JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants articles from September 2008

JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants archives from September 2008

Global HIV/AIDS funding expanded to $50 billion.(FROM THE AAPA)(American Academy of Physicians Assistants )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... President Bush has signed the Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, allocating $50 billion to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other programs over the next 5 years....

More unemployed, Hispanics, young adults are uninsured.(FROM THE AAPA)(Survey)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The CDC recently released two reports on health insurance coverage that provide a look at the country's health care haves and have-nots. The "Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2007"...

Report urges immediate action on health workforce policy.(FROM THE AAPA)(American Academy of Physician Assistants)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... "Out of Order, Out of Tame: The State of the Nation's Health Workforce" a report released July 17 by the Association of Academic Health Centers, recommends that the state of the health care workforce in America be made a "priority domestic...

Caring for military veterans--in more ways than one.(Editorial)
September 1, 2008... On April 30, 1975, ten Marines, the last Americans I from the US embassy, departed Saigon, ending the United States presence in Vietnam. The final death toll from this war was approximately 58,000 soldiers; another 304,000 were wounded. (1)...

Product: Kinrix.(New Drug Information)(Drug overview)
September 1, 2008... PRODUCT: Kinrix COMPANY: GlaxoSmithKline PHARMACOLOGIC CLASS: Vaccine (DTaP + IPV) ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, acellular pertussis vaccine, aluminum hydroxide adsorbed; inactivated polio vaccine; susp for...

Product: Pentacel.(New Drug Information)(Drug overview)
September 1, 2008... PRODUCT: Pentacel COMPANY: Sanofi Pasteur PHARMACOLOGIC CLASS: Vaccine (DTaP-IPV + Hib/PRP-T) ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids + acellular pertussis adsorbed + inactivated poliovirus vaccine (susp); Hib conjugate...

Ensuring healthier pregnancies.(PRECONCEPTION CARE)(Report)
September 1, 2008... * WHO SHOULD READ THIS? Any physician assistant who provides care for women of childbearing age. * WHAT IS PRECONCEPTION CARE? Preconception care stresses risk assessment and health promotion and education in preparation for...

Did this young girl brush too vigorously?(Dermatology Digest)(Case study)
September 1, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] * CASE A 16-year-old female presented with a painless lesion on her upper gingiva. She reported that about 4 weeks ago, her gums began to bleed while she was brushing her teeth. When she looked in her mouth, she...

Antenatal depression: guidelines for when to use pharmacotherapy: an in-depth and individualized discussion with the pregnant woman of available treatment options ensures patient adherence and an optimal outcome for the pregnancy.(CME)(Report)
September 1, 2008... One in 10 pregnant women suffers from depression; (1-3) this rate increases to 13% in the later stages of pregnancy. (4) In the past 10 to 15 years, the medical community has paid increasing attention to treatment options for women with...

VATS lobectomy to treat early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.(The Surgical Patient)(Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery)(Case study)
September 1, 2008... The bad news is that in 2008, lung cancer still remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States: almost 162,000 deaths are expected and more than 200,000 new cases are anticipated dais year alone. (1) The good news is that as...

The history holds the key in this gardener with a skin infection: staphylococci and streptococci are the most common causes of skin infections--but when the patient is immunocompromised, keep other causative organisms in mind as well.(Case study)
September 1, 2008... CASE The patient is a 75-year-old retired white male with a 3-day history of a papular abscess on and cellulitis of the ulnar aspect of the fifth digit on the right hand. He had presented to the emergency department (ED) and was referred...

What to do when neck pain is more than just a simple pain in the neck: early identification of the cause of a patient's neck pain is important, but equally important is choosing the treatment that will provide the most optimal results.(CME)(Disease/Disorder overview)
September 1, 2008... Neck pain can manifest as an acute sprain, strain, or inflammation. (1) A sprain is a sudden twisting or displacement of the joint leading to stretched ligaments and is often accompanied by the tearing of blood vessels, bruising, instability,...

CME posttest.
September 1, 2008... EXPIRATION DATE' SEPTEMBER 2009 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...

A call to compassion.(SOUNDING BOARD)
September 1, 2008... I am sure that we PAs entered the PA profession for many different reasons. Some of us may have had a sick loved one and appreciated a kind-hearted PA who cared for that person. Others may have been encouraged by a visit they made to a PA...

Urinary incontinence.(Quick Recertification Series)(Disease/Disorder overview)
September 1, 2008... * GENERAL FEATURES ** Risk factors for women include childbearing, obesity, other urinary symptoms (urinary urgency, frequency), and functional and cognitive impairment (inability to appropriately access a bathroom). ** Risk factors...

Sarcoidosis.(Quick Recertification Series)(Disease/Disorder overview)
September 1, 2008... * GENERAL FEATURES ** Sarcoidosis is a chronic systemic granulomatous disease characterized histologically by the presence of nonspecific, noncaseating granulomas. ** The etiology is unknown. ** Patients at risk include all...

Intensive control of blood suqar may be harmful in adults with type 2 diabetes.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Report)
September 1, 2008... Clinical question Does intensive control of blood sugar (glycated hemoglobin [A1C] level Bottom line Intensive control of blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetics (glycated hemoglobin <7.0%) may reduce the incidence of disease-oriented...

Tetracyclines are equally effective for the treatment of acne vulgaris.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Clinical question What is the most effective way to use tetracyclines for the treatment of ache vulgaris? Bottom line There is no difference between tetracyclines regarding their efficacy in reducing lesion counts in acne. Although...

Half of patients with optic neuritis will develop MS after 15 years.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Report)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Clinical question How many patients with optic neuritis will develop multiple sclerosis (MS)? Bottom line After 15 years of follow up, 50% of patients with optic neuritis went on to develop MS. Patients with 1 or more white matter lesions...

Pharmacist-assisted Web-based care improves hypertension control.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Report)
September 1, 2008... Clinical question Can a pharmacist-assisted Web-based care program improve hypertension control? Bottom line A pharmacist-assisted management program including home BP monitoring and regular Web site communication resulted in a higher rate...

Rhythm control is not better than rate control in AF with heart failure.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(atrial fibrillation)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... Clinical question What is the best strategy for managing atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with heart failure? Bottom line Rhythm control is no better than rate control for patients with atrial fibrillation, even if they have left...

Q: how can I lower my cholesterol?(When the Patient Asks)(Report)
September 1, 2008... Seventeen percent of adult Americans have hyperlipidemia, a major risk factor for heart disease. Diet and exercise can help to bring this risk factor under control, with the help of cholesterol-lowering medication for patients who need it....

Q: how can I lower my cholesterol?(Patient Information)(Report)
September 1, 2008... High cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for heart disease. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans has this problem. If you are one of them, it is important to find ways to lower your cholesterol levels. * CAN DIET AND EXERCISE HELP? Eating...

These characteristic findings reveal a rare disease.(Diagnostic Imaging Review)(Case study)
September 1, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] * CASE A 44-year-old male presented to the radiology department for chest radiographs after being evaluated by his physician. The patient had a history of asthma, and during the physical examination, the physician...

Case of the month.(Case study)
September 1, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] * CASE The patient is a 61-year-old hospitalized male who experienced sudden onset of chest pressure and mild shortness of breath while lying in bed. He described the pain as substernal chest pressure or tightness...