JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants articles from January 2003

JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants archives from January 2003

Calcium--an emerging element in weight management: mounting evidence.(Bell Institute Of Health And Nutrition)
January 1, 2003... Did you know that calcium may be important for weight management as well as for bone health? Researchers are drawing this conclusion as a growing number of studies show a relationship between calcium intake and body weight. Calcium's...

Why PAs should care about genomic medicine.(Editorial)(physicians' assistants)(Editorial)
January 1, 2003... Are you prepared to practice in the new era of genomic medicine? Are you "genetics literate"? If you think you are, can you explain what phenotype means? A phenotype is an observable characteristic, including a clinical sign or symptom....

What PAs need to know about smallpox.(CSAC Special Report)(physicians' assistants)
January 1, 2003... Smallpox represents an extremely serious threat to populations as a biological weapon because its case-fatality rate is approximately 30% among unvaccinated persons and no specific therapies are available. (1) The potential for devastation is...

Should we measure CRP levels to assess cardiovascular risk?(Point/Counterpoint)(C-reactive protein )
January 1, 2003... POINT A recent New England Journal of Medicine paper by Ridker and colleagues (1) has suggested that levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) may be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than LDL cholesterol, a well-established...

Sex and acute stroke presentation.(Cardiology)(sex differences in stroke symptoms)(Author Abstract)
January 1, 2003... Labiche LA, Chan W, Saldin KR, Morgenstern LB. Ann Emerg Med. 2002;40:453-460. * This prospective, observational study of management of acute stroke examined whether there was a sex difference in patients with acute stroke presenting to...

Primary prevention of hypertension. Clinical and public health advisory from the National High Blood Pressure Education Program.(Hypertension)(Author Abstract)
January 1, 2003... Whelton PK, He J, Appel LJ, et al. JAMA. 2002;288:1882-1888. * Forty three million adults in the United States older than 18 years meet the criteria for a diagnosis of hypertension (systolic BP >140 mm Hg or diastolic BP >90 mm Hg). This...

Association between pulse pressure and mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.(Nephrology)(Author Abstract)
January 1, 2003... Klassen PS, Lowrie EG, Reddan DN, et al. JAMA 2002;287: 1548-1655. * High BP is an important positive predictor of adverse cardiac outcomes, including heart failure and myocardial infarction. Management of BP for patients with end-stage...

Randomized trial of breast self-examination in Shanghai: Final results.(Oncology)(Author Abstract)
January 1, 2003... Thomas DB, Gao DL, Ray RM, et al. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2002; 94: 1445-1457. * Breast self-examination (BSE) has never been proven to reduce breast cancer mortality, even though women who practice BSE may detect smaller cancers and at an...

Current concepts in managing heart failure: based on recent studies of [beta]-blocker therapy, treatment guidelines have been revised for patients who have mild, moderate, or severe HF.
January 1, 2003... For more than 2 decades, [beta]-blocker therapy was contraindicated for mild, moderate, or severe heart failure (HF). These contraindications were secondary to the initial adverse effects associated with adrenergic blockade. Recent completed...

Measuring compassion in physician assistants.
January 1, 2003... ABSTRACT While compassion is generally agreed to be one of the professional qualities required of physician assistants (PAs), the concept has been remarkably difficult to define and measure. The authors describe a series of studies that...

How to incorporate genetic thinking into your practice: knowledge of genetics is becoming essential to the ability to provide good care for all patients, not just for the few with uncommon genetic diseases.
January 1, 2003... Years of extensive genetic research have produced stunning successes, including the mapping of the human genome and the identification of many disease-causing genes. Clinical applications of this research--known as genomic medicine, or medicine...

CME post-test: expiration date January 2004.(continuing medical education)
January 1, 2003... EXPIRATION DATE JANUARY 2004 Please take this CME Post-test online at www.aapa.org. Rostant TM, Nasser M. Current concepts in managing heart failure. JAAPA. 2003;16(1):22-26,29,30,61, Wolpert C. How to incorporate genetic thinking...

Advances in treating the infected total hip replacement.(Specialty Update)
January 1, 2003... Infection is one of the most feared complications following total hip replacement. Despite many advances over the past 3 decades, this complication continues to be a blemish on the lace of an otherwise very successful and highly predictable...

House calls in America.(Sounding Board)
January 1, 2003... The number of home-based patient-clinician encounters has declined steadily from a high of 40% of all visits in 1930 to 10% in 1950 to fewer than 2% in 1990. (1) Several factors contributed to this decline, including the need for increased...

Putting PAs on the legislative radar.(PA Watch)(laws and politics effecting physicians' assistants)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Byous RS. A Policy Analysis Case Study of How Access to Health Care Has Influenced Legislation That Impacts PA Practice in the States of California, Maryland, and Texas [dissertation]. LaVerne, Calif: School of Organizational Management,...

Who wants to work in an HMO?(PA Watch)(health maintenance organizations)
January 1, 2003... Freeborn DK, Hooker RS, Pope CR. Satisfaction and well-being of primary care providers in managed care. Evaluation & the Health Professions. June 2002; 25:239-254. * The authors mailed a self-administered 80-question survey to a group of...

Establishing the PA profession in the UK.(PA Watch)(physicians' assistants)(Author Abstract)
January 1, 2003... Gavin M, Esmail A. Solving the recruitment crisis in UK general practice: time to consider physician assistants? Social Policy and Administration. February 2002;36:76-89. * Large numbers of general practitioners (GPs) in the United Kingdom...

Midwifery in the United States.(PA Watch)(Author Abstract)
January 1, 2003... Stone SE. The evolving scope of nurse-midwifery practice in the United States. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2000;45:522-531. * This article reviews the evolving scope of practice of nurse-midwifery since it began in the United States in 1925...

CME calendar.(continuing medical education)(Calendar)
January 1, 2003... JANUARY 29--FEBRUARY 2 13th Annual Winter Conference Provider: Downeast Association of PAs. Location: Bethel, Me. Contact: Linda Roberts, (207) 629-9417, lindaroberts@ bigplanet.com FEBRUARY 6-8 NCCPA Exam Review Course ...