Family Medicine

Recently published study results, when combined with results from previous clinical trials, show treatment with the antifibrotic drug pirfenidone slows disease progression and improves survival in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). These findings, if they lead the FDA to reevaluate and approve this drug, could be a game changer for patients with IPF, a disease marked by a high mortality rate and few treatment options.

A 36-year-old pregnant woman at 27 weeks gestation presented to the obstetrical triage for evaluation of possible abscess due to a lesion on her buttock that first appeared 1 week ago. Since that time, it has become increasingly painful and itchy. Although she denies any systemic symptoms, her pregnancy is complicated by gestational diabetes and obesity. However, she is HIV negative and her other prenatal labs were unremarkable.

Study of obese men with low testosterone and type 2 diabetes showed no benefits from treatment with intramuscular testosterone undecanote in glucose metabolism or visceral adiposity.

Combination treatment with a fixed dose of indacaterol and glycopyrronium bromide was associated with significant improvements in several measures of lung function and health status compared to placebo and tiotropium in treatment-naïve patients with COPD.

Continuing medical education is far too important an endeavor to be subjected to a political process, especially one that is often driven by news headlines or the personal experiences of legislators or influential constituents.

Study results show that pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee often exhibits neuropathic pain characteristics.

Subgroup analysis from four studies reveals treatment with a once-daily, fixed-dose combination of umeclidinium vilanterol improves lung function at 24 weeks for a broad range of patients with moderate to severe COPD.

Treatment with a fixed-dose combination of aclidinium 400 µg and formoterol 12 µg significantly improved bronchodilation in patients with moderate to severe COPD compared with aclidinium or formoterol monotherapy alone.

Because these medications are immunosuppressants, careful monitoring is required in patients to guard against comorbid infection and other side effects.

Study results presented at the 2014 American Thoracic Society International Conference show that treatment with rosuvastatin reduces markers of inflammation in patients with COPD after 12 weeks, but is not associated with improvements in measures of lung function.

Study results presented at the 2014 American Thoracic Society International Conference show that treatment with simvastatin did not decrease exacerbation rates or time to first exacerbation in patients with COPD.

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to primary care physicians treating chronic pain is their perception of inadequacy in managing this patient population.

Researchers reported no treatment effects after 12 weeks in a population of patients with persistent moderate to severe allergic asthma.

New research shows that food allergies may have increased more far more quickly among black children than among American children as a whole, leading to increased risk of anaphylaxis.

A significant number of sexually active individuals will become infected with HPV at some point in their lifetimes.

Since inactivity accounts for 10-16% of breast cancers, colon cancers, and diabetes cases, as well as 22% of heart disease, some researchers believe too much sitting can cause just as much harm as smoking.

As newer anticoagulants become accepted into clinical practice, it is important to consider their unique properties, potential benefits, and how they act in the coagulation cascade.

A recent study has raised concerns about the use of prescribed anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs, especially given their addictive nature.

A project to expand hepatitis C treatment by equipping primary care doctors with telemedicine tools more than doubled the proportion of patients expected to receive treatment in Arizona and Utah, according to a recently released government report.

Despite intensive subcutaneous insulin therapy, a relatively small group of type 1 diabetics fails to reach adequate glycemic control, has frequent hypoglycemic episodes, or develops insulin resistance.