A recent landmark phase 3 trial in patients in remission from recurrent hepatic encephalopathy demonstrated that rifaximin at a dose of 550 mg twice daily is significantly more effective than placebo in maintaining remission and reducing the risk of hospitalization. Rifaximin's approval by FDA in March 2010, offers clinicians the first pharmacologic treatment for hepatic encephalopathy in more than 30 years.
In an on-line article published in the journal Ophthalmology, researchers reported a possible adverse association between certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and the development of cataracts in those aged >65.
A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the effects of rosiglitazone on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality confirmed the finding of increased odds of myocardial infarction with rosiglitazone.
Hemophilia is a rare congenital bleeding disorder, resulting from a deficiency of factor VIII (hemophilia A) or factor IX (hemophilia B). Deficiency of either of these factors interrupts normal hemostasis resulting in an inability to form a stable fibrin clot to halt bleeding. This article reviews the etiology of hemophilia, available pharmacologic approaches to bleeding episodes, and treatment options in the presence of complications.
One approach to aligning cost/quality outcomes is Value-Based Benefit Design which is designed to lower out-of-pocket costs for high-value services while providing greater quality of life for members
According to several presenters at the recent America's Health Insurance Plans Institute, coordination, communication and challenges are now the industry's driving forces.
Federal officials are pressuring insurers to keep premium rates under control for the coming year.
Most allergies are due to a combination of genetic factors and environmental exposure. The first step in coping with allergies is to reduce exposure to triggers.
In this environment, payers must provide added benefits while holding the line on costs.
Clinician handwashing protocol varies widely. Standardized measures for monitoring handwashing are lacking and tracking costly hospital-acquired infections in relation to hand hygiene is spotty at best.
Patients who do not follow their medication regimens cost the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $290 billion a year, or 13% of total healthcare expenditures.
The Commonwealth Fund supports research on practical healthcare issues to drive improvement, while also sharing data publicly. Lately, its task has been formidable.
Approximately 75 million Americans have two or more chronic conditions, Often the sickest members of a population, they experience a serious disconnect.
The restaurant industry is the second largest private-sector employer which also represents a significant portion of the uninsured population.
A far-reaching provision related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act involves the 1099 tax reporting requirements and how they are expanded in the healthcare reform.
Medicare Advantage plans have maintained their value in the eyes of the marketplace.
The effect of new Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will depend largely on federal and state actions to roll out the provisions and encourage enrollment.
A pilot study of resveratrol in 10 older adults suggests that the compound may be beneficial for patients with impaired glucose tolerance.
In patients with type 2 diabetes, treatment with exenatide once weekly for 1 year results in sustained improvements in glycemic control, body weight, cardiovascular risk markers, and markers of hepatic injury, according to a pooled analysis of 2 large clinical trials.
A post hoc analysis of 5 clinical trials of liraglutide suggests that it was significantly better than active comparators on a composite end point of glycated hemoglobin less than 7% without hypoglycemia or weight gain, reported French investigators.
Liraglutide is more successful in reducing glycated hemoglobin levels to 7% or less regardless of baseline glycated hemoglobin level compared with sitagliptin in adults with type 2 diabetes, said Melanie Davies, MD, MB ChB, professor of diabetes medicine, University of Leicester, United Kingdom.
Patients who are not well controlled on metformin may get better control of glycated hemoglobin levels and weight using once-weekly exenatide than by titrating insulin glargine.
Data from phase 3 trials of an investigational once-weekly injectable human GLP-1 analog?taspoglutide?show that it compares favorably with currently available agents in terms of glycemic control while offering favorable gastrointestinal tolerability and equal or superior weight loss.
A new Harris Interactive poll shows a majority of American parents believe they, rather than the government, should have the final say in which vaccines their children receive.
Centers without hospital affiliations reported they had more difficulty getting off-site specialty appointments regardless of a patient's insurance status.
While 5.6 million to 7 million Americans may qualify for health coverage through a new temporary national high-risk pool program, the $5 billion allocated until 2014 will cover only a fraction of those in need, potentially as few as 200,000 people a year, according to a new policy analysis from the National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR).
Improved treatment of severe epilepsy could reduce the overall cost of the condition, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the International Society of Pharmacoeconomic Outcomes Research (ISPOR), in Atlanta.
Results of a new study presented at the American Society of Hypertension (ASH) annual meeting, found that the investigational triple combination therapy of olmesartan medoxomil (OM), amlodipine besylate (AML), and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), demonstrated significantly greater mean reductions in blood pressure as compared with corresponding dual combination therapy.
An experimental drug for hepatitis C from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, telaprevir, sharply increased the cure rate in a clinical trial, while reducing the time needed for treatment. Experts said the results could herald a new era in treating the sometimes-fatal disease that is often overlooked, as reported by The New York Times.
Most patients with resistant rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who failed to respond to an initial cycle of rituximab (Rituxan) showed clinical improvement following a second treatment cycle, a British study found, as reported by MedPage.