Clinical News

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FDA approved ingenol mebutate gel and glucarpidase intravenous injection.

The blood-pressure medication prazosin was found to be an effective treatment to curb nightmares related to post traumatic stress disorder, according to a poster presentation, at the 20th European Congress of Psychiatry in Prague

Rivaroxaban, an oral blood thinner, is equally effective as standard therapy for the treatment of pulmonary embolism and may cause fewer bleeding complications, according to new data

The risk of Clostridium difficile infection among households is too low to justify interventions, other than avoiding unnecessary antimicrobials, according to a new study, published in April?s Journal of Infection.

The majority (90% to 98%) of sinus infections are caused by viruses and should not be treated with antibiotics, according to new guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Switching patients with rheumatoid arthritis to rituximab (Rituxan, Genentech) may be more effective than switching them to a second alternative anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) after a first anti-TNF therapy has failed, according to a study published online in Arthritis Care & Research.

Daily supplementation with antioxidants, vitamins E and C, and alpha acid, did not improve memory function in patients with Alzheimer?s disease, according to a new study.

Aspirin can reduce the risk for cancer-related mortality and can reduce or prevent the risk for distant metastasis, according to 3 new studies published online by The Lancet and The Lancet Oncology.

FDA added new label warnings for the antidepressant citalopram (Celexa, Forest Laboratories), discouraging patients with certain conditions from using the drug and lowering the dosage recommendations to 20 mg daily for patients aged 60 and older. The warning is also applicable to generic versions of Celexa.

FDA has approved peginesatide (Omontys, Affymax) to treat anemia in adult dialysis patients who have chronic kidney disease (CKD).

The majority of older women in nursing homes are likely to be deficient in vitamin D during winter months, and those with the lowest levels are at a significantly increased risk of death, according to a study published online February 8, in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology

Ingenol mebutate topical gel (0.015% for face and scalp and 0.05% for trunk and extremities) was effective for treating actinic keratoses, a common precursor to sun-related, squamos-cell carcinoma, according to a new study.

Diacetylmorphine, or heroin, may be a more effective, cheaper treatment than methadone for people with relapsing chronic opioid dependence, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

A new study of patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease found that extended treatment with donepezil could improve cognition and function for even severe patients; however, experts caution that the benefits of the drug were modest

FDA has approved a new indication for estradiol valerate and estradiol valerate/dienogest (Natazia, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals) tablets for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) that is not caused by any diagnosed conditions of the uterus.

Postmenopausal women with higher intake of trans fat were associated with a higher incidence of ischemic stroke but aspirin may reduce the adverse effects of trans fat, according to a new study

Patients' rheumatoid arthritis symptoms improved after adding prednisone at the start of a methotrexate-based treatment strategy, according to research published in the March 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

It can be helpful to know the guidelines concerning anticoagulation and common outpatient procedures.

The next decade will see a significant increase in the rate of practical applications for pharmacogenomics becoming available, and pharmacists will play a critical role in helping them benefit the patient.

Experts caution that many unregulated over-the-counter fish oil products have little benefit, with some having no benefit at all.

FDA approved ruxolitinib (Jakafi), a twice-daily tablet, indicated for the treatment of myelofibrosis, a rare bone marrow disease that affects less than 200,000 people in the United States.

FDA has approved alendronate sodium (Binosto, EffRx Pharmaceuticals) effervescent tablets, the first effervescent osteoporosis treatment in a buffered solution.

Teva/IVAX Pharmaceuticals gained FDA approval for the first generic version of Lexapro (Forest) to treat both depression and generalized anxiety disorder in adults. The company will have 180 days to exclusively sell the product.

A treat-and-extend regimen of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) produced ?significant visual improvements? for eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, according to an article published in the March issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

An FDA advisory panel voted 12-2 to recommend approval of aclidinium bromide (Forest Laboratories and Almirall SA) 400 µg twice daily for the long-term maintenance treatment of bronchospasm associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

New guidelines for the use of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend for the first time vaccinating adolescent boys as well as girls.

Thursday, FDA updated its recommendations concerning drug-drug interactions between protease inhibitors and statins, warning of an increased risk of muscle injury (myopathy). The most serious form of myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, can damage kidneys and lead to kidney failure, which can be fatal.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) wants all U.S. adults to get vaccinated against whooping cough, according to the Associated Press. The panel voted to expand its recommendation to include all those aged 65 years and older who haven?t gotten a whooping cough shot as an adult.

Zinc used in addition to antibiotics significantly reduced mortality in children ages 6 months to 59 months with severe pneumonia when compared with antibiotics alone, according to the findings of a recent study done in Uganda.