FDA panel favors combo IR opioid
While the panel recommended approval of the new product, it did not find sufficient evidence for abuse-deterrent labeling.
COPD and pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation at the VA: Study
Use of tobacco-cessation therapy was low. The study found several negative factors - and two positive predictors.
Umeclidinium triple therapy for patients with COPD: Two studies
Both studies demonstrated statistical improvements in trough FEV1 at day 85.
'I love my job,' says UCSF expert in HIV/AIDS, HCV
Betty J. Dong, clinician, researcher, professor, and recipient of many honors, talks about her practice of pharmacy and public health.
New discoveries, treatments help cancer patients live longer, fuller lives
Experts say that value-based medicine is a main theme in cancer care today, and that applies to more than the cost of care.
FDA no longer supports use of niacin, fenofibric acid with statins
FDA has withdrawn its approval for niacin and fenofibric acid use with statins to treat high cholesterol.
Fall-related ICH incidence in elderly on warfarin
A study of nearly 32,000 aging veterans revealed the unsuspected vulnerability of this population.
FDA approves PAH treatment
Selexipag is a first-in-class oral treatment option to reduce progression and hospitalization for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
What pharmacists should know about the Zika virus
Cases have been identified in the U.S. Now summer is coming, and this virus is most commonly transmitted by mosquitoes, so it is expected to spread more widely.
Generic treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia could save millions
Five years of imatinib treatment for CML = >$100,000 saved per patient.
New drug approved for gout maintenance therapy
Lesinurad is indicated as an adjunctive treatment when a xanthine oxidase inhibitor alone is not producing desired results.
ICH volume smaller with DOACs than with warfarin
A study of 344 patients with anticoagulant-associated ICH found that when data were adjusted for confounding factors, warfarin use remained independently associated with larger ICH volumes.
Antifungal dosing errors prompt FDA warning
Prescribing protocols for Noxafil delayed-release tablets and oral suspension are NOT interchangeable. Errors have resulted in hospitalization and death.
Where's the infrastructure for precision medicine?
Biomarker tests for molecularly targeted therapies need supportive infrastructure: National Academy of Medicine.
FDA to require new boxed warnings on opioids
141 generic and 87 branded immediate-release opioid pain medications will be affected.
New adjunctive medication for eosinophilic asthma
FDA has approved mepolizumab for adjunctive maintenance treatment of severe asthma in patients 12 years of age and older with markers of eosinophilic asthma.
Antithrombotic therapy to prevent migraine attacks after ASD closure
Clopidogrel therapy can make a difference after ASD closures.
In-home pharmacist MTM program to expand
After a successful medication therapy management (MTM) pilot program involving home visits from pharmacists to reduce hospital readmissions, healthcare executives would like to expand the program.
Biosimilar offers hope of lower-cost treatment of autoimmune diseases
Here's the latest on the second biosimilar in line to receive FDA approval.
Pre-op anticoagulation reduces VTE risk in cancer patients
Researchers found that rates of DVT and PE were significantly lower among patients who received preoperative chemoprophylaxis than in those who did not.
New publication provides guidelines for dosing obese patients
A new publication from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists is designed to help clinicians determine proper medication doses for obese children and adults.
FDA approves new Pradaxa reversal agent
Patients taking Pradaxa had no option for anticoagulation reversal; it was this unmet medical need that caused FDA to grant idarucizumab accelerated approval.
Andexanet quickly reverses factor Xa inhibitor activity for DOACs
Andexanet alpha is designed to reverse the anticoagulant effects of factor Xa inhibitors.
Insurer placing pharmacists in patient-centered medical homes
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), in collaboration with the University of Michigan Health System, is placing pharmacists in patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) throughout the state.
Less bleeding with rivaroxaban for venous thromboembolism
Studies involving more than 8,000 patients found that rivaroxaban beat out low-molecular-weight heparin/vitamin K antagonists with fewer and less challenging bleeding episodes.
Patiromer approved for the management of hyperkalemia
Approved to lower elevated potassium levels in the blood, patiromer should be taken six hours before or after other oral medications.
High-dose oseltamivir in critically ill patients provides no added benefit
New evidence does not support the administration of high-dose oseltamivir to critically ill patients.
FDA warns of serious risks associated with SGLT2 inhibitors
FDA recently issued a drug safety communication that the labels of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors include the risks of ketoacidosis and serious urinary tract infections, which can lead to hospitalization.
Pain management: Patient needs must come first
Although pain relief is a national political issue, healthcare providers still have a moral obligation to ensure that patients have access to all available resources to alleviate their pain.
New forecasting system more accurately predicts flu activity
Using data from various non-traditional resources, a team of epidemiologists from Boston Children’s Hospital has developed a system to predict flu-like activity up to three weeks in advance.
