Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal-dominant disorder that is characterized by recurrent attacks of facial, abdominal, genital, or peripheral skin edema without accompanying urticaria. These episodes can be life-threatening if they involve the larynx or the upper airway. Angioedema can be associated with other medical problems, including infection, connective tissue disorders, and malignancy.

Psoriasis in Primary Care: A Focus on the Integral Role of the PCP. The purpose of this program is to educate primary care clinicians on how to identify patients with psoriasis and to ensure that patients with psoriasis are aware that their condition confers additional risks for a variety of conditions and diseases.

The Earlier the Better: Recognition of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis in the Primary Care Setting. Arthritis is a relatively common reason for presentation in the medical office. More than 21% of US adults (46.4 million) have self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis, with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affecting approximately 1.3 million adults. Diagnosing RA in the early stages can be difficult and patients may have subtle to near-normal physical examination.

Health Literacy: Healthcare Communication Competency for the Patient, Family & Clinician. Health literacy is the ability of an individual to understand basic health information and treatment strategies needed to self-manage health. A survey completed by the AMA-MSS Subcommittee on Health Literacy found that the strongest predictor of an individual’s health status is not associated with age, education, or income, but rather, based on literacy skills.

Focusing on the Patient: Diagnosis and Management of ADHD. This program “Focusing on the Patient: Diagnosis and Management of ADHD” will increase the awareness of primary care clinicians regarding the signs and symptoms of ADHD and competencies in distinguishing symptoms of adult ADHD compared to the childhood disorder. It will also raise participants’ awareness of the wide range of pharmacological agents available for treatment of ADHD, their benefits and risks, helping to implement their use to develop an individualized, integrated treatment program.

Probiotics for GI Health in 2012: Issues and Updates. Microbiota, often referred to as microflora, in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract comprise a complex community of microorganisms that contribute to a variety of local and systemic functions vital to development and well-being. There is substantial interest in using probiotics to target the GI microbiota to promote health, and probiotic use has grown rapidly over the last decade. In addition, the number of clinical trials assessing probiotics in humans also has increased substantially in recent years.

Traditionally, primary care clinicians initially treat diabetes (T2DM) through diet, lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation and exercise, and having the patient monitor blood sugar levels. If blood glucose continues to be elevated, medications are prescribed for insulin regulation and/or...

You all have them, you can’t avoid them. Many factors contribute to a challenging patient including those that refuse your recommendations, have coexisting conditions/multitude of symptoms, have unreasonable expectations, and may even want to take over the role of healthcare...

Primary Care Network has received an ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) registration number for its publication, Primary Issues. Registered with the Library of Congress, the ISSN designates Primary Care Network as the publisher of the serial online professional publication, Primary...

Acute otitis media (AOM) was the third most frequent diagnosis in ambulatory care for patients under age 15 in the most recent National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and is the most common cause of antibiotic prescription for infants and children.

“You are what you eat” is an adage that is supported by research. Eating healthy foods can lead to a healthier body, while not having such foods can lead to problems such as nutrient and vitamin deficiencies, unintended weight loss, or obesity. In the elderly population, nutritional issues are of particular importance, as the aging body becomes more susceptible to chronic and acute disease states.

New book by Susan Hutchinson to guide women who are looking for help with their migraines, including the hormonally driven migraines that are often the most severe. The reader is given the up-to-date knowledge and insight they need to better understand and manage their migraines and it provides comprehensive information regarding migraine management.

Ethical dilemmas face physicians frequently, but unlike the show, THE PRICE IS RIGHT, the price one pays for medical care encompasses not only money, but issues of quality of life, unintended consequences, and possibly life itself. Options and decisions are not always black or white and the person or group tasked to render best practices advice does so from a complex of diverse educational and cultural backgrounds.

A quick primer on the importance of stepping back from the routine of the history and physical to read some non-verbal cues, note gaps in fluent speech and pick up on my emotional reaction to the patient. A pneumonic is revealed to help us incorporate this assessment into our daily interactions with our patients.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women has been more controversial since the publication of the Women’s Health Initiative findings in 2003. Many women have stopped taking estrogen on their own, or have been told to do so by their healthcare provider, and now those women are having hot flashes or other sequelae of menopause.

Susan Hutchinson, MD, board certified in family medicine with a subspecialty in headache, has written a book for women about migraine, self-management, and how to respond to a neurologist who admits knowing nothing about hormones and an obstetrician who does not feel competent to treat migraine.

I thought my knowledge of Parkinson’s disease (PD) was adequate for primary care. I had been taught that Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder caused by the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra of the brain.

Daily behaviors account for maintaining one’s health, both physically and emotionally. In terms of mental health, 27% of Americans suffer mental health symptoms and disorders that impact families, the workplace, and quality of life.

Not enough attention is given to medical services when people decide to travel, especially on cruise ships. I got first-hand knowledge when I became a cruise ship physician (1990 to 1994).

Dr. Able discusses a recent patient who suffers from Abdominal Migraine and the treatment options. An abdominal migraine is a condition that mainly occurs in children who are between five and nine years of age, although not often, it can also occur in adults.