptions for docusate sodium and ibuprofen to have on hand when I see patients during the postpartum period. This lets me spend more time with the patient.
ABSTRACT: Early treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)--alone or in combination-- can prevent joint damage and minimize disability. Until recently, the DMARDs used predominantly in patients with rheumatoid arthritis had been methotrexate, sulfasalazine, and hydoxychloroquine. Older DMARDs such as gold, d-penicillamine, and azathioprine have fallen out of favor because of their long- term toxicities or modest benefit. Six newer DMARDs--leflunomide, etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, rituximab, and anakinra--have greatly expanded the current treatment options.
A 54-year-old woman with a history of hypertension presented with a worsening headache and a left hemisensory defect. A CT scan of her head without contrast showed a right parietal hemorrhage with spreading edema; the masslike effect caused shifting of the midline to the contralateral side. The patient gradually became comatose and required intubation for airway protection. Intravenous corticosteroids were administered to decrease the effect of the lobar hemorrhage. Fever developed 3 days after admission.
A 79-year-old man has an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level(11.3 ng/mL). About 1 month earlier, when he was hospitalized for a seriousurinary tract infection (UTI), his PSA level was 13.3 ng/mL. The more recentlevel was obtained after he received antibiotic therapy for the UTI.
Inflammation plays a major role in coronary artery disease (CAD), whereby inflammatory changes develop in the blood vessel walls.1 This observation has spurred interest in exploring the connection between CAD and markers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, serum amyloid A, and many other novel markers.
Primary care physicians may want to consider consulting a physiatrist to help with this aspect of management. Physiatrists, or physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, are specifically trained to employ exercise programs in the management of various musculoskeletal conditions.
Stories about community-associated infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been making headlines in recent months in both the medical and popular press. A familiar problem in hospitals and nursing homes for decades, growing numbers of MRSA infections have been documented over the past few years in prison inmates, soldiers, athletes, Pacific Islanders, Alaska Natives, Native Americans, and men who have sex with men.
A 43-year-old man presented with intermittent upper abdominal pain, which had begun the previous day after eating toast. Assuming different positions did not provide relief.