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

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

Plan now for the annual conference.(News of current interest)
March 1, 2005... It's never to early to begin planning your CME schedule for the AAPA's 33rd Annual Physician Assistant Conference in Orlando, Fla, May 28 to June 2--the only national conference for PAs in all specialties. The official Conference Planner is now...

US Public Health Service calls for Commissioned Corps applicants.(News of current interest)
March 1, 2005... The Health Resources and Services Administration recently announced that it is accepting applications from clinicians, including PAs, who wish to be hired as commissioned officers in the US Public Health Service. The officers will be assigned...

State action could lead to loss of certification, AAPA membership.(News of current interest)(American Academy of Physician Assistants)
March 1, 2005... PAs who find themselves on the wrong end of legal or ethical troubles that lead to a conviction or action by a state medical board now risk losing both their national certification and their AAPA membership. The National Commission for...

On state and federal levels, achievements show the power of PA unity.(News of current interest)(physicians assistants)
March 1, 2005... Numerous legislative and other public policy accomplishments in 2004 once again proved that PAs are a powerful voice when they join together to back legislation that improves health care delivery and patient care. From the expansion of...

Physician assistants and humanitarian assistance.(Guest Editorial)
March 1, 2005... The tsunamis of December 26, 2004, will long be remembered, first for the vast suffering and loss of life that occurred in the south Asian and Horn of Africa regions. Scores of waterfront communities throughout Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka,...

A tale of two coxibs.(Commentary on advances in medicine)(COX-2 drug approvals)
March 1, 2005... What's up with the FDA lately? The regulatory agency seems to have been in the news repeatedly as one high-profile drug after another gets removed from the market or has a new "black box" warning added to its labeling. Remember troglitizone...

Evaluating acute abdominal pain in adults: a patient comes into your office practically doubled over in pain. Where should your workup begin? What clues are most revealing? And how do you examine the patient kindly, without increasing the pain?(Recertification Refresher)
March 1, 2005... Emergency departments (EDs) see 5 million patients annually with the chief complaint of abdominal pain, (1) which remains a leading cause of hospital admission in the United States. (2) Despite its frequent occurrence, abdominal pain is...

The metabolic syndrome: modify root causes, treat risk factors: you've heard about it. But do you actually know what it is? Can you identify patients at risk? This article reviews the criteria for the metabolic syndrome and explains what you can do for patients who have it.(Recertification Refresher)
March 1, 2005... The condition known as the metabolic syndrome is a constellation of risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Many of these risk factors--including abdominal obesity, atherogenic...

CME post-test.(Recertification Refreshner)
March 1, 2005... EXPIRATION DATE MARCH 2006 AAPA members: Please take this CME Post-test online at www.aapa.org. Cook K. Evaluating acute abdominal pain in adults. JAAPA. 2005;18(3):22-29. Rassman J, Gupta S. The metabolic syndrome: Modify root...

Preparing for disasters: what should you know, and when should you know it?(Recertification Refreshner)
March 1, 2005... As first responders, PAs need to be familiar with the local disaster plan, understand their role in emergencies involving all types of hazards, and know how to communicate with patients, staff, and government agencies. Three waves of...

Making a bad situation worse.(A derm photo quiz)(Majocchi's granuloma made worse by corticosteroid creams)
March 1, 2005... A 59-year-old man was seen by a dermatology PA for evaluation of an itchy rash that began on his leg 2 years previously. He tried a number of topical creams without success until his primary care provider prescribed a cream that combined...

Vitamin E not helpful, perhaps harmful.(Patient-oriented Evidence that matters)(heart disease prevention)
March 1, 2005... Clinical question In patients with or without heart disease, does vitamin E supplementation decrease mortality? Bottom line Vitamin E supplementation does not decrease all-cause mortality in patients with or without pre-existing heart...

Rivastigmine of some benefit in Parkinson's disease with dementia.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
March 1, 2005... Clinical question Is rivastigmine an effective drug for the treatment of dementia in patients with Parkinson's disease? Bottom line Rivastigmine (Exelon) provides a small benefit in patients with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease...

Fecal DNA testing more sensitive than Hemoccult II.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
March 1, 2005... Clinical question Is a fecal DNA test better than the standard Hemoccult II fecal occult-blood test at detecting important colorectal lesions? Bottom line Fecal DNA testing is more sensitive than the traditional Hemoccult II, although it...

CME calendar.(Calendar)
March 1, 2005... ALABAMA April 1-3 ASPA 2005 Annual CME Conference. Where: Birmingham. Provider: Alabama Society of Physician Assistants. Information: svjporter@aol.com. ARIZONA April 13-15 Midwestern University PANCE Preparation Course 2005....

Case of the month: diagnostic challenges from your case files.(diagnosing subdural hematoma)
March 1, 2005... CASE The patient is a 64-year-old man who was brought to the emergency department (ED) by paramedics following new-onset seizures and loss of consciousness. On arrival, his Glasgow Coma Scale score was 11. He experienced two further...