The Journal of Family Practice is a peer-reviewed and indexed journal that provides its 95, family physician readers with timely, practical, and evidence-based information that they can immediately put into practice. Research and applied evidence articles, plus patient-oriented departments like Practice Alert, PURLs, and Clinical Inquiries can be found in print and at jfponline.
The Web site, which logs an average of , visitors every month, also offers audiocasts by physician specialists and interactive features like Instant Polls and Photo Rounds Friday—a weekly diagnostic puzzle. A year-old man with no past medical history presented to his primary care physician PCP for a routine physical. He reported experiencing muscle weakness and fatigue for the previous 1 to 2 months.
Labwork was ordered, including a complete metabolic panel, lipid panel, urinalysis, thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH plus thyroxine T4 , HIV antibodies, and a complete blood count.
The samples were drawn 1 week later, and the results were notable for low-normal TSH with a T4 of 0. One week later, repeat labs showed a persistent potassium level of 3.
Follow-up A1C was measured at 7. At the next appointment 2 weeks after initial evaluation , the patient received a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in addition to new-onset essential hypertension. He expressed surprise at his diagnoses, as he said he primarily ate a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and lots of healthy home-cooked meals.
