JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants articles from January 2009

JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants archives from January 2009

PA takes reins of CDC's hepatitis prevention branch.(FROM THE AAPA)(physicians assistants)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
January 1, 2009... PA Geoff Beckett was working as a clinician in the 1980s when he read a book called Eleven Blue Men, and Other Narratives of Medical Detection, a collection of nonfiction stories by The New Yorker's venerable Berton Roueche. "The stories were...

DOL regulations affirm PA care under FMLA.(FROM THE AAPA)(Family and Medical Leave Act)(physician assistants)(Department of Labor)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Citing AAPA comments on confusing language and forms regarding the role of physician assistants in certifying health conditions through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the US Department of Labor issued final regulations that clarify...

Do the physician assistants in your hospital have a voice?(Editorial)
January 1, 2009... I work in a hospital where 75 PAs are divided among 12 separate departments. For years, the PAs in my institution rarely met, other than to coordinate patient care. We PAs were content within our own departments, and we worked on our...

Product: Calomist.(New Drug Information)(Fleming Pharmaceuticals )(Drug overview)
January 1, 2009... PRODUCT: Calomist COMPANY: Fleming PHARMACOLOGIC CLASS: Hematinic ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Cyanocobalamin 25micrograms/spray; nasal spray. INDICATION: Maintenance of Vit. [B.sub.12] concentrations after normalization with IM Vit....

A rash that "traveled" over the top of the foot.(Dermatology Digest)(Case study)
January 1, 2009... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] * CASE A 47-year-old female presented to our dermatology clinic with a recent history of vacationing in Panama City, Florida. During her stay, she often walked in the sand without shoes. Three to four days after...

The current treatment protocols.(OBESITY)
January 1, 2009... * WHO SHOULD READ THIS? All physician assistants, especially those working in primary care, cardiology, endocrinology, and surgical specialties such as bariatric surgery. * WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM? The National Health...

Growing old with HIV: the AIDS epidemic and an aging population: effective therapy and a more active older lifestyle are changing the demographic of infected patients. Are your patient's symptoms the result of the virus, aging, or both?(CME)(human immunodeficiency virus)(Acquired immune deficiency syndrome )(Report)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The third decade of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States presents many challenges for health care providers in the diagnosis and management of HIV disease. The changing demographic of patients is one, as the...

RFA is an effective alternative to lobectomy for lung cancer.(The Surgical Patient)(Case study)
January 1, 2009... Approximately 213,380 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States; as a result, lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women. (1) Surgical lobar resection with systematic...

An unusual diagnosis for persistent leg pain in an adolescent girl: this condition should be in the differential diagnosis for any patient presenting with extremity pain--especially if the pain is out of proportion to the clinical findings.(CASE REPORT)(Case study)
January 1, 2009... CASE A 17-year-old African-American female presented to the emergency department (ED) complaining of right leg pain. She noted that the pain began approximately 2 weeks prior to evaluation and was originally felt in both calves. She said...

Disaster response: physician assistant skills are an important asset: recent experiences serve to reiterate the critical need for medical support during the aftermath of major disasters. PAs can help fill the inevitable shortfall of providers.(Physicians' assistants)
January 1, 2009... The floods in the American Midwest in March 2008; the tornadoes that spun their way down the Virginia Peninsula on April 29, 2008; the tornadoes that struck the American Midwest on May 4, 2008; and Cyclone Nargis, which devastated Myanmar on...

Is my child autistic? Helping parents understand a difficult diagnosis: recognition of the language, social, and behavioral deficits that indicate autism in a child is key to making this diagnosis. Early intervention can lead to a good outcome.(CME)
January 1, 2009... Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) include autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. (1) Each disorder is characterized by varying...

CME posttest.
January 1, 2009... EXPIRATION DATE: JANUARY 2010 All posttests must be submitted online to AAPA. The CME scoring service is provided at no charge to current Fellow members of AAPA. Others must submit a $20 scoring fee for each posttest using AAPA's...

Hypertension.(Quick Recertification Series)
January 1, 2009... * GENERAL FEATURES ** Primary (essential) hypertension (HTN): --Primary HTN is one of the most common reasons to see a practitioner or take a prescription medication, with a prevalence of approximately 30% of adults or 58 to 65 million...

Herpes zoster.(Quick Recertification Series)(Disease/Disorder overview)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * GENERAL FEATURES ** Primary varicella zoster infection manifests as chicken pox, a highly contagious disease most commonly affecting children; herpes zoster (HZ), or "shingles" represents a later-in-life...

The government's investment in the PA profession.(Research Corner)(Physicians' assistants)
January 1, 2009... The PA profession in the United States was established and shaped by federal funding. The November 2008 issue of Academic Medicine is dedicated to describing the role of the Ride VII Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry Program and...

Influenza vaccination during pregnancy is effective.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Clinical question Is influenza vaccination during pregnancy safe and effective? Bottom line Influenza vaccination during the third trimester of pregnancy should be encouraged, as it improves outcomes in both pregnant women and their...

Selective use of FNAB is a good option for small thyroid nodules.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(fine-needle aspiration biopsy )
January 1, 2009... Clinical question What is the best diagnostic strategy for the evaluation of a patient with a small thyroid nodule? Bottom line Selective fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) for nodules from 10 mm to 14 mm using American Association of...

Psychological interventions reduce onset of depression.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Clinical question Do behavioral interventions reduce the risk of new onset depression? Bottom line Behavioral interventions to prevent depression reduce the incidence of newly diagnosed depression. Most of the studies included in this...

Researchers present guideline for managing trigeminal neuralgia.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
January 1, 2009... Clinical question What is the optimal approach to managing patients with trigeminal neuralgia? Bottom line Based upon this review of the existing evidence, patients with trigeminal neuralgia should undergo trigeminal reflex testing and be...

Atrial fibrillation recurrence is higher with episodic treatment with amiodarone.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Clinical question Is continuous or episodic prophylactic treatment with amiodarone safer and more effective for the prevention of atrial fibrillation in adults? Bottom line Atrial fibrillation is less likely to recur in adults receiving...

Q: What is a nuclear cardiac stress test?(When the Patient Asks)
January 1, 2009... Nuclear cardiology studies are used to evaluate heart function, as well as the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (MP1) with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is one of the most...

Q: What is a nuclear cardiac stress test?(Patient Information)
January 1, 2009... * WHY DO I NEED THIS TEST? The most common reason is to find out why you fed chest pain. You may have trouble catching your breath or have other problems that are being caused by your heart. * WHAT KIND OF TEST IS IT? A nuclear cardiac...

MRI helps to identify this increasingly common disease.(Diagnostic Imaging Review)(Case study)
January 1, 2009... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] * CASE A 5-year-old Indian female presented to her primary care provider (PCP) with complaints of fever (100[degrees]-F101[degrees]F), headache, vomiting, decrease in appetite, and fatigue for 1 day. Additionally,...

Get ready for the brave new world of genetic medicine.(GENETICS IN MEDICINE)(Report)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a paper published in the [October 23, 2008] issue of the journal Nature, the Tumor Sequencing Project (TSP) consortium identified 26 genes that are frequently mutated in lung adenocarcinoma--an achievement that...

Case of the month.(Case study)
January 1, 2009... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] * CASE A 54-year-old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of shortness of breath, fatigue, and nausea. She stated that for the past 4 days, she had noticed progressive shortness of breath,...