Description

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This issue of Medical Clinics, guest edited by Drs. Marc Shalaby and Edward Bollard, is devoted to Quality Patient Care: Making Evidence-Based, High Value Choices. Articles in this issue include: Cardiovascular testing in asymptomatic patients: carotid duplex, cardiac stress testing, screen for PVD; Utility of echocardiogram in the evaluation of heart murmurs; Evidenced-based recommendations for the evaluation of palpitations in the primary care setting; Radiologic evaluation of common orthopedic complaints: low back pain, non-traumatic knee/shoulder/hip pain, and ankle injuries; Indications and usefulness of common injections for non-traumatic orthopedic complaints - shoulder, trochanteric bursa, epidural injections, tennis elbow, and knee; The evidence-based evaluation of chronic cough; Evaluation of uncomplicated headache; Evaluation of syncope; Pre-operative assessment: Cataract surgery, pre-operative EKG testing, screening for cardiopulmonary disease, urinalysis, coagulation studies, other lab assessments; The approach to occult GI bleed; The role of EGD surveillance for patients with Barrett's esophagus; The evidence-based evaluation of iron deficiency anemia; Cancer screening in the elderly; Utilization and safety of common over the counter dietary/nutritional supplements, herbal agents and homeopathic compounds for disease prevention; Utilization of oxygen for the patient with dyspnea; IV fluids, enteral or parenteral nutrition; and Symptom control at the end of life.