JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants articles from June 2005

JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants archives from June 2005

Mary Ettari, 2005-2006 AAPA president elect.(FROM THE AAPA: News of current interest)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... AAPA members have elected Mary P. Ettari AAPA president elect for 2005-2006. Ettari, currently president of the PA Foundation, will automatically succeed Rick Rohrs, who takes office as president in June. Ettari has held various leadership...

AAPA submits comments on DEA retraction of pain medication guidance.(FROM THE AAPA: News of current interest)(American Academy of Physician Assistants)(Drug Enforcement Administration)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... AAPA told the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in written comments that the administration should not have a role in telling health care providers how to treat patients' pain, and that the release and subsequent retraction of its document...

AAPA joins Partnership for Prescription Assistance.(FROM THE AAPA: News of current interest)(American Academy of Physician Assistants)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... As part of an ongoing effort to ensure that PAs are able to provide patients who lack prescription drug coverage with the most up-to-date information to help them get the medications they need, AAPA has joined the Partnership for Prescription...

Lessons learned.(Editorial)
June 1, 2005... Inspiration comes from many places, some of which are quite unexpected. For this editorial, these moments came back-to-back. On one day, I was inspired by something I read in the newspaper. (1) The following day, I read something in AAPA News...

Treating obesity: new advice from the American College of Physicians.(IN THE NEWS: Commentary on advances in medicine)
June 1, 2005... We know a lot about obesity. We know that it is a growing problem in the United States, now approaching epidemic proportions. (1) Obesity is associated with many leading causes of death and disability and is thus exceedingly costly to our...

A day in the life: how PAs live and work.
June 1, 2005... My work as a PA allows me to combine a variety of activities. My clinical practice is in the outpatient setting, and I also have supervisory and administrative duties related to both our hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) program...

Evaluation and management of hypercalcemia: your patient has hypertension, osteoporosis, and fatigue. Physical findings are normal and age-appropriate, but the lab results show a moderately elevated serum calcium level. Will you ignore it, watch it, or investigate further?(Recertification Refresher)(Disease/Disorder overview)
June 1, 2005... Patients with hypercalcemia--elevated serum calcium levels--used to present symptomatically, when they developed nephrolithiasis, nephrocalcinosis, osteopenia, or osteofibrosa cystica. Today, however, routine laboratory work reveals the...

Atrial fibrillation: new theories, emerging treatments: should the target of therapy be rhythm control or rate control? Which patients should take warfarin? Do ACE inhibitors have a role? If pharmacotherapy fails, what are the options?(Recertification Refresher)(Disease/Disorder overview)
June 1, 2005... Atrial fibrillation (AF) has become so common that 5% of people in the Western world can be expected to develop this arrhythmia during their lifetimes. The overall prevalence of AF in this country is 0.5% to 1%, increasing to 10% in persons...

CME post-test.
June 1, 2005... EXPIRATION DATE JUNE 2006 AAPA members: Please take this CME post-test online at www.aapa.org. Hutton E. Evaluation and management of hypercalcemia. JAAPA. 2005;18(6):30-35. Johnson J, Napier KT. Atrial fibrillation: New theories,...

Hypothermia--potentially deadly all year round: when the body loses more heat than it develops, hypothermia is the result. Quick thinking and knowledge of the different rewarming techniques are key to managing this potentially deadly condition.(Disease/Disorder overview)(Cover story)
June 1, 2005... Systemic hypothermia, defined as a reduction in core body temperature to less than 35[degrees]C (95[degrees]F), (1-3) is classified as mild (32.1[degrees]C-35[degrees]C [89.8[degrees]F-95[degrees]F]), moderate (28[degrees]C-32[degrees]C...

Painless lesions and an odd biopsy result.(DERMATOLOGY DIGEST: A derm photo quiz)
June 1, 2005... A 41-year-old man presented with an 18-month history of asymptomatic macules on his central trunk. They had steadily increased in number, covering more and more area over time. The patient denied having been ill before the onset of the...

Using aspirin to prevent stroke.(WHEN THE PATIENT ASKS: Brief reviews for you and your patients)
June 1, 2005... Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. (1) By identifying and treating all high-risk patients, PAs can help to prevent approximately 50% of all strokes; (2)...

How to prevent a stroke.(PATIENT INFORMATION: From your physician assistant)
June 1, 2005... A stroke is what happens if an artery that goes to the brain becomes blocked off or breaks open. As a result, nerve cells in that area of the brain don't get enough blood or oxygen. They stop working correctly, and some of them die. When...

St. John's wort = SSRI for moderate-severe depression.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
June 1, 2005... Clinical question In adults with moderate to severe major depression, is an extract of St. John's wort as effective as paroxetine (Paxil) in the short term? Bottom line In patients with moderate to severe depression, St. John's wort was at...

PPIs reduce rebleeding and need for surgery in bleeding PUD.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(proton pump inhibitors)(peptic ulcer disease)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... Clinical question Do certain subgroups of patients with bleeding peptic ulcers benefit more from proton pump inhibitors than others? Bottom line In all groups, proton pump inhibitors reduce rebleeding and the need for surgery, particularly...

Folate and vitamin [B.sub.12] lower fracture risk after stroke.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
June 1, 2005... Clinical question Is supplementation with folate and mecobalamin (vitamin [B.sub.12]) effective in reducing the risk of hip fractures in patients with stroke? Bottom line Combined supplementation with oral high-dose folate and mecobalamin...

Fast track in the field: another option to ease ED overcrowding.(SOUNDING BOARD: JAAPA's op-ed department)(emergency department)
June 1, 2005... Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is becoming a serious problem in the nation's hospitals. Many are forced to go on ambulance diversion status because of a shortage of bed space, clinicians, or resources needed to take care of patients....

CME calendar.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... CALIFORNIA September 21-24 15th Annual Certification/Recertification Review. Where: Atlanta. Provider: Emory University PA program. Information: (404) 727-7827; cwilson@learnlink.emory.edu. September 30-October 2 29th Annual CAPA...

Case of the month: diagnostic challenges from your case files.(case report of slipped capital femoral epiphysis)
June 1, 2005... CASE The patient is a 15-year-old overweight white male with a 4-week history of left hip pain. He described the pain as a dull ache in the front and side of his left hip. The pain had gradually worsened over the 4 weeks and was...