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Patient Information

Q: Is caffeine safe during pregnancy?

May 29, 2012

Is a flu shot safe after GBS?

Kendra Yale, Bettie Coplan, MPAS, PA-C March 22, 2012

More research is needed, but current data suggest that more cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome occur after the flu or an influenzalike illness than after vaccination.

Chikungunya virus: An emerging condition in the industrialized world

Alicia Weitzel, BS, Paul P. Rega, MD, FACEP; Christopher E. Bork, PhD, EMT-B, FASAHP January 23, 2012

Once found only in developing tropical nations, CHIKV has spread to the world at large.  With proper management and close communication with authorities, it can be contained.

Will granting patients full access to medical notes in their records increase questions and create confusion?

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC December 22, 2011

While patients are in full support of being able to examine their complete medical records, health care providers are leery. Blog author Jim Anderson examines the research that has been done about the pros and cons of the matter.

What should I know about vitamin D?

Angela Dunaway, PharmD, PA-C July 26, 2011

Information about vitamin D, including its sources, recommended levels, and options for treating vitamin D deficiency, are discussed. A patient handout with frequently asked questions is included.

How do I treat my high cholesterol?

Mary L. Hewett, PA-C, MS May 31, 2011

The treatment options for lowering LDL cholesterol are discussed. A patient handout with frequently asked questions is included.

Ask a Librarian!—May 2011

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC, Susan Klawansky, MLS, AHIP May 11, 2011

This month's topics are online sources for evidence-based practice and finding good-quality patient information for EMRs.

What should I know about diabetes?

Tina M. Butler, PA-C, MPAS March 29, 2011

This information can help PAs understand the diagnosis, treatment, and complications of diabetes mellitus, enabling them to explain to patients how to prevent and manage the disease.

Rare conditions: Where do primary care and genetic diseases intersect?

Sharon F. Terry, MA, Alyson Krokosky, MS November 17, 2010

As knowledge related to rare genetic disorders grows, the role of the primary care provider must change to accommodate such patients.

Can folic acid lower heart attack risk?

Nicole L. Hatcher, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C November 03, 2010

This information can help PAs explain the importance of folic acid in the diet and the merits of reports that folic acid supplements can prevent a heart attack.

What is MRSA?

September 30, 2010

The causes and treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are discussed. A patient handout with frequently asked questions is included.

Stress management: Helping patients to find effective coping strategies

Denise Rizzolo, PA-C, PhD, Mona Sedrak, PA-C, PhD September 01, 2010

The impact of stress on physical and mental health illustrates the need for a variety of effective coping techniques.

Inside the AAPA Policy Manual—August 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC August 10, 2010

The author writes policy, and it passes! Examining the journey of a policy statement from proposed policy to final product, and the evolution of the policy during each stage of the process.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA): How PAs can protect patients and their families

Constance Goldgar, MS, PA-C July 14, 2010

A new law protects against the misuse of genetic information that may reduce health care benefits for patients and their families.

What is an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator?

Mary L. Hewett, PA-C, MS May 17, 2010

Your patients with arrhythmias will want to know all there is to know about these lifesaving devices.

What do I do about treatment-resistant depression?

Mary L. Hewitt, PA-C, MS March 25, 2010

Patients who don't respond to their antidepressant should be evaluated carefully for compliance, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, and social stressors. Switching drugs or combination therapy may be warranted.

Tobacco dependence: How should a busy clinician intervene?

Jean Covino, DHSc, MPA, PA-C February 01, 2010

A combination of brief counseling and appropriate pharmacotherapy produces the most promising outcomes for patients willing to quit.

What is a heart catheterization?

Nicole L. Hatcher, PA-C, MPAS January 28, 2010

This patient handout explains that left-heart catheterization with coronary angiography is the gold standard test for significant coronary disease.

"This must be true—I read about it on the Internet"

Sarah Zarbock, PA-C October 08, 2009

When patients search for health information on the Web, is what they find reliable? Do they understand what they read? Do they even tell you what they found?

Should I be tested for the BRCA gene?

Jill Gore, MPAS, PA-C September 24, 2009

Patients whose family members have breast, ovarian, or prostate cancer will want to know their risk of disease and if there's anything the can do to reduce it.

Ask a Librarian—September 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC, Susan Klawansky, MLS, AHIP September 11, 2009

How do you find information on AAPA policy? What are good sources of patient information for older adults? This month's installment answers those questions.

Evidence-based medicine: The pearls in the medical literature

Alison C. Essary, MHPE, PA-C; Anthony E. Brenneman, MPAS, PA-C July 06, 2009

Evidence-based medicine provides PAs with quick, time-efficient access to the medical literature and a vital tool for answering patient-oriented questions.

Ask a Librarian!—June 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC; Susan Klawansky, MLS, AHIP June 11, 2009

How can a new partnership between AAPA and the National Library of Medicine and knowing how to find the most current clinical guidelines help you provide better patient care? This month's installment answers those questions.

Melanoma: Early detection saves lives

Michelle Lynn Heinan, EdD, PA-C May 14, 2009

All clinicians need to know these potential risk factors for melanoma and which physical examination findings indicate possible malignant disease.

The role of genetic assessment in determining a patient's disease risk

Michael A. Rackover, PA-C, MS; Doug Scott, MS May 12, 2009

New genetic testing may allow clinicians to lower patients' risk of disease and institute preventive therapy.

Ask a Librarian!—May 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC; Susan Klawansky, MLS, AHIP May 06, 2009

How can you save your medical searches so you won't have to recreate them later? What are some reliable sources of information about swine flu? This month's installment answers those questions.

Ask a Librarian!—April 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC; Susan Klawansky, MLS, AHIP April 06, 2009

What is a reliable, noncommercial site for online patient information? What is a point-of-care tool, and what are some of the most widely used of these tools? This month's installment answers those questions.

Should I get a heart scan?

Bridget Colleen Calhoun, MPH, PA-C; Rachel Elizabeth Crosby, BS March 17, 2009

Electron beam CT (EBCT) can accurately detect and quantify the degree of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries.

Is a vegetarian diet healthy?

Katie Iverson, PA-C, MPAS September 01, 2007

When speaking with patients who want to follow a vegetarian diet, take time to discuss the foods to eat to help ensure nutritional adequacy. This discussion can start with a list of some of the common forms of vegetarianism.

Should I have a whole body CT scan?

Pamela Moyers Scott, MPAS, PA-C May 01, 2006

Whole body scanning (WBS) can be defined as a noncontrast CT examination that scans from the mandible to the groin and does not involve any bowel preparation.