Dissension continues on how to treat Lyme disease
August 6th 2007For patients with Lyme disease whose symptoms linger after the active infection has already been treated, continued and prolonged use of antibiotics is not effective and can lead to the development of resistance. This is just one of the new recommendations from the American Academy of Neurology's recently issued treatment guideline.
Three-in-one therapy targets H. pylori
August 6th 2007In effort to improve H. pylori eradication rates, Axcan Pharma has harnessed the power of three drugs known to have antimicrobial effects and combined them into a novel 3-in-1 formulation. Marketed under the trade name Pylera, the new product contains 140 mg bismuth subcitrate potassium, 125 mg metronidazole, and 125 mg tetracycline in each capsule. Pylera is indicated for use in combination with omeprazole for treating H. pylori infection and duodenal ulcer disease.
Schools are divided on mandated residency
August 6th 2007After the leadership debated the issue of requiring residency for all new pharmacy school graduates by 2020, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy decided to delay action and voted to refer the policy statement, that the AACP backed an accredited residency program for all graduates providing direct patient care, for further study.
A look at retail, hospital R.Ph.s' influence in four areas
August 6th 2007Four topics from our exclusive Drug Topics survey: Community pharmacists' influence over patients via counseling; Has OBRA boosted retail R.Ph.s' clout?; How hospital pharmacists feel about the creation of a CPO position; To what extent hospital R.Ph.s are taking part in rounds.
New antihypertensive first to combine ARB and CCB
August 6th 2007Patients with uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) taking either a calcium-channel blocker (CCB) or an angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB) alone, may now find benefit from a new agent that combines the two. Exforge, from Novartis, was approved by the FDA in late June and is the first product to contain both classes of drugs.