Family Practice News articles from September 2004

Family Practice News archives from September 2004

Family doctors eager for Wonca.(News)(Family physicians and general practitioners)
September 1, 2004... Next month, when the world conference of family doctors comes for the first time to the United States, what will it hold for American family physicians? For many who attend the meeting in Orlando, Fla., Wonca 2004--the quadrennial...

Office visits by specialty, 2001.(Vital Signs)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
September 1, 2004... Office Visits by Specialty, 2001 General and Family Practice 23.9% Internal Medicine 15.3% Pediatrics 12.6% Ob.Gyn. 7.9% Ophthalmology ...

Donepezil slows but doesn't stop dementia progress: donepezil appeared to reduce the risk of progression for up to 18 months.
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Treatment with donepezil significantly slowed, but ultimately could not prevent, the progression of patients from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in a placebo-controlled, 3-year study with 769 patients. The...

Racial disparities study fires up black physicians: differences in care a result of location.
September 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Physicians who treat black Medicare patients are less likely to be board certified and more likely to lack some clinical resources, compared with physicians seen by white patients, a recent study suggested. The study caused a...

Hb[A.sub.1c] goals for children too strict, experts say.(News)
September 1, 2004... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Proposed new American Diabetes Association glycosylated hemoglobin goals for children have come under strong criticism from some prominent experts. This is the first time that the ADA has set glycosylated hemoglobin...

Could intermittent intensive insulin for diabetes lie ahead?(News)
September 1, 2004... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- The concept of "metabolic memory" has emerged as a focus of intense interest among diabetologists, Dr. Satish K. Garg said at a conference on management of diabetes in youth. The metabolic memory hypothesis holds that an...

Freshwater fish pose mercury hazard to developing brain.(News)
September 1, 2004... More than half of all freshwater fish samples in a recent Environmental Protection Agency study contained mercury levels that exceed the limit considered safe in women of childbearing age, and more than three-quarters had levels exceeding the...

Duloxetine gains FDA approval for depression.(News)
September 1, 2004... Approval of duloxetine by the Food and Drug Administration offers an additional drug for the treatment of major depressive disorder that affects both serotonin and norepinephrine. In a statement announcing the approval, Dr. Stephen M. Stahl...

Some antidepressants now warn of potential suicidality.(News)
September 1, 2004... Warnings about the potential for suicidality and worsening of depression during treatment with antidepressants for major depressive disorder have begun to appear in the label of antidepressant drugs, in response to a request made by the Food...

In utero exposure to antidepressants not tied to eye malformations.(News)
September 1, 2004... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- To date, the Food and Drug Administration has not identified a recognizable pattern of congenital eye malformations in babies exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy, in a review of adverse events reported to the agency....

Cardiovascular risk factors predict dementia, Alzheimer's.(News)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Dyslipidemia, obesity, and hypertension aren't just bad for the heart. They're bad for the brain, too. Data from three large population-based studies presented fit the 9th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and...

U.S. will need its extra colonoscopy capacity.(News)
September 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- U.S. physicians have the capacity to perform several million more colonoscopies and sigmoidoscopies per year than are currently done, an excess capacity that will he needed to deal with the millions of Americans who require...

FDA approves Botox for severe underarm sweating.(News)
September 1, 2004... Physicians and patients searching for answers to primary axillary hyperhidrosis have a new Food and Drug Administration-approved option: botulinum toxin type A. The FDA has approved the use of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) for the...

Walking toward glycemic control.(Guest Editorial)
September 1, 2004... We are all frustrated at times in our efforts to improve glycemic control in our diabetic patients. We tend to focus on nutrition and medications, overlooking exercise. The benefits of exercise are welt documented for diabetic patients,...

A calorie is a calorie.(Guest Editorial)
September 1, 2004... A calorie is a calorie. It's how much you eat that is going to control how much fat you lose. Several recent studies have compared high-protein or low-carb diets with low-fat diets and reported some rather dramatic differences in weight...

Does PSA screening decrease mortality?(Pro & Con)
September 1, 2004... YES I believe U.S. prostate cancer mortality has declined at least in part due to screening and early detection. As the coordinator of the ongoing European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer, Which has randomized more...

Match HT therapy to patient's readiness to change.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- A telephone intervention based on the stages-of-change model of behavior change led to improved exercise and diet adherence, as well as lower blood pressure, in veterans with hypertension in a randomized study. The results...

Blood pressure measurement frequently lacks accuracy.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2004... DETROIT -- Accurate measurement is the first link in the chain of blood pressure control--and all too often it's the missing link, Dr. Clarence Grim said at a meeting sponsored by the International Interdisciplinary Conference on Hypertension...

Black patients less likely to receive optimal treatment for dyslipidemia.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2004... DETROIT -- African American patients with dyslipidemia are less likely to receive a statin drug and less likely to achieve desirable LDL cholesterol levels, Dr. Brent M. Egan reported at a meeting sponsored by the International...

Amlodipine/benazepril combo tops monotherapy.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- A combination formulation of amlodipine and benazepril is more effective than either agent as monotherapy for control of systolic hypertension and improved overall blood pressure control, according to the results of the Systolic...

White coat HT linked to sleep apnea.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... White coat hypertension is a frequent phenomenon in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and could lead to overdiagnosis of hypertension in such patients, reported Francisco Garcia-Rio, Ph.D., and his associates at Hospital Universitario La...

Antiarrhythmics still highly useful in atrial fib.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Heart Rhythm Society)
September 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Anyone who thinks antiarrhythmic drugs are becoming obsolete for atrial fibrillation is way off base, despite the current enthusiasms for rate control on the one hand and catheter ablation of the arrhythmia on the other, Dr....

ACE inhibitors for hypertension.(Drug Update)
September 1, 2004... What distinguishes the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors from other antihypertensive drug classes is that they do much more than lower blood pressure. An abundance of trial data attest to their potent cardio and vascular protective...

Trials will tell if statins slow aortic stenosis.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Statins may prove to be the long-sought preventive medical therapy for aortic stenosis, but a definitive answer awaits completion of the three randomized controlled trials that are underway, Dr. Gian M. Novaro said at the annual...

Hepatitis B birth dose remains a tough sell.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2004... MCLEAN, VA. -- More than 40% of newborns received a birth dose of hepatitis B vaccination during the first half of last year. The preliminary data from the 2003 National Immunization Survey offer "good news" after a period of declining...

Palivizumab safe for infants with heart disease: monthly prophylaxis resulted in a 45% relative reduction in rate of hospitalizations.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2004... MIAMI -- The monoclonal antibody palivizumab is safe and effective for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus in infants with hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease, Dr. Giovanni Piedimonte said at a pediatric pulmonology...

Palivizumab use leads to fewer rehospitalized preemies.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2004... TAMPERE, FINLAND -- Rehospitalizations in premature infants decline with adequate prophylaxis with palivizumab, according to the results of an Austrian study presented at the annual meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious...

Hepatitis A infection rates plummet to new lows, especially in children.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2004... ATLANTA -- Hepatitis A vaccination efforts in the United States have resulted in unprecedented declines in disease incidence in targeted areas, with the largest declines among children, Dr. Beth Bell reported at a meeting of the Centers for...

Measurable success seen in HIV prevention efforts.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2004... MIAMI -- HIV prevention efforts should be comprehensive and tailored to individuals on the basis of their serostatus, according to a presentation at a conference sponsored by the American Foundation for AIDS Research. There is good news...

Take blame out of HIV prevention efforts and messages, activist says.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2004... MIAMI -- For HIV-prevention messages to be effective, a shift in strategy is needed, said Terje Anderson of National Association of People With AIDS, Washington. "We've built up this whole culture of assigning blame. So much of the...

Panel releases updated HIV treatment guidelines.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2004... Prompted by substantial new data on the effective treatment of HIV disease in adults, the International AIDS Society-USA antiretroviral panel has released new guidelines for antiretroviral therapy. The panel, convened in 1995 by the...

Syphilis screening recommendations updated: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force counsels against screening general population.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2004... A recently updated guideline on syphilis screening includes a new recommendation against routine screening of low-risk asymptomatic individuals, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. "Given the low incidence of syphilis...

Azithromycin failed to tackle syphilis, CDC says.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging clinicians to use caution when prescribing azithromycin for incubating syphilis or syphilis infection because several treatment failures have been reported. At least eight treatment...

Gluten-free tames dermatitis herpetiformis.(Skin Disorders)
September 1, 2004... ROME -- Although dermatitis herpetiformis usually occurs in the third or fourth decade of life, the disease does occur in children and is always a sign of gluten intolerance, Dr. Antonio Torrelo said at the 10th World Congress of Pediatric...

Celiac disease in adults called underdiagnosed.(Skin Disorders)
September 1, 2004... Celiac disease is far more prevalent than previously thought but often goes undiagnosed, according to a consensus statement released by the National Institutes of Health. The statement identifies candidates for screening, suggests management...

Derm Dx.(Skin Disorders)
September 1, 2004... A 12-year-old girl presented with epigastric pain and lactose intolerance, IgA-class antiendomysium antibodies, antireticulin antibodies, and transglutaminase antibodies were detected in serum. A jejunal biopsy identified mucosal atrophy,...

Life's an itch when children have head lice.(Skin Disorders)
September 1, 2004... MANCHESTER, VT. -- When it comes to head lice, nits get a lousy rap. They are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and mistakenly targeted with powerful, potentially toxic chemicals, according to Dr. Ronald Hansen. The pervasive...

New mantra for wound healing: soak, grease, and cover.(Skin Disorders)
September 1, 2004... MANCHESTER, VT. -- The best advice for managing acute and chronic skin wounds in children is all wet, according Dr. Ronald C. Hansen, chief of pediatric dermatology at Phoenix (Ariz.) Children's Hospital. Keeping a wound consistently moist...

Improved habits may lull insomniacs into better sleep.(Mental Health)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- A population-based study of insomniacs and normal controls is the first to demonstrate that people who have insomnia frequently engage in more inappropriate sleep hygiene practices than do noninsomniacs, Catherine Jefferson said...

Sleep time surprisingly inadequate in children.(Mental Health)
September 1, 2004... BETHESDA, MD. -- American children aren't getting enough sleep. Children in every age group "don't even meet the low end of the range recommended by experts" for sleep in a 24-hour period, according to a national survey, Mary A. Carskadon,...

Father's mental health may temper mother's mental illness.(Mental Health)
September 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Good mental health in a father can buffer the impact of a mentally ill mother on a child, Dr. Robert S. Kahn said at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. In a study of 822 children aged 3-12 years who...

Autism may be linked to maternal asthma/allergy.(Mental Health)
September 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Maternal asthma and allergic disorders may somehow be linked with autism spectrum disorders, according to preliminary research presented at a meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Birth...

Women want to know risks, benefits of elective cesarean.(Women's Health)
September 1, 2004... YOSEMITE, CALIF. -- One of the main reasons women may want a primary elective cesarean delivery is to protect the pelvic floor from injury leading to urinary and fecal incontinence, but they need to know that current evidence suggests it will...

Elective c-section: do we worry too much?(Women's Health)
September 1, 2004... YOSEMITE, CALIF. -- None of the goals that have been set for the cesarean section rate are likely to be met because the number of women requesting a primary elective cesarean will continue to increase, speakers predicted at a conference on...

Most subspecialists willing to perform elective c-section.(Women's Health)
September 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Most urogynecology and maternal-fetal medicine specialists would perform an elective primary cesarean section, according to results from a large survey. "Elective primary cesarean section is a controversial and highly debated...

Bypass outcomes in women.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The long-term outcomes for coronary artery bypass grafting were worse for women than men in a retrospective study, although women had fewer intraoperative complications, Dr. Ansar Hassan said in a poster presentation at a meeting sponsored by...

Elective c-section outcomes.(Clinical Capsules)
September 1, 2004... Neonates born by elective cesarean section are at greater risk of poor outcomes than those born vaginally, and are also at greater risk than those born to women who were converted to operative vaginal or cesarean delivery, according to a large,...

Depression and ovarian failure.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Depression may not be a risk factor for premature ovarian failure, Dr. Jamie Luff said in a poster presentation at a meeting sponsored by the International Association for Women's Mental Health in Washington. Although depression has been...

Postpartum effects of obesity.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Obese women were significantly more likely to report at least moderate levels of postpartum depression than were other women in a population-based study. Obesity has been associated with a range of obstetric and psychological problems,...

Program helps families cope with fetal defects.(Women's Health)
September 1, 2004... For patients facing an abnormal pregnancy, the Fetal Concerns Program in Wisconsin can serve as a comprehensive medical and emotional support center. The program, launched in September 2000, coordinates care for families from the time of...

MRI helps spot problems with fetal central nervous system.(Women's Health)
September 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Clinicians "can learn a lot" by using magnetic resonance imaging in conjunction with ultrasound to diagnose central nervous system abnormalities, Dr. Deborah Levine said at the annual meeting of the American Institute of...

Prostate Ca found in 15% with normal PSA.(Men's Health)
September 1, 2004... Biopsies showed prostate cancer in 15% of 2,950 men aged 62-91 years with prostate-specific antigen levels of 4 ng/mL or lower, including high-grade cancers in 15% of cases, reported Dr. Ian M. Thompson of the University of Texas Health Science...

PSA no longer identifies cancer.(Men's Health)
September 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Prostate-specific antigen levels no longer serve as a marker for prostate cancer, Dr. Thomas A. Stamey asserted in a controversial poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association. In the...

Low PSA ratio may indicate more extensive disease.(Men's Health)
September 1, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- A low level of free prostate-specific antigen relative to total PSA may be a marker for patients with more advanced prostate cancer, Dr. Massimo Barberis said at the annual meeting of the American Association for Clinical...

Docetaxel boosts survival in advanced prostate cancer.(Men's Health)
September 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Docetaxel may go down in oncologic history as the drug that shattered the notion that prostate cancer is inherently insensitive to chemotherapy, but it remains to be seen whether this agent makes a meaningful difference in the...

GnRH agonists boost osteoporosis risk.(Men's Health)
September 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Androgen deprivation therapy for men with prostate cancer markedly increases the risk of osteopenia, osteoporosis, and bone fractures, Dr. Tracey Krupski and Dr. Matthew Smith reported at the annual meeting of the American...

Usual agents don't help chronic prostatitis pain.(Men's Health)
September 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- The two most common treatments for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome failed to reduce symptoms any better than placebo in a 6-week randomized trial in 196 men, Dr. Richard B. Alexander said. A relatively...

Hippocampus size on MRI flags Alzheimer's risk.(Geriatric Medicine)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA. -- An MRI brain image that shows a small hippocampus can identify those patients with mild cognitive impairment who have the highest risk of progressing to Alzheimer's disease, based on a study with 190 patients. Patients who...

Recorded test provides clues to early cognitive changes.(Geriatric Medicine)
September 1, 2004... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- A tape-recorded, self-administered test appears to be an accurate and inexpensive means of diagnosing early cognitive dysfunction--particularly memory failure--in adults. When compared with the Mini-Mental State...

Scoring tool uses caregiver input to assess status of dementia patients.(Geriatric Medicine)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- An investigational dementia scoring tool uses caregiver input to quickly and accurately assess behavior, cognition, and function in community-living dementia patients. The Dementia Severity Scale (DSS), in development...

Test can help gauge patients' ability to drive.(Geriatric Medicine)(American Neuropsychiatric Association)
September 1, 2004... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- The driving scenes test from the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery appears to be an excellent measure of real-world driving skills, Laura Brown, Ph.D., reported in a poster at the annual meeting of the American...

Rivastigmine improves dementia in Parkinson's.(Geriatric Medicine)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Rivastigmine was safe and effective for improving symptoms of dementia in patients with Parkinson's disease in a randomized, controlled study with 541 patients. Results from prior case series and small, open-label studies...

Try behavioral therapy first to beat incontinence.(Geriatric Medicine)
September 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Treatment of urinary incontinence in the elderly involves a multifaceted stepwise approach using behavior therapy first, and then medications, Dr. Michelle S. Eslami said at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Disaster research should delve into mental health.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- A substantial amount of post-Sept. 11 medical research proceeded without attention to mental health effects, Dr. Carol S. North said at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. The early; post-Sept. 11...

Trauma tied to greater risk of depression, posttraumatic stress.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- people exposed to trauma such as the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks tend to suffer more depression and posttraumatic stress disorder than the rest of the population, according to two posters presented at the annual meeting of the American...

Moderate rise in mental health help after N.Y. attack.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Use of mental health services among New Yorkers increased only moderately in the year after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the city, reported Joseph A. Boscarino, Ph.D., of the New York Academy of Medicine. A telephone...

Increasing organ donations is a tough assignment.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... Dr. Dennis O'Leary stated the problem with the U,S. organ donation system in stark terms. "Each day, an average of 68 people receive organ transplants," Dr. O'Leary, president of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare...

Can evidence-based organ allocation work?(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... BOSTON -- Evidence-based allocation might provide a fair way to allocate donor organs, but it is not easy to achieve, experts said at the American Transplant Congress. Some systems have begun to give priority to patients facing death on...

Ultrasound favored for carpal tunnel diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Ultrasonography quickly and noninvasively enables assessment of patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome, Dr. Anna Ciechomska reported in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Institute of Ultrasound in...

Arthritis affects 27% of U.S. adults.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The aging population of the United States has made arthritis the nation's leading cause of physical disability, affecting roughly 27% of adults. The growing burden of arthritis is reflected in data from a Centers for Disease Control and...

Codeprex extended-release suspension.(New & Approved)
September 1, 2004... (codeine polistirex/chlorpheniramine polistirex, Celltech Pharmaceuticals Inc.) The Food and Drug Administration approved Codeprex Extended-Release Suspension CIII for adults and children 6 years and older. Indications include temporary...

Mucinex D.(New & Approved)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... (guaifenesin/pseudoephedrine HCI, Adams Laboratories Inc.) The FDA approved over-the-counter Mucinex D Extended-Release Tablets for adults and children 12 years and older. Mucinex D is indicated to help loosen phlegm and thin bronchial...

Secondhand smoke linked to fetal clefts.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... KISSIMMEE, FLA. -- Women exposed to secondhand smoke have a 1.3 times risk of delivering a child with cleft palate and a 1.2 times risk for cleft lip, according to preliminary data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, Dr. Sonja...

Team approach gets best results in treating craniofacial disorders.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... MIAMI BEACH -- Keeping parents of children with craniofacial disorders calm and achieving the best results for the children require a team approach, Dr. Mislen Bauer said at a pediatric update meeting sponsored by Miami Children's Hospital. ...

Watch for long-term social impact of cleft lip and palate.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... KISSIMMEE, FLA. -- Social and behavioral problems affect children born with cleft lip/palate, their families, and society, said Mary L. Marazita, Ph.D., associate dean for research at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. ...

Two drugs halted tumor growth in lung cancer.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Erlotinib and gefitinib both reduced mortality from non-small cell lung cancer in patients who did not respond to standard therapies, researchers reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. ...

Cetuximab boosted survival in head and neck cancer patients.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Cetuximab, a monoclonal epidermal growth factor receptor-blocking agent marketed by ImClone, was an effective adjunct to standard high-dose radiotherapy for the treatment of advanced and progressive head and fleck cancers, Dr....

Temozolomide slowed tumors in patients with glioblastoma.(Clinical Round)
September 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Temozolomide, in conjunction with radiotherapy, could produce clinically meaningful improvements in overall and progression-free survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme, researchers reported at the annual meeting of the...

Featured app: CodeMeister.(Digital Assistance)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... As if our days weren't already busy enough with patient encounters, most of us must also make time for a variety of administrative and correspondence tasks. In the "business of medicine" it's now not enough just to diagnose and prescribe. ...

Accessorize: PDA chargers.(Digital Assistance)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Long hours at the hospital? Cross-country plane trip? Traveling in Europe? Maybe you need to look into a PDA power-boost! Practically speaking, battery life for handheld computers is limited. Palm OS devices hold a charge for 4-7 days...

Surf this site: MedicalPocketPC.com.(Digital Assistance)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... If Pocket PCs are your passion, check out www.medicalpocketpc.com. This well-organized and informative site was established by radiology resident Bill Boonn in 2000. Content is focused on use of the Pocket PC in the medical profession....

Migraine with aura may raise women's stroke risk.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Women with a history of migraine with aura are at subsequent increased risk of stroke, according to new data from the landmark prospective Women's Health Study. Migraine without aura, however, did not confer increased...

Many migraineurs fail to take abortive medication in time.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- At least half of migraine patients given a prescription for a medication to abort their attacks wait too long to take their medication, making it less likely to be effective, Dr. Roger K. Cady reported at the annual meeting...

AF has genetic component.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Having, at least one parent with atrial fibrillation doubles the risk that adult off spring will develop the disorder, reported Dr. Caroline S. Fox of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and her associates in the Framingham Heart Study. In...