Hyperaldosteronism: the internist's hypertensive disease.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a disorder typically characterized by resistant hypertension, hypokalemia, alkalosis and suppressed plasma renin activity, and excessive aldosterone production. A true estimate of the prevalence of the disorder is difficult to estimate because its detection is dependent on the awareness of the healthcare provider to the disorder, but it has generally been felt to be a rare occurrence. Its frequency of detection began to change when Hiramatsu suggested calculating the ratio of plasma aldosterone/plasma renin activity as a screening tool for the disorder.

Disability examinations: a look at the Social Security Disability Income System.

Disability income protection is an important part of a worker's safety net. U.S.

Malpractice risk prevention for primary care physicians.

The recent medical malpractice "crisis" has seen skyrocketing liability premiums and increasing fear of liability. Primary care physicians, especially family medicine and internal medicine physicians, have historically experienced low rates of malpractice claims, both in number and amount of payment. This can be attributed to several factors: the esteem held by internal medicine and family medicine physicians in their communities, relatively low numbers of invasive procedures, reluctance of patients to include "their" primary care physician in any potential litigation, and, probably most importantly, the atmosphere of mutual trust and communication between the internist or family physician and the patient.

Quality of care in diabetes: understanding the guidelines.

We are in the midst of a global pandemic of diabetes. Despite the increasing burden of the disease, measurements of quality repeatedly show poor adherence to or implementation of current guidelines for diabetes care. This article will provide a brief review of the most significant randomized controlled clinical trials relevant to the current guidelines and then discuss essential treatment goals and the evidence that supports them.

Caring for adolescent family members of physician colleagues.

It is recommended that physicians do not care for their family members. However, there are also many concerning issues when physicians care for the family members of their colleagues. This can be particularly challenging when the patient is an adolescent.