Taking effervescent, dispersible, and soluble medications that contain sodium long term increase the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.
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FDA approved a new use for collagenase clostridium histolyticum (Xiaflex, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals) as the first FDA-approved medicine to treat men with bothersome curvature of the penis, a condition known as Peyronie’s disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the help of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation has developed a tool kit for instituting collaborative practice agreements between healthcare providers and pharmacists, which is intended to improve healthcare quality.
Among primary care patients with uncontrolled hypertension, medication nonadherence was more than twice as common in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (68%) as compared to patients without PTSD (26%), according to a study reported online in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Patients with diabetes who received prescribed heart medications by mail were less likely to visit the emergency room than those who picked up prescriptions in person, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published in the American Journal of Managed Care.
Many patients who stopped taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs were also taking an average of 3 other drugs that interfered with the normal metabolism of statins, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology.
Pregnant women exposed to environmental phthalates are at an elevated risk of preterm delivery, according to a recent study in JAMA Pediatrics.
When Group Health patients received support from a nurse navigator, or advocate, soon after a cancer diagnosis, they had better experiences and fewer problems with their care-particularly in health information, care coordination, and psychological and social care-according to a randomized controlled trial in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Data for tiotropium show improved lung function, sustained bronchodilation in patients with moderate asthma severity.
FDA has eased restrictions on patient access to the controversial diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline). The agency made its determination after an FDA Advisory Committee reviewed the drug in June 2013 and voted to lift its restrictions, and new information was released indicating that the drug carries no heightened cardiovascular risk.
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FDA has simeprevir (Olysio, Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection as part of an antiviral treatment regimen in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in genotype 1 infected adults with compensated liver disease, including cirrhosis.
FDA has expanded the approved uses of sorafenib (Nexavar, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Onyx Pharmaceuticals) to treat late-stage (metastatic) differentiated thyroid cancer.
FDA approves first adjuvanted vaccine for prevention of H5N1 avian influenza for National Stockpile
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FDA approved the first adjuvanted vaccine for the prevention of H5N1 influenza, commonly known as avian or bird flu. The vaccine, Influenza A (H5N1) Virus Monovalent Vaccine, Adjuvanted, is for use in people aged 18 years and older who are at increased risk of exposure to the H5N1 influenza virus.
FDA is warning healthcare professionals of the rare but serious risk of heart attack and death with use of cardiac nuclear stress test agents regadenoson (Lexiscan) and adenosine (Adenoscan).
FDA has requested label and packaging changes for certain over-the-counter (OTC) topical antiseptic products to decrease the risk of infections from these products, which in rare cases have resulted in deaths.
FDA has approved luliconazole (Luzu Cream, 1%, Valeant Pharmaceuticals) for the 1-week, once-daily treatment of interdigital tinea pedis, tinea cruris, and tinea corporis, caused by the organisms Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum, in patients aged 18 years and older.
Excessive analgesics use can contribute to the chronic headache associated with concussion in some adolescent patients and discontinuing these drugs can improve symptoms, according to researchers at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Child Neurology Society, in Austin, Texas.
Women using oral contraceptive for 3 years or more may be at risk for developing glaucoma and should be screened for the eye disease if they have additional risk factors, according to researchers at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting in New Orleans.
Lurasidone HCl (Latuda) reduces depressive symptoms in adult patients with bipolar depression as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy to lithium or valproate. This flexibility is important given the multiple unmet needs of patients with bipolar depression, according to 2 phase 3 studies published recently in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
FDA has approved ibrutinib (Imbruvica, Pharmacyclics and Janssen) to treat patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a rare and aggressive type of blood cancer. It is the second drug with breakthrough therapy designation to receive FDA approval.
Statin therapy is now recommended for approximately 33 million Americans who don’t have cardiovascular disease (CVD), but have an estimated 10-year CV risk of 7.5% or higher. These individuals also have LDL cholesterol between 70 mg/dL and 189 mg/dL, according to new guidelines issued Nov. 12 by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
Hepatitis C discussion with Eliav Barr, MD, vice president, infectious disease project and pipeline lead at Merck Research Laboratories in West Point, Pa.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is shifting its investment strategy to focus on opportunities in cystic fibrosis, according to Ian Smith, chief financial officer, who spoke at the Credit Suisse 2013 Healthcare Conference in mid November.
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are less likely to occur in favorable critical care work environments, according to a study in the November issue of American Journal of Critical Care.
New data looking at the safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Janssen) for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) following major orthopedic surgery has been published online ahead of print in Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
FDA has approved the first generic versions of Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium) delayed-release tablets, used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in adults and adolescents (aged 12 years and up).
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