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

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

AAPA comments on Medicaid citizenship rule.(FROM THE AAPA: News of current interest)(American Academy of Physician Assistants)
October 1, 2006... AAPA has submitted comments on a recently published federal rule that would require United States citizens and nationals who apply for or receive Medicaid benefits to document their citizenship and identity. The interim final rule, published in...

PAs reminded to get influenza vaccine.(FROM THE AAPA: News of current interest)(physician assistant)
October 1, 2006... According to the CDC, the rate of health care worker (HCW) vaccination was up to 40.1% in 2003. These data are based on self-reports from the CDC's annual National Health Interview Survey and represent a small but important increase in the...

AAPA to host inaugural Constituent Organization Resource Exchange.(FROM THE AAPA: News of current interest)(American Academy of Physician Assistants)(Calendar)
October 1, 2006... On February 23-25, 2007, AAPA constituent organization leaders from across the nation will gather in Arlington, Va, for the first Constituent Organization Resource Exchange (CORE). CORE participants will take part in educational sessions and...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
October 1, 2006... In the CSAC Special Report on COPD in the August 2006 issue, we mistakenly stated that the [FEV.sub.1]/FVC ratio should be compared to predicted values. Rather, all advanced stages of COPD (stages I-IV) are related to the absolute value of...

What's the difference between PAs and NPs?(GUEST EDITORIAL)
October 1, 2006... Any PA student or practicing PA has undoubtedly been asked the question, "What is the difference between a PA and a nurse practitioner (NP)?" There is no easy way to respond because what a PA or an NP does varies by state, specialty, and...

A day in the life: how PAs live and work.(physician assistants)
October 1, 2006... When I was in PA school at SUNY Stonybrook, I always thought I would practice E R or family medicine after I graduated. I never envisioned the combination of clinical practice and research in neurology that currently fills my days. In 1984 (now...

Politics and the PA: caring for patients and your profession.(SPECIAL ARTICLE)(physician assistant)
October 1, 2006... I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.--Charles de Gaulle Few PAs choose their profession solely for the paycheck. There are plenty of ways to earn a living that don't require...

Health-related implications and management of sarcopenia: this age-related deterioration in functionality is, to some extent, preventable. Furthermore, encouraging patients to adopt healthy eating and exercise habits can even reverse some of the effects.
October 1, 2006... Sarcopenia is defined as the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function. The condition is both a process and an outcome. Beginning in the fourth decade of life, adults lose 3% to 5% of muscle mass per decade, (1) a rate of...

Effective topical treatments for atrophic vaginitis: topical estrogen products and moisturizers can treat and sometimes even reverse the signs and symptoms of vaginal atrophy. These therapies elevate serum estrogen levels only minimally, so they have a low risk of adverse effects.
October 1, 2006... Every 7 seconds, another baby boomer turns 50-that is, more than 12,000 people each day. (1) With an average life expectancy of almost 80 years, women now spend one third of their lives after menopause. (2) These women continue to lead active...

CME post-test.
October 1, 2006... EXPIRATION DATE OCTOBER 2007 AAPA members: Please take this CME post-test online at www.aapa.org. Sarcopenia 1. Unlike other disorders associated with muscle loss, samopenia is seen in persons who a. Have inadequate dietary...

PA attitudes toward prescription drug costs.
October 1, 2006... ABSTRACT Purpose: This descriptive comparative study assessed PAs' knowledge of drug costs and attitudes about prescribing prescription medications. Method: Data were collected using a modified questionnaire. The survey instrument...

Paradigm shifts in the approach to women's health care.(CSAC SPECIAL REPORT)
October 1, 2006... Women's health care has traditionally focused on the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions unique to women. However, the recent recognition of significant differences in risk factors, disease manifestations, and responses to...

Using CT to diagnose pulmonary embolism.(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING REVIEW: Interpreting clinical images)(computed tomography)(Clinical report)
October 1, 2006... CASE The patient is a 60-year-old man who presents to the emergency department with shortness of breath and tachycardia. He underwent a total hip replacement 2 weeks ago. You notice he has tachypnea. You hear a prominent second heart sound...

Itch scratches at a multifaceted diagnosis.(DERMATOLOGY DIGEST: A derm photo quiz)(Case study)(Clinical report)
October 1, 2006... A 30-year-old Asian woman presents to our clinic with a very itchy rash on her neck that has been present for several months. She had attempted to relieve the itch with both OTC (eg, triple antibiotic ointment, clotrimazole cream) and...

Cholesterol lowering is cost-effective in high-risk elderly.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
October 1, 2006... Clinical question What is the cost-effectiveness of pravastatin (Pravachol) treatment in high-risk patients aged 65 to 75 years? Bottom line From the viewpoint of a health system, it is cost-effective to treat high-risk patients older than 65...

Varenicline reduces nicotine dependence.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Clinical report)
October 1, 2006... Clinical question Is varenicline (Chantix) more effective than bupropion and placebo for smoking cessation? Bottom line Varenicline therapy for 12 weeks is significantly more effective than placebo at maintaining smoking abstinence at 52 weeks....

Rapid A1C testing does not influence outcomes or cost.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(glycosylated hemoglobin)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
October 1, 2006... Clinical question Does a rapid assay for glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) improve outcomes and save money? Bottom line Rapid testing of A1C in office settings does not save money or improve glycemic control compared with usual care. (Level of...

CME calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2006... ARIZONA November 1-5 8th Annual AFPPA Conference & Exhibition. Where: Phoenix. Provider: Association of Family Practice PAs. Information: www.afppa.org. March 28-31, 2007 ASAPA Spring 2007 Primary Care Conference. Where: Sedona....

PAs in endocrinology.(SPECIALTY UPDATE: Focus on PA specialty organizations)(physician assistants)
October 1, 2006... PAs in endocrinology are often involved in the treatment of patients with diabetes, and AAPA represents the PA profession on several national diabetes projects. * The Academy sits on the American College of Physicians Diabetes Initiative...

PAs in gastroenterology.(SPECIALTY UPDATE: Focus on PA specialty organizations)(physician assistants)
October 1, 2006... PAs in gastroenterology belong to one of the more than 20 constituent organizations that contract with AAPA for all or part of their management services through the Academy's COMS program. In addition to management services, AAPA provides a...

Case of the month: diagnostic challenges from your case files.
October 1, 2006... CASE An 11-year-old boy was referred to our orthopedic practice after injuring his left knee at football practice. The patient explained that he was hit from behind and fell on his flexed knees. The following day, he was evaluated at a...