Long-term use of a combination antimicrobial trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ) reduces the risk of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) by up to 80% in children with the urinary condition vesicoureteral reflux compared to placebo, according to a study published online May 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
FDA approved vorapaxar (Zontivity, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck) tablets to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular death, and need for procedures to restore the blood flow to the heart in patients with a previous heart attack or blockages in the arteries to the legs.
FDA approved omega-3-carboxylic acids (Epanova, AstraZeneca) as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglyceride levels in adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia (triglyceride levels greater than or equal to 500 mg/dL).
The National Lipid Association just released a report addressing six safety issues related to statin therapy, including the effects of statins on cognition, diabetes risk, liver function, muscle symptoms, interactions with other drugs, and statin intolerance. The report, published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology, is an update to a consensus report published by the organization in 2006.
Higher dietary fiber intake among myocardial infarction (MI) survivors lowers the risk of subsequent all cause and cardiovascular mortality, according to a prospective study published April 29 in BMJ.
The sale of electronic or e-cigarettes may soon be regulated by FDA. Last week the agency proposed a new rule that would extend its authority to cover additional tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
An FDA advisory panel recommended against Merck’s attempt to sell its prescription drug, montelukast sodium (Singulair), as an over-the-counter product for allergy relief in adults only.
FDA approved ceritinib (Zykadia, Novartis) for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
RightCare’s software, based on 10 years of academic and clinical research, has been proven to reduce readmission rates by as much as 35%.
The increase in recent acquisition activity among Big Pharma illustrates different growth strategies, according to industry watchers.
Lorazepam is not necessarily better at stopping epileptic seizures in children than diazepam, according to a new study published in the April 30 issue of JAMA.
FDA approved siltuximab (Sylvant, Janssen Biotech) to treat patients with multicentric Castleman’s disease (MCD), a rare disorder similar to lymphoma.
Pharmacists can play an influential role in ensuring patient access to quality health care by both encouraging and enhancing patient medication adherence and increasing patient knowledge of their disease states and medication therapies.
FDA approved umeclidinium (Incruse Ellipta, GlaxoSmithKline) once-daily anticholinergic for long-term maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.
Assessing the clinical utility of diagnostic testing has always been a complicated undertaking. And as new genetic tests enter the equation, that complexity will only increase. To examine the issues surrounding clinical utility, I’d like to share a quick story.
FDA drug approvals, breakthrough designations, fast-track designations, priority review
FDA is holding a public workshop on its proposed prescription drug tracking system on May 8-9.
Patients who use statins are consuming more calories and fats than a decade earlier, increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Pfizer said it offered to buy AstraZeneca for approximately $100 billion. If the deal materializes, it would represent the biggest-ever foreign takeover of a British business and allow Pfizer to pay a lower corporate tax rate of 20%, according to some reports.
The biggest challenge in tackling opioid abuse is lack of awareness and understanding of addictive diseases generally and specifically opioid use disorders, as well as misinformation and negative perceptions of medication-assisted therapies (MATs), according to a recent opinion article published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Pharmacists who contacted high-risk patients within 72 hours of discharge from Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, found more than half of the patients had medication-related issues. In a different group of high-risk patients who had received inpatient interventions, 35% of patients were found to have issues after a pharmacist reviewed their medications just prior to discharge, according to Laura Carr, PharmD.
Pharmacist-led care with prescribing authority substantially improved risk factors at 6 months among stroke survivors than nurse case managers who monitored patients and provided feedback to their primary care physicians, according to a report published in the Canadian Medical Association’s journal, CMAJ.
FDA approved the first HPV DNA test for women aged 25 years and older that can be used alone to help a healthcare professional assess the need for a woman to undergo additional diagnostic testing for cervical cancer. The test also can offer information about the patient’s risk for developing cervical cancer in the future.
FDA approved ramucirumab (Cyramza, Eli Lilly) to treat patients with advanced stomach cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.
Community factors may be linked to hospital readmission rates, according to a study published in Health Services Research.
FDA is requiring that drug labels for injectable corticosteroids used to treat neck and back pain must be updated to include a warning of rare but serious adverse events, including vision loss, stroke, paralysis, and death, according to a recent FDA drug safety communication.
