Table of Contents
From the Editor
- When snoring is more than an annoyance
We should vigilantly look for obstructive sleep apnea and, if it is diagnosed, strongly encourage treatment.
Smart Testing
- Do imaging studies have value in a patient with acute, nonspecific low back pain?
Consider imaging only in patients who have red flags for fracture or malignancy.
- Better care is the best defense: High-value clinical practice vs defensive medicine
Viewing every patient as a potential lawsuit is bad for patients, practice, and the health care system.
The Clinical Picture
- Alveolar proteinosis: A slow drowning in mud
The patient improved markedly after whole-lung lavage and has had no recurrence at 1 year.
- A 78-year-old smoker with an incidental pulmonary mass
His age, smoking history, and findings on radiography raised the concern of lung cancer.
Medical Grand Rounds
Sleep apnea ABCs: Airway, breathing, circulationObstructive sleep apnea is common, poorly recognized, and, if untreated, leads to serious health consequences.
Review
- New-onset epilepsy in the elderly: Challenges for the internist
New-onset epilepsy in the elderly requires navigating difficult diagnostic and treatment challenges.
- Perioperative beta-blockers in noncardiac surgery: The evidence continues to evolve
Initial studies in the 1990s were favorable, but evidence has been conflicting since then.
Editorial
- Treating epilepsy in the elderly: More art than science
When treating patients, one size does not fit all—and especially so with the elderly.
