Article
What you must know before you recommend a probiotic
Evidence for using probiotics for diarrhea and other GI ailments is mixed. This article—with an at-a-glance guide—summarizes when it's worth...
Article
What You Must Know Before You Recommend a Probiotic
Evidence for using probiotics for diarrhea and other GI ailments is mixed. This article—with an at-a-glance guide—summarizes when it's worth...
Article
Does the presence of a trained support person during labor decrease C-section rates?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Sometimes. The continuous presence of a support person during labor slightly decreases (by about 2%) the likelihood of a...
Article
Sore throat and left ear pain
This elderly patient’s unilateral pattern of symptoms was key to the diagnosis.
Article
Which risk factors and signs and symptoms are associated with coccidioidomycosis?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Risk factors for coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever, include lower respiratory tract symptoms lasting longer than 14 days...
Article
What is the best treatment for plant-induced contact dermatitis?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: IT’S UNCLEAR which treatment is best, because there have been no head-to-head comparisons of treatments for Rhus (plant-...
Article
Which combination drug therapies are most effective for hypertension?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE exists to determine which specific combinations most effectively decrease cardiovascular morbidity...
Article
What is the most effective and safe malaria prophylaxis during pregnancy?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Chloroquine and mefloquine have superior safety profiles in pregnancy, though all antimalarials are effective for...
Article
What is the best portable method of purifying water to prevent infectious disease?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: There isn’t a single best method, but there are 5 that adequately purify water according to environmental Protection agency...
Article
When should travelers begin malaria prophylaxis?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Travelers should start on chloroquine 1 to 2 weeks before entering an area without chloroquine resistance (strength of...
Article
What is the best initial treatment for orbital cellulitis in children?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Although antibiotics are the best initial treatment, surgical intervention is warranted when a child has the following.
Article
What treatment approach to intrapartum maternal fever has the best fetal outcomes?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: A combination of beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics are the recommended empiric agents for the treatment of acute...
Article
What’s the best treatment for cradle cap?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Ketoconazole (Nizoral) shampoo appears to be a safe and efficacious treatment for infants with cradle cap (strength of...
Article
What is the dietary treatment for low HDL cholesterol?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Low-carbohydrate diets raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels by approximately 10%; soy protein with...