January 2015

A 29-year-old female accountant is seen by you for painful lesions in the vulva. Her past medical history is notable only for the use of the hormonal contraceptive patch. She has been married for one year and denies a past history of herpes. Examination reveals two mildly tender grouped ulcerative lesions on the left labia.

Patients with high body mass indexes and obesity are at greater risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea. This meta-analysis looked to determine if the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure for sleep apnea would result in weight loss or weight gain.

As electronic health records become more prevalent in the healthcare community, the number of software options doctors can choose from seems to range as widely as the practices themselves.

For patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, preventing stroke using anti-coagulation medication is the standard of care. This study looked at using a device that closes off the left atrial appendage of the heart to determine if it too would lower the risk of stroke.

This study was a prospective cohort of 198 self-selected, adult patients with documented coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, carotid artery disease, or peripheral arterial disease who followed a strict, plant-based dietary intervention in addition to standard medical therapy. The study examined compliance with diet as well as adverse cardiovascular events in both adherent and nonadherent patients.

A 60 year-old man presents with complaints of a skipped heartbeat, shortness of breath and some light-headedness while sitting. When he is active, he has none of these symptoms. He is able to walk, climb stairs and even exercise on his elliptical without symptoms.

This 8-year-old girl came down with this itching rash following a horseback ride and a soak in a whirlpool spa. Other than itching, she has no symptoms and is in good health with no significant past medical history or medications.

One day following sigmoidoscopy for an anal stricture, this 61-year-old obese woman was admitted to the emergency department in shock. Earlier that morning, she had a barium enema without evidence of free air inferior to the diaphragm. Acute abdominal pain developed several hours later.

When opting for urine drug testing, doctors often choose between sending samples to a lab for examination or an immunoassay test.

Another viral outbreak has hit the United States causing fear and hysteria as well as action from public health officials. The index case for this outbreak occurred in my home state, California, and its spread has far exceeded that seen with Ebola virus.

This observational cohort study from New Zealand found that "gossipy" magazines are often subtly taken from your waiting room, while the "non-gossipy" magazines remain.

This Meta-Analysis found chewing gum use following cesarean section decreased a variety of complications"