The Drug Topics 2011 Salary Survey
April 15th 2011Finding stability in an unstable economy can be difficult, but it seems that many pharmacists have done just that. Pharmacists report low unemployment rates, high salaries, and high job satisfaction at a time when many industries are struggling with layoffs and budget cuts. But the perks of being a pharmacist don't come without stress.
Public health approaches in ethnically diverse populations
April 15th 2011As America's diverse population continues to grow, disparities in healthcare delivery have become more prevalent. Studies show that when it comes to healthcare benchmarks, many racial and ethnically diverse populations are at a disadvantage
Dispensing controlled substances
April 15th 2011DEA's "Office of Diversion Control" prevents, detects, and investigates the diversion of controlled substances from legitimate sources while ensuring an adequate and uninterrupted supply for legitimate medical needs. To accomplish this mission, the DEA sets forth regulations designed to prevent any such diversion.
Tiotropium superior to salmeterol in preventing exacerbations in COPD
April 12th 2011The anticholinergic drug tiotropium is more effective than the Β2-agonist salmeterol in preventing exacerbations in patients with moderate-to-very-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a multicenter European study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Rheumatic disease patients may require 2 doses of flu vaccine
April 12th 2011Patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease may need 2 doses of adjuvanted split influenza A vaccine to elicit the same antibody response as healthy individuals, reported a recent Swiss study published in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Suppressive therapy manages clopidogrel hypersensitivity
April 12th 2011Clopidogrel hypersensitivity, which affects 6% of patients, can be successfully treated using short-course corticosteroids and antihistamines without interrupting drug therapy, reported researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.
Combination of ACEI and ARB therapy increases renal risks in elderly
April 12th 2011Combining angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors with angiotensin-receptor blockers is associated with increased risk of adverse renal outcomes, according to a recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
FDA approves gabapentin enacarbil for RLS
April 7th 2011FDA has approved gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant Extended-Release Tablets, GlaxoSmithKline and XenoPort), a once-daily treatment for moderate-to-severe restless legs syndrome, also known as Ekbom disease. It is the first medication in its class to be approved for this condition.
High-dose clopidogrel does not reduce mortality after PCI
April 7th 2011The use of high-dose clopidogrel compared with use of standard-dose clopidogrel does not reduce the incidence of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis among patients with high on-treatment reactivity after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents, according to a recent multicenter study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
FDA eyes generic user fees as funding option
April 5th 2011Both the Food and Drug Administration and officials from a number of generic drug companies indicate they are in active talks on creating user fees to be paid by that industry to give the agency more resources to speed generics to the market, carry out inspections and other functions.
Citalopram, irinotecan hydrochloride recalled
April 5th 2011APP Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Schaumburg, Ill., recently recalled 5 lots of irinotecan hydrochloride injection, used to treat recurrent or progressive metastatic colorectal cancer. Greenstone LLC has recalled 1 lot of Citalopram, used to treat depression, because the bottles may contain finasteride.
Vimovo well tolerated by arthritis patients at risk for gastric ulcers
April 5th 2011Naproxen/esomeprazole magnesium (Vimovo, AstraZeneca and Pozen) 500/20-mg delayed-release tablets was generally well tolerated in osteoarthritis patients requiring daily NSAID therapy who were at risk for NSAID-associated ulcers, according to a study published in Current Medical Research & Opinion.
5α-reductase inhibitors in BPH linked with adverse sexual effects
April 5th 20115α-reductase inhibitors may cause persistent erectile dysfunction, depression, and loss of libido, even after discontinuing use, in men being treated for systems of benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia, according to a literature review published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.