For the first-time ever, PAFP partnered with UPMC for a combined CME and Refresher Course in Family Medicine. Over 300 attendees rolled into Pittsburgh along with PAFP and UPMC from March 10 through March 13. Throughout the entire conference, attendees had the opportunity to network with colleagues from across the state, as well as neighboring states, participate in more than 60 CME events, including hands-on workshops, roundtable discussions, and earn over 25 hours of CME.
Handouts and presentations slide decks from many of the sessions are available for a short-time on PAFP’s homepage. In addition, faculty members, staff, and attendees spread key messages on Twitter during the sessions. Here is a sampling of their tweets and other notes from select lectures. Visit PAFP's Facebook page to see pictures of your primary care peers and conference highlights from the event.
TOPICS: Hep C Update | Dermatology Potpourri | Obesity Drugs: Fighting the Fat | Recent Advances in Obesity Management | Long-Acting Reversible Contraception... Going out on a LARC!
Hep C Update
Hep C is the most common reason for needing a liver transplant and is the most common blood born cause of death—passing HIV in 2007
Hep C has 6 genotypes with different responses to treatment
By 6 months after exposure the Anti-HCV will be positive
1-5% of people with Hep C will die from Hep C or Hep C related complications. Most people will die of something else
Beyond the Baby Boomers, IVDU is the most common risk factor for Hep C infection
Dermatology Potpourri
Alopecia Areata: Systemic Steroids. Prednisolone 200 mg weekly for 3 months. 30% + regrowth in 40% of patients and 60% in 10%
Alopecia Areata: Intralesional Steroids Injected into lesions Q 4-6 weeks 5-20 mg/mL, 63% complete regrowth
Topical steroid choices: Class and vehicle are important and there are structural classes and steroids allergies do actually exist.
The oilier the steroid, the better the penetration for the most part. The only exception is in some of the gels.
Many people won’t use ointments due to the oiliness. If the topical, is not used, it is not going to work.
Obesity Drugs: Fighting the Fat
5% to 10% weight loss can delay or prevent someone from going from Pre-DM to DM. Baby steps.
When Rx’ing weight loss meds, patients need to have realistic goals
Pharmacotherpay is indicated for obesity with BMI >30 or >27 with one or more co-morbidity
Effective weight loss is > or =5% weight loss in 3 months. If you are not meeting this goal, meds should be discontinued/changed
Weight does come back after the meds stopped if lifestyle modifications have not been ingrained.
Recent Advances in Obesity Management
Nutrition: Calorie restrictions or very low calorie diet, 400-800 kcal per day. Faster initial weight loss and greater total loss.
150 minutes of moderate exercise is the recommendation for weight loss and the goals is 150-300 minutes to get 5%-10% weight loss
Muscular athlete can be identified as obese as their muscle mass is the bulk of their weight and have low body fat percentage
The elderly may be considered normal with a normal BMI, but they really have a high percentage of body fat.
Bioelectrical impedance measures the resistance of body tissues to the flow of a small, harmless electrical signal measure body fat percentage
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception…Going out on a LARC!
Contraceptive options include hormonal (pills, patches, and rings) and non-hormonal (condoms, diaphragms, IUD, abstinence).
Long-acting reversible contraception goes from three months for Depo-Provera to 10 years for ParaGard.
Progestins safe to use when estrogen contraindicated (migraine with aura, smokers older than 25, history of deep vein thrombosis).
There are three hormonal IUDs - taking them out is a pretty simple procedure.
Frequent and irregular bleeding is common initially with all progestin contraception.
