New oral contraceptives increase women’s cardiac risk
June 1st 2013Women taking fourth-generation oral contraceptives, which use a progestin that is antiandrogenic, are at increased heart risk. The drugs significantly lengthen the corrected QT (QTc) by 3.6 milliseconds, according to a recent study in the Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology.
Read More
Newer whooping cough vaccines less effective than older vaccines
June 1st 2013Teenagers who received DTaP (acellular pertussis vaccine) in their first 2 years of life had a 6 times higher risk of contracting pertussis compared with those who received DTwP (whole-cell pertussis vaccine) in their first 2 years of life, according to a study online in Pediatrics.
Read More
Increased cardiac risks in COPD with new Rx inhalers
June 1st 2013Older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be at increased risk for cardiovascular events with newly prescribed long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) and long-acting anticholinergics (LAAs) and need to be followed closely by their healthcare providers, according to a study published online May 20 for JAMA Internal Medicine.
Read More
Underdosing in obesity-an epidemic: Focus on anticoagulation
June 1st 2013Obesity is a growing problem in the United States. Currently, 68% of adult Americans are overweight (BMI >25 kg/m2).1 Of those, 35% are obese (BMI >30 kg/m2) and 6% are morbidly obese (BMI >40 kg/m2). It is estimated that by 2030, 51% of the population will be obese and 11% will be morbidly obese.1 We are often confronted with dosing drugs in an obese patient. Unfortunately, many clinical trials exclude or have limited overweight patients enrolled; thus, optimal dosing for both safety and efficacy in this population is lacking. Pharmacokinetic studies in obese patients have shown that the volumes of distribution of lipophilic drugs and the clearance of hydrophilic drugs can be increased. For this reason, dosing in obesity should be patient- and drug-specific.
Read More
Disinfecting all ICU patients significantly reduces MRSA
May 30th 2013Decolonization of all intensive care unit (ICU) patients with antimicrobial soap and ointment significantly reduces all bloodstream infections, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Read More
Long-term high-dose opioids for pain can result in ED
May 28th 2013Men using long-term, high dose prescription opioids for back pain were about 50% more likely to be using medications for erectile dysfunction than men with back pain who were not using opioids, according to a study published in a recent issue of Spine.
Read More
Following CDC protocols reduces dialysis bloodstream infections
May 28th 2013Outpatient hemodialysis facilities realized a 32% decrease in overall bloodstream infections and a 54% decrease in vascular access-related bloodstream infections after Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines were used, according to a new study.
Read More
FDA panel OKs Merck insomnia agent suvorexant at lower doses
May 23rd 2013Soon after FDA expressed concerns over the higher dosages and safety profile, including daytime drowsiness, of the proposed sleep agent known as suvorexant (Merck), the Agency’s Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee voted 13-3, with 1 abstention, in favor of the safety of 2 proposed starting doses of suvorexant - 15 mg in patients over the age of 65 and 20 mg in patients under the age of 65.
Read More