Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association
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J Am Podiatr Med Assoc · Mar 2004
ReviewPharmacologic management of foot pain in the older patient.
Foot pain, if not effectively managed, can result in significant disability and loss of function in older patients. This article reviews treatment strategies for acute and persistent pain, emphasizing new pharmacologic approaches. ⋯ Strategies for management of persistent pain using opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, gabapentin, and topical medications are reviewed. Common pain-management and prescribing errors are highlighted.
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J Am Podiatr Med Assoc · Mar 2004
ReviewPerioperative medical assessment of the podiatric surgical patient.
Patients undergoing podiatric surgery should receive a thorough perioperative evaluation. Medical "clearance" is no longer sufficient; rather, formal risk assessment should be performed and risk-reducing strategies provided. ⋯ Thus podiatric physicians should develop independent competence in perioperative evaluation in order to ensure optimal care for their patients. A general systematic approach is described that can be readily incorporated into clinical practice.
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Change in mental status is a common symptom in the older, hospitalized patient. Often referred to as delirium, it may be the first indication of a serious medical condition. If delirium is not identified and treated promptly, it may lead to severe complications. The podiatric physician can prevent many cases of delirium by maintaining a high level of suspicion, performing a thorough clinical assessment, and identifying older patients at risk in the hospital setting.
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J Am Podiatr Med Assoc · Jan 2004
Case ReportsLateral subtalar joint dislocation: a case with calcaneal fracture.
Subtalar joint dislocation is a relatively rare injury, with lateral dislocation occurring less frequently than medial dislocation. Associated fractures alter the treatment plan and the prognosis, but they are often missed on plain film radiographs. A brief review of the anatomy, pathomechanics, treatment, prognosis, and complications of subtalar joint dislocation is presented. An interesting case of lateral subtalar joint dislocation with an associated calcaneal fracture not evident on plain film radiographs but delineated with computed tomography is presented.
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J Am Podiatr Med Assoc · Sep 2003
Assessing the validity of published randomized controlled trials in podiatric medical journals.
The purposes of this study were to develop an instrument to assess the validity of randomized controlled trials and to report on the differences in the validity of randomized controlled trials between two podiatric medical journals and a mainstream medical journal. The study demonstrated that after adequate training, there can be agreement among reviewers evaluating the quality of published randomized controlled trials using an established instrument and guidelines. The results of the study indicate that randomized controlled trials published in podiatric medical journals are less credible than those published in a mainstream medical journal.