Table of Contents
From the Editor
Medical Grand Rounds
- Is God good for your health? The role of spirituality in medical care
Many studies found that religious belief and practice have a positive effect on physical and mental health. Physicians should try to understand and respect their patients’ beliefs.
1-Minute Consult
Are strict vegetarians at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency?Patients who avoid or limit animal products in their diets should be encouraged to take vitamin B12 supplements or eat fortified foods.
- Is there an advantage to combination therapy with ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II-receptor blockers?
Theoretic reasons and small studies suggest the two types of drugs may be useful in combination, but a definitive answer awaits the results of larger studies.
Medical Grand Rounds
- Antiviral agents for treating influenza
We now have four antiviral drugs for treating influenza. Who should receive them? Which one to use?
Review
- The spectrum of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: From steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
This recently discovered disease is a common cause of elevated liver enzymes. We are beginning to understand which patients are at greatest risk of progressive liver disease.
- Psoriasis: A clinical update on diagnosis and new therapies
A framework for recognizing the many forms of psoriasis and a logical approach to therapy, which now includes, in severe cases, powerful immunosuppressive drugs.
Cancer Diagnosis and Management
- Brain metastases: Presentation, evaluation, and management
Prompt diagnosis and treatment can prolong the patient’s life and improve the quality of his or her remaining days.
Update on Acute Coronary Syndromes
- Glycoprotein Ilb/IIIa inhibitors in acute coronary syndromes
These potent antiplatelet agents constitute a breakthrough, hut questions remain about their safety, cost-effectiveness, and proper empiric use. With an illustration explaining the paradoxical prothrombotic effect of fibrinolytic drugs.
