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Clinical Guidelines & Recommendations
ACP's goal is to provide clinicians with recommendations based on the best available evidence; to inform clinicians of when there is no evidence; and finally, to help clinicians deliver the best health care possible.
ACP develops several different types of clinical recommendations:
Succinct summaries of recommendations from US and international organizations regarding controversial topics in screening, prevention, and management.
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Acute Pain from Musculoskeletal Injuries
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Non-Pharmacological and Pharmacological Management of Acute Pain from Non-Low Back, Musculoskeletal Injuries in Adults: A Clinical Guideline from the American College of Physicians and American Academy of Family Physicians (2020)
Full text
Evidence Review:
Management of Acute Pain From Non–Low Back Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials (2020)
Full text
Predictors of Prolonged Opioid Use After Initial Prescription for Acute Musculoskeletal Injuries in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies (2020)
Full text
Appropriate Antibiotic Use
High Value Care Advice
Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Adults: Advice for High-Value Care From the American College of Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016)
Full text
Patient Materials
Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Adults: Advice for High-Value Care From the American College of Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016)
Summary for Patients
Breast Cancer Screening
Guidance Statements
Screening for Breast Cancer in Average-Risk Women: A Guidance Statement From the American College of Physicians (2019)
Full text
Patient Materials
Breast Cancer Screening in Average-Risk Women (2019)
Summary for Patients
Colorectal Cancer Screening
Guidance Statements
Screening for Colorectal Cancer in Asymptomatic Average-Risk Adults: A Guidance Statement from the American College of Physicians (2019))
Full text
Patient Materials
Colorectal Cancer Screening in Average-Risk Adults (2019)
Summary for Patients
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Practice Points
(Version 1, October 2020) Should Remdesivir Be Used for the Treatment of Patients With COVID-19? Rapid, Living Practice Points From the American College of Physicians
Full text
Practice Points
(Update Alert 2, July 2020) Update Alert 2: Should Clinicians Use Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine Alone or in Combination With Azithromycin for the Prophylaxis or Treatment of COVID-19? Living Practice Points From the American College of Physicians
Full text
(Update Alert 1, June 2020) Update Alert: Should Clinicians Use Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine Alone or in Combination With Azithromycin for the Prophylaxis or Treatment of COVID-19? Living Practice Points From the American College of Physicians
Full text
(Version 1, May 2020) Should Clinicians Use Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine Alone or In Combination with Azithromycin for the Prophylaxis or Treatment of COVID-19? Living Practice Points from the American College of Physicians
Full text
Practice Points
(Update Alert 1, October 2020) Use of N95, Surgical, and Cloth Masks to Prevent COVID-19 in Health Care and Community Settings: Living Practice Points From the American College of Physicians
Full text
(Version 1, June 2020) Use of N95, Surgical, and Cloth Masks to Prevent COVID-19 in Health Care and Community Settings: Living Practice Points From the American College of Physicians
Full text
Delivery of High Value Care
Best Practice Advice
High-Value, Cost-Conscious Health Care: Concepts for Clinicians to Evaluate the Benefits, Harms, and Costs of Medical Interventions (2011)
Full text (13Mb)
Patient Materials
High-Value, Cost-Conscious Health Care: Concepts for Clinicians to Evaluate the Benefits, Harms, and Costs of Medical Interventions (2011)
Summary for Patients
Depression
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Nonpharmacologic Versus Pharmacologic Treatment of Adult Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians (2016)
Full text | Video
Evidence Review:
Comparative Benefits and Harms of Antidepressants, Psychological, Complementary, and Exercise Treatments for Major Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (2016)
Full text
Patient Materials
Nonpharmacologic Versus Pharmacologic Treatment of Adult Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians (2016)
Summary for Patients | Video
Diabetes
Guidance Statements
Hemoglobin A1c Targets for Glycemic Control With Pharmacologic Therapy for Nonpregnant Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Guidance Statement Update From the American College of Physicians (2018)
Full text
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Oral Pharmacologic Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians (2017)
Full text
Evidence Review:
Diabetes Medications as Monotherapy or Metformin-Based Combination Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (2016)
Full text
Patient Materials
Hemoglobin A1c Targets for Glycemic Control With Pharmacologic Therapy for Nonpregnant Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (2018)
Summary for Patients
Oral Pharmacologic Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians (2017)
Summary for Patients
Evaluation of Pulmonary Embolism
Best Practice Advice
Evaluation of Patients With Suspected Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Best Practice Advice From the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians (2015)
Full Text
Patient Materials
Generic Medications
Best Practice Advice
Improving Adherence to Therapy and Clinical Outcomes While Containing Costs: Opportunities From the Greater Use of Generic Medications: Best Practice Advice From the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians (2015)
Full Text
Patient Materials
Gout
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Diagnosis of Acute Gout: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians (2016)
Full text
Management of Acute and Recurrent Gout: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians (2016)
Full text
Evidence Review:
Diagnosis of Gout: A Systematic Review in Support of an American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline (2016)
Full text
Management of Gout: A Systematic Review in Support of an American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline (2016)
Full text
Patient Materials
Diagnosis and Management of Acute Gout: Clinical Practice Guidelines From the American College of Physicians (2016)
Summary for Patients
Hematuria
High Value Care Advice
Hematuria as a Marker of Occult Urinary Tract Cancer: Advice for High-Value Care From the American College of Physicians (2016)
Full text
Patient Materials
Hematuria as a Marker of Occult Urinary Tract Cancer: Advice for High-Value Care From the American College of Physicians (2016)
Summary for Patients
Hepatitis B
High Value Care Advice
Hepatitis B Vaccination, Screening, and Linkage to Care: Best Practice Advice from the American College of Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017)
Full text
Patient Materials
Hepatitis B Vaccination, Screening, and Linkage to Care (2017)
Summary for Patients
Hepatitis C
Best Practice Advice
World Health Organization Guidelines on Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Best Practice Advice From the American College of Physicians (2020)
Full text
Hypertension
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Pharmacologic Treatment of Hypertension in Adults Aged 60 Years or Older to Higher Versus Lower Blood Pressure Targets: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians (2017)
Full text
Evidence Review:
Benefits and Harms of Intensive Blood Pressure Treatment in Adults Aged 60 Years or Older: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (2017)
Full text
Patient Materials
Pharmacologic Treatment of Hypertension in Adults Aged 60 Years or Older to Higher Versus Lower Blood Pressure Targets: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians (2017)
Summary for Patients
Insomnia
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Management of Chronic Insomnia Disorder in Adults: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians (2016)
Full text
Evidence Review:
Pharmacologic Treatment of Insomnia Disorder: An Evidence Report for a Clinical Practice Guideline by the American College of Physicians (2016)
Full text
Psychological and Behavioral Interventions for Managing Insomnia Disorder: An Evidence Report for a Clinical Practice Guideline by the American College of Physicians (2016)
Full text
Patient Materials
Management of Chronic Insomnia Disorder in Adults: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians (2016)
Summary for Patients
Low Back Pain
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians (2017)
Full text
Evidence Review:
Systemic Pharmacologic Therapies for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review for an American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline (2017)
Full text
Nonpharmacologic Therapies for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review for an American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline (2017)
Full text
Patient Materials
Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians (2017)
Summary for Patients
Osteoporosis
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Treatment of Low Bone Density or Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures in Men and Women: A Clinical Practice Guideline Update from the American College of Physicians (2017)
Full text | Video
Evidence Review:
Comparative Effectiveness of Pharmacologic Treatments to Prevent Fractures: An Updated Systematic Review (2014)
Full text
Patient Materials
Treatment of Low Bone Density or Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures in Men and Women: A Clinical Practice Guideline Update from the American College of Physicians (2017)
Summary for Patients
Testosterone Treatment
Current Guidelines
Guideline:
Testosterone Treatment in Adult Men with Age-Related Low Testosterone: A Clinical Guideline from the American College of Physicians (2020)
Full text
Evidence Review:
Efficacy and Safety of Testosterone Treatment in Men: An Evidence Report for a Clinical Practice Guideline by the American College of Physicians (2020)
Full text
Patient Materials
Testosterone Treatment in Adult Men with Age-Related Low Testosterone (2020)
Summary for Patients
For more screening and preventive care guidelines, the ACP recommends visiting the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care websites. For HIV Screening and related guidelines, the ACP recommends the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Requests for bulk reprints (minimum, 100 copies) of all guidelines published in Annals of Internal Medicine may be made to Aileen McHugh, via phone at 215-351-2642 or via email at reprints@acponline.org.