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Pharmacy plays critical role in Rx management, says CMS
October 11th 2004Uncle Sam's belated recognition that pharmacists play a critical role in managing patients' medications is why Medicare's top administrator intends to encourage seniors to use their local retail pharmacy as a point of care when the prescription drug benefit goes live in 2006.
More human drugs crossing over to the veterinary market
October 11th 2004Costs of the research, development, and approval of new veterinary pharmaceuticals continue to rapidly increase. Thus, many manufacturers of veterinary drugs are looking to agents already licensed for human use to fill their pipeline of new products.
Medication underuse due to cost called a serious issue
October 11th 2004A recent survey found that 14% of heart failure patients with prescription drug coverage chose not to fill an Rx in the prior year due to cost. Now the findings of a new survey suggest that many of the sickest patients do not tell their healthcare providers what they are doing. Cost-related medication underuse: Do patients with chronic illnesses tell their doctors? was published in the Sept. 13 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Studies raise awareness of neuroendocrine disorders
October 11th 2004In today's society being tall is considered an asset, but for people with acromegaly, excessive growth is a symptom of a serious condition, oftentimes misdiagnosed. Excessive perspiration, extreme fatigue, headaches, generalized aches and pains, vision and sleep disturbances ... the widespread nature of these symptoms often leads patients to see different physicians of varying specialties. It is not until the symptoms of overgrowth and disfigurement of body parts develop that thought is given to the diagnosis of acromegaly.
ADHD symptoms often go unrecognized in adults
September 27th 2004It is estimated that symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persist into adulthood in 50% to 60% of those diagnosed with the condition in childhood and adolescence. According to researchers, more than eight million adults in the United States have ADHD .
New agent relieves painful symptoms of depression
September 13th 2004The painful physical symptoms of depression often go unrecognized and/or untreated, although 69% of those with the condition list physical symptoms as the main reason for a visit to their primary care physician. Fortunately, clinicians can now offer patients with depression an agent that addresses both depressed mood and common physical symptoms, such as back pain. The FDA recently approved duloxetine (Cymbalta, Eli Lilly) capsules for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. The drug is currently available in pharmacies.
