The Journal of family practice
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Taking a good drug allergy history is critical, followed by removing the "penicillin-allergic" label in certain low-risk patients and referring for testing those at high risk.
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Let a patient's age and specific symptoms steer your initial investigation. Consider treatment options beyond antibiotics for H pylori gastritis and PPIs.
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This inflammatory condition can leave your patient in pain and with impaired function. Here's what you need to know about the diagnosis and Tx options to provide relief.
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Review
Do carotid artery calcifications seen on radiographs predict stenosis in asymptomatic adults?
NOT VERY WELL. IN ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS, CAROTID ARTERY CALCIFICATION SEEN ON RADIOGRAPH HAS A POSITIVE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF 70% AND A NEGATIVE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF 75% FOR CAROTID ARTERY STENOSIS (STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION [SOR]: B, SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES WITH HETEROGENEOUS RESULTS AND A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY). CAROTID CALCIFICATIONS ON RADIOGRAPHS MAY BE MORE PREDICTIVE OF CAROTID STENOSIS IN PEOPLE WITH ATHEROSCLEROTIC RISK FACTORS (SOR: C, CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY). HARMS OUTWEIGH BENEFITS IN SCREENING FOR CAROTID ARTERY STENOSIS IN ASYMPTOMATIC ADULTS (SOR: B, MULTIPLE COHORT STUDIES); THEREFORE, INCIDENTAL RADIOGRAPHIC CAROTID ARTERY CALCIFICATIONS IN ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS SHOULD NOT PROMPT FURTHER TESTING.