Is a flu shot safe after GBS?

, 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.
 

Does my child need fluoride supplements?

January 26, 2012

Fluoride has proven benefits in the prevention of cavities, but children may be exposed to too much fluoride. Parents should know how to monitor exposure to prevent dental fluorosis.
 

How soon can I play after a concussion?

, Gretchen Fox, PA-C, MMSc, DFAAPA November 30, 2011

Second-impact brain injuries that occur before the first injury has healed can cause cardiac and respiratory collapse and even death.
 

Can I be screened for ovarian cancer?

September 30, 2011

This information can help PAs and patients understand ovarian cancer and its symptoms and risk factors and to determine who should be screened.
 

What should I know about vitamin D?

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?

May 31, 2011

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

What should I know about diabetes?

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.
 

Should my son get an HPV vaccine?

, Rebecca Buckley, MHS, PA-C January 25, 2011

This information can help PAs understand the risks and benefits of HPV vaccines, enabling them to explain to parents and patients the importance of the vaccine, particularly in adolescent males.
 

Can folic acid lower heart attack risk?

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.
 

What is hypertension?

July 14, 2010

Hypertension is defined and how it is diagnosed is explained, including the severity levels for BP measurements.
 

What is an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator?

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.
 

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.
 

How can I reduce the risk of SIDS?

Shannon Corcoran, MPAS, PA-C November 12, 2009

This brief review helps you to make sure that expectant parents in your practice know all the current ways to reduce the risk of SIDS.
 

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.
 

Is hormone replacement therapy for me?

Adrienne D. Miller July 23, 2009

The benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy are updated. The patient handout provides answers to patients' most frequently asked questions.
 

Why can't I have an orgasm?

Margaret Allen, PA-C May 27, 2009

A strong clinician-patient relation is crucial in the treatment of women with sexual dysfunction, such as anorgasmia.
 

How do I control my heart failure?

Sharon Masinelli, PA-C March 23, 2009

A National Institutes of Health study reported that hospitalizations for heart failure (HF) have increased significantly since 1980. Considering that 5 million people in the United States are currently living with HF, PAs need to be proactive in caring for this special patient population.
 

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.
 

What types of birth control are available?

February 19, 2009

Over the past several years, the hormonal contraceptive market has become quite diverse. The oral contraceptive pill (OCP) was introduced in 1960, and today the market has expanded to include injections, vaginal rings, transdermal patches, drug-eluting intrauterine devices (IUDs), and subdermal implants.
 

What is a nuclear cardiac stress test?

Anoma Zehra Ahmed, RPA-C, MBBS January 01, 2009

Nuclear cardiology studies are used to evaluate heart function, as well as the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with single photon emission computedtomography (SPECT) is one of the most commonly used noninvasive methods for assessing CAD.
 

How can I quit smoking?

Angela Dunaway, PharmD, PA-C November 01, 2008

Cigarette smoking is extremely common: in the United States, about 18% of women and 24% of men smoke cigarettes. Smoking increases the risk for various cancers, coronary artery disease, stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysms, upper and lower respiratory tract infections, peptic ulcers, fertility problems, gingival disease, and sexual dysfunction. Among smokers in the United States, about 70% express a desire to quit.
 

How can I lower my cholesterol?

Todd Christie, BSPA, MPAS, PA-C September 01, 2008

Seventeen percent of adult Americans have hyperlipidemia, a major risk factor for heart disease. Diet and exercise can help to bring this risk factor under control, with the help of cholesterol-lowering medication for patients who need it.
 

What's the best sun protection to use?

Elizabeth Angel, PA-C July 01, 2008

The adverse effects of UV radiation include tanning, sunburn, premature skin aging, exacerbation of photosensitive dermatologic conditions, precancerous skin lesions, skin cancers, and eye problems such as cataracts. Fortunately for patients, more options for sun protection are available now than ever before.
 

What can I do about MRSA infections?

January 01, 2008

Skin and soft tissue infections are frequently encountered in primary and urgent care settings. Manypatients presenting with such an infection complain of a spider bite. In most cases, the "bite" is actually a cutaneous abscess caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Community-associated methicillin-resistant S aureus (CA-MRSA) has become an increasingly common cause of skin infections and abscesses.
 

What can I do about insomnia?

November 01, 2007

Insomnia is defined as difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep or not feeling rested after sleep. Up to 30% of the general population reports experiencing sleep disturbances. In clinical settings, up to 50% of patients complain of sleep-related problems. According to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, there are 11 types of insomnia.The three most common are adjustment insomnia, psychophysiologic insomnia, and insomnia secondary to a mental disorder.
 

Is a vegetarian diet healthy?

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 get the shingles vaccine?

July 01, 2007

Herpes zoster, or shingles, is caused by the reactivation of the latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) within the sensory ganglia. The term shingles comes from the Latin word cingulum, which means belt or girdle, and refers to the characteristic rash that commonly appears as a band or belt on the trunk of patients with active infection. What causes the virus to emerge from latency is not completely understood, but waning cell-mediated immunity is linked directly to the reactivation. This theory is the basis of research that led to the development of this vaccine.
 

Should I get the HPV vaccine?

May 01, 2007

More than 100 strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are known to exist, and more than 30 of them are sexually transmitted. HPV infection causes diseases ranging from common warts to invasive cervical cancer.
 

Is chocolate really good for me?

January 01, 2007

There has been a lot of attention in the media regarding the health benefits of chocolate. Consequently, many people are wondering if chocolate really is good for them. This is not an easy question to answer because the benefits are relative to the type of chocolate, the processing method used, and chocolate's complex structural components (387 separate chemical compounds and 800 different flavors and scents have been identified).
 

Should I take coenzyme Q10 with a statin?

, John Bradford, MPAS, PA-C December 01, 2006

As heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in America, statins are increasingly popular in current medical therapy. Statins, or 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, are most commonly used to treat hyperlipidemia and as preventive therapy for coronary artery disease and stroke.
 

Screening for osteoporosis

September 01, 2006

Osteoporosis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially if it results in a hip fracture. Within the year following hip fracture, 12% to 20% of patients die, more than 30% have permanent disabilities, and more than 50% can never live independently again. Ten million Americans have osteoporosis, and an additional 18 million with osteopenia are at risk.
 

Should I be tested for breast cancer genes?

June 01, 2006

News reports of medical advances in genetics are appearing in the lay press almost daily. These reports, coupled with women's fear of breast cancer, mean that more women are asking about screening for mutations.
 

Should I have a whole body CT scan?

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.
 

Which diet is best—low-fat or low-carb?

January 01, 2006

New diets are emerging constantly, but scientific evidence of their efficacy and safety is limited at best. This brief review compares available evidence on the Atkins low-carbohydrate diet with that of a balanced low-fat diet.
 

Measuring the homocysteine level

September 01, 2005

Homocystinuria, an autosomal recessive disorder, is the second most treatable aminoacidopathy.1 Left untreated, it increases risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and stroke. Additionally, homocystinuria increases the risk for failure to thrive, mental retardation, seizure disorders, osteoporosis, ectopia lentis, fatty liver disease, and genu valgum.
 

Using aspirin to prevent stroke

June 01, 2005

By identifying and treating all high-risk patients, PAs can help to prevent approximately 50% of all strokes; instituting appropriate therapies in moderate-risk patients has the potential to reduce the incidence of stroke even further.
 

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