Primary Care Reports articles from March 2004

Primary Care Reports archives from March 2004

Goiter: a review of pathophysiology and management.
March 1, 2004... Thyroid Physiology First, it is helpful to review the normal thyroid physiology. Embryologically, the thyroid gland is derived from the epithelial cells of the pharynx. It is a bi-lobed structure lying anterior to the trachea. The...

CME questions.
March 1, 2004... (8). All of the following are TSH-dependent factors involved in goiter except: A. resistance to thyroid hormone. B. dyshormonogenesis. C. goiterogens. D. thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins. E. iodine deficiency. ...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2004... It has been brought to our attention that in the April 2, 2001, issue of Primary Care Reports entitled Stroke in Primary Care Patients: Part I: Risk Factors, Clinical Presentation, and Pathophysiology, brief excerpts of text were not attributed...

Prevention of cardiovascular events with aspirin and vitamin in type 2 diabetics.
March 1, 2004... POOLED DATA (N = 50,000) ON PRIMARY prevention of cardiovascular disease with aspirin (ASA) indicates as much as 28% reduction in coronary heart disease, albeit no demonstrable effects upon total mortality or stroke. Recent data from the...

Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of type 2 diabetics.
March 1, 2004... There is a strong connection Between diet and diabetes but "best diet" remains elusive. Choosing foods with favorable glycemic index (lesser rate of rise of glucose) has been shown to positively effect diabetic control. Some spices, for...

Depression care on pain and functional outcomes among adults with arthritis.
March 1, 2004... ARTHRITIS IS THE MOST COMMON-place caused of disability in the united States, with as many as one-third of persons older than age 65 manifesting osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. It is not uncommon for this same population to suffer comorbid...

Efficacy and safety of low-dose aspirin in Polycythemia Vera.
March 1, 2004... The increased red cell mass diagnostic of polycythema vera (PCV) results in blood hyperviscosity, which is associated with increased thrombotic events. Initial enthusiasm for the concept of ASA thromboprophylaxis in PCV was dampened by a 1986...

Coronary artery calcium score plus Framingham score for risk prediction.
March 1, 2004... THE FRAMINGHAM RISK SCORE (FRS) is a commonly recommended tool for estimating risk of coronary events (CHD) in asymptomatic persons (asymptomatic for CHD, that is). It provides an assessment of the likelihood of experiencing a CHD event in the...

Intra-articular hyaluronic acid in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.
March 1, 2004... THE USE OF HYALURONIC ACID (HUA) injection in human subjects began in 1997, following a history of similar treatment in veterinary medicine. HUA is a constituent of normal synovial fluid, and has been conceptualized as a 'joint lubricant.'...

Sinus and allergy health partnership releases new guidelines for treatment of bacterial rhinosinusitis.
March 1, 2004... New guidelines for the treatment of bacterial rhinosinusitis were published in the January supplement of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery by the Sinus and Allergy Health Partnership. The goal of the guidelines is to reduce the use of...

Steroids not linked to risk of fractures.
March 1, 2004... Long-term use of inhaled steroids for the treatment of respiratory diseases or nasal steroids for the treatment of allergic rhinitis are not associated with an increased risk of fractures if they are used in normal doses, according to a study...

ADT puts men at risk for osteoporosis.
March 1, 2004... Men treated for prostate cancer with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) are at risk for osteoporosis and fractures, according to a new study. One year of ADT resulted in 2-8% bone loss in the lumbar spine and 1.8-6.5% bone loss in the femoral...

Study shows valsartan may improve sexual function in postmenopausal women.
March 1, 2004... A new study suggests that valsartan may improve sexual function in hypertensive postmenopausal women. Researchers randomized 120 postmenopausal women aged 51-55 with mild-to-moderate hypertension to valsartan 80 mg daily or atenolol 50 mg daily...

New direct-to-consumer pharma advertising rules considered.
March 1, 2004... Anyone who watched the Super Bowl can verify that direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription pharmaceuticals is big business. Now the FDA is considering tighter restrictions on the content of these ads, requiring pharmaceutical companies to...

FDA actions.
March 1, 2004... Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals has received FDA approval to market tiotropium bromide inhalation powder (Spiriva) for the treatment of COPD. Tiotropium, a once-daily anticholinergic agent, is indicated for the long-term maintenance...