JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants articles from July 2006

JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants archives from July 2006

AAPA Board, Surgical Congress look at ways to speak with one collective voice.(American Academy of Physician Assistants)
July 1, 2006... During the recent AAPA annual conference in San Francisco, 14 representatives from organizations representing PAs in surgical specialties met for 2 hours with then-AAPA President Rick Rohrs, then--President Elect Mary Ettari, and Speaker of the...

AAPA to join NCCPA to consider needs of specialty PAs.(American Academy of Physician Assistants, National Committee on Certification of Physician Assistants)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... NCCPA Chair of the Board of Directors Bill Kohlhepp addressed the House of Delegates during the AAPA's annual conference in San Francisco. A recurring issue that the NCCPA has wrestled with over the years is how to assist PAs in the various...

Nonphysicians playing greater role in outpatient visits.(American Academy of Physician Assistants)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... PAs and other nonphysician providers have been playing "more prominent" roles in caring for those who visit outpatient departments (0PDs), according to the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, which studied the period 1993-2004. By...

The white coat: reflections from a second-year PA student.(physician assistants)(Column)
July 1, 2006... The white coat ceremony is a time-honored tradition for students who have just begun their training in one of the medical sciences. The white coat carries both historical and symbolic meaning. Physicians first wore it as a means of maintaining...

Discover the benefits of AAPA membership.(American Academy of Physician Assistants)
July 1, 2006... Ensuring your ability to practice * The AAPA government and professional affairs department lobbies policymakers and third-party payers so you can deliver quality health care with minimal barriers. * Staff members are on call to assist...

A virtual bridge to the AAPA's annual conference: these state-of-the-art sessions weren't left in San Francisco.(American Academy of Physician Assistants)(Conference news)(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... At the 34th Annual Physician Assistant Conference, held May 27 to June 1, 2006, in San Francisco, Calif, six state-of-the-art lectures were presented as part of the Knowledge PArtner Program. These cutting-edge updates, delivered by speakers...

Managing patients with suspected pulmonary embolism: two thirds of patients with PE die within an hour of symptom onset. This article reviews how to diagnose PE and treat the patient within this golden hour--the best way to avoid a fatality.(Disease/Disorder overview)
July 1, 2006... Detecting and accurately diagnosing a suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) has been the focus of considerable research over the past few decades. (1) The diagnosis of PE poses one of the greatest clinical dilemmas to health care practitioners. (2)...

Misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses in patients with ALS: ALS is debilitating and rapidly fatal, with no effective disease-modifying treatments yet available. An early, accurate diagnosis--difficult as it may be to achieve--can allow patients to prepare and plan.(amyotrophic lateral sclerosis )(Disease/Disorder overview)
July 1, 2006... A myotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neuromuscular condition characterized by weakness, muscle wasting, fasciculations, and hyperreflexia, (1) was described in 1881 by the French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. (2) ALS is...

CME post-test.
July 1, 2006... EXPIRATION DATE JULY 2007 AAPA members: Please take this CME post-test online at www.aapa.org. Forgione AM. Managing patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. JAAPA. 2006;19(7):22-28. Cristini J. Misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses in...

Understanding ecstasy: evidence of the dangerous effects of MDMA is mounting, but knowledge of these dangers remains limited. Learning about MDMA can help you educate patients and help to reduce its use.(3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
July 1, 2006... MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) was originally patented in 1914 but was not commercially produced until the 1970s, when the agent was presented to a small number of mental health professionals in the Western United States. Impressed...

"Can I have that drug I saw on TV?" Justice, cost-effectiveness, and the ethics of prescribing.(Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants )
July 1, 2006... I know. Nobody wants to read another diatribe against drug companies. That is so passe, so 2005. So how about a tirade against you instead? You, my fellow clinicians, are costing me money. Not only are you costing me money, but because of you,...

Persistent warts in an adolescent with severe atopy.(DERMATOLOGY DIGEST: A derm photo quiz)
July 1, 2006... A 16-year-old girl is referred to dermatology by her pediatrician for the removal of "warts" that have been present on her fingers for years. Many attempts at treatment, including use of OTC (salicylic-acid based) products and liquid nitrogen,...

Nonoperative management of penetrating abdominal trauma.(Medical condition overview)
July 1, 2006... Penetrating abdominal trauma is prevalent in most urban settings in the United States; for instance, 25% of trauma cases in Los Angeles are penetrating. Selective nonoperative management is practiced routinely for blunt abdominal trauma, but in...

Do triptans increase the risk of thromboembolic stroke?(Drug overview)
July 1, 2006... A 32-year-old nonsmoking female migraineur presents to your primary care office seeking more effective abortive treatment for her migraines. She is having one to two headaches per month that are only partially relieved by NSAIDs. Each headache...

Bivalent vaccine is effective against HPV for 4.5 years.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(human papillomavirus)(Clinical report)
July 1, 2006... Clinical question Does a vaccine confer long-term protection against human papillomavirus (HPV) strains associated with cervical cancer?. Bottom line A bivalent vaccine against HPV types 16 and 18 is well tolerated and effective in...

Probiotics are helpful for antibiotic-associated diarrhea.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Clinical report)
July 1, 2006... Clinical question Can probiotics prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea and assist in the treatment of Clostridium difficile disease? Bottom line The probiotics Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG both prevent...

Hot-water immersion is best for Portuguese man-of-war stings.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(jellyfish stings)
July 1, 2006... Clinical question Is hot-water (45[degrees]C, 113[degrees]F) immersion more effective than ice-pack application for relief of pain caused by bluebottle jellyfish stings? Bottom line Immediate hot-water immersion for up to 20 minutes is...

CME calendar.(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... CALIFORNIA September 29-October 1 CAPA's Big 30th Anniversary Conference. Where: Palm Springs. Provider:. California Academy of PAs, Information: www.capanet.org. CONNECTICUT September 16 Connecticut Dermatology Physician...

Case of the month: diagnostic challenges from your case files.(mycobacterium tuberculosis)(Disease/Disorder overview)
July 1, 2006... CASE The patient is a 19-year-old Indonesian man who received a foreign-student physical examination at the local university. He claimed to have a history of a positive purified protein derivative (PPD) test. A chest radiograph was...