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October 2011 Issue of JAAPA

Commentary

PAs and the future of health care in the United States

The author urges PAs to join the Campaign for Action to help build a health care system where all Americans have access to high-quality, patient-centered ...

Pharmacology Consult

Starting levothyroxine therapy; treating pernicious anemia

This month's topics are how to initiate treatment in patients with hypothyroidism and cobalamin dosing in patients with pernicious anemia.

Dermatology Digest

Is this edema and firming of the skin a severe sign?

This female patient experiences a series of unusual changes on the skin of both her hands: edema, whitening and pain in the fingertips, and cyanosis.

A Day in the Life

A Day in the Life: Zehra Ahmed, PA-C, MBBS

A PA describes her time in Oworobong, a rural village in Ghana, treating patients at a government clinic and adjusting to the cultural challenges such ...

CME

Using the new ACR criteria for early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

Earlier diagnosis means faster treatment with DMARDs, and early treatment has the best chance to minimize disability and optimize outcomes for patients with RA.

Evaluating the patient with vertigo: A complex complaint made simple

It's a truism that the history alone can often lead to an accurate diagnosis, and asking the right questions can be especially helpful when assessing ...

CME Posttests

CME posttest: Rheumatoid arthritis; vertigo

October 2011

Brief Report

The results of the first Canadian national  physician assistant survey

PAs are just one way to increase access to health care, but they are a profession with a proven track record in Canada—and one that ...

Physician assistants in the United Kingdom:  An initial profile of the profession

The UK PA profession is in its infancy but shows potential to be a flexible source of medical care provision in the United Kingdom as ...

Case Reports

Abdominal pain in an elderly patient with an extensive surgical history

One of the first steps to diagnosis was ruling out ischemia due to an earlier surgical procedure. CT with and without contrast helped confirm the ...

Tachycardia and an enlarged cardiac silhouette in an adolescent male

An 18-year-old with a complicated history presents with a worsening upper respiratory tract infection. A chest radiograph identified a severe heart condition as the cause.

Research Report

Improving utilization of antimicrobial drugs  among physician assistants in the ED

Inappropriate antibiotic use in hospitals is a major public health issue, and this study shows how collaboration between PAs and hospitalists can improve antimicrobial utilization.

Review Articles

The use of corticosteroids for spinal cord injuries: Where are we now?

Clinicians have long been confused about how to best treat SCIs. Research on the topic is limited, and existing study designs remain flawed. This article ...

What's New

What's new in emergency medicine : The utility of bedside ultrasonography

Bedside ultrasonography has advanced the practice of emergency medicine, allowing physicians to establish prompt diagnoses and even improve patient outcomes.

PA Quandaries

The ethics of coding:  Are we committing fraud?

What are the ethical obligations of health care providers? Since auditors look to the medical record to validate billing, providers are expected to document thoroughly ...

Diagnostic Imaging Review

Impaired vision along with a headache in an elderly man

An otherwise healthy man with a history of otitis media presents with a worsening headache and visual disturbances for the past week.

Humane Medicine

Transitional medicine: Patients  who are just passing through

I watch them go—a new family I will most likely never see again. They've played by the rules, but got burned by the system. Lose ...

Case of the Month

Spearlike chest pain and vomiting in a morbidly obese patient

After taking a laxative in preparation for a colonoscopy, a woman with a number of medical problems experiences troubling symptoms.

Interpreting ECGs

Ventricular fibrillation

An unsteady baseline and a very irregular QRS segment are highly indicative of ventricular fibrillation.

Ask a Librarian

Ask a Librarian!—October 2011

This month's topics are the differences between a systematic review and a review article and how to differentiate between an electronic medical record and an ...

Eliminating Health Disparities: What Works?

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—October 2011

This month's column unveils the changes to come to this blog and discusses how seemingly novel research will prove valuable in pinpointing disparities.