Table of Contents
From the Editor
- Surrogate markers are not ‘one-size-fits-all’
Blood glucose is a good marker of diabetes. Not so with bone density as a marker of osteoporosis.
Review
- ERCP: Current uses and less-invasive options
Because ERCP can cause pancreatitis, newer options have replaced it for patients who have a low pretest probability of bile duct stones.
- When do common symptoms indicate normal pressure hydrocephalus?
The symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus—abnormal gait, cognitive impairment, and urinary dysfunction—are common in elderly patients. How can this rare condition be distinguished from other diseases, and how can it be determined if a patient is likely to benefit from a ventriculoperitoneal shunt?
The Clinical Picture
- A tropical souvenir not worth picking up
The patient recently returned from a beach resort in Jamaica and now has a painful rash on her foot. What is it?
Review
Heel pain: Diagnosis and treatment, step by stepThe differential diagnosis of heel pain is broad and can be overwhelming if a systematic approach is not used.
Medical Grand Rounds
- Diagnosing primary osteoporosis: It’s more than a T score
In the end, the physician—not the machine—diagnoses osteoporosis.
Current Drug Therapy
- Exenatide and pramlintide: New glucose-lowering agents for treating diabetes mellitus
Insulin is not the only hormone that regulates plasma glucose levels. Two new drugs based on native hormones became available in 2005.
Departments
- Addressing the challenges of cardiorenal syndrome
Cardiorenal syndrome—the spiral of worsening heart falure and kidney failure—is only beginning to receive the attention it deserves.
