The timely article by Verdoux & Begaud ́ hopefully begins to redress the imbalance between randomised controlled trials and other ways of evaluating drug treatments. I would like to present further evidence for the ‘gap between guidelines and utilisation . . . for psychotropic medications’ (Verdoux & Begaud, 2004). ́ Using the Drug Report of the German Public Health Insurance (Schwabe & Pfaffrath...

Chronic asthma is a major health concern for children and adults worldwide. The goal of treatment is to prevent symptoms by reducing airway inflammation and hyperreactivity. Step-up therapy for symptom control involves initiation with low-dose treatment and increasing intensity at subsequent visits if control is not achieved. Step-down therapy starts with a high-dose regimen, reducing intensity...

AbstractMedication errors are commonly encountered in hospital setting. Intravenous medications pose particular risks because of their greater complexity and the multiple steps required in their preparation, administration and monitoring. We aimed to determine the rate of errors during preparation and administration phase of intravenous medications and the correlation of these errors with the d...

Evidence Three 2014 systematic reviews of placebo-controlled RCTs (including > 160 000 pages of previously unreleased clinical study reports)1-3 found the following when treating otherwise healthy adults with influenza or influenzalike illness with oseltamivir (11 RCTs)1,2 or zanamivir (14 RCTs)1,3: • Time to symptom improvement was 0.6 to 0.7 days (about 10%) better1-3; the benefit of zanamivi...

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance are associated with antipsychotic treatment. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance include abdominal adiposity, age, ethnic status, and certain neuropsychiatric conditions. While impaired glucose metabolism was first described in psychotic patients prior to the introduction of antipsychotic medications, treatment ...

Use of antidepressant medications that act on the serotonin system has been linked to detrimental impacts on bone mineral density (BMD), and to osteoporosis. This article reviews current evidence for such effects, and identifies themes for future research. Serotonin receptors are found in all major types of bone cell (osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts), indicating an important role of th...

Immunotherapy has been used for years in many types of cancer therapy. Recently, cancer immunotherapy has focused on mechanisms which can enhance the development of cell-mediated immunity. Anticancer medications are administered to inhibit immunosuppressive factors such as nagalase enzyme, which is produced by neoplastic cells and destroys macrophage activating factor (Gc-MAF). Anti-neoplastics...

CRITICALCARENURSE Vol 26, No. 3, JUNE 2006 19 2. Paradiso-Hardy FL, Madan M, Radhakrishnan S, Hurden S, Cohen EA. Severe thrombocytopenia possibly related to readministration of eptifibatide. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. September 2001;54:63-67. 3. Hongo RH, Brent BN. Association of eptifibatide and acute profound thrombocytopenia. Am J Cardiol. 2001;88:428-431. 4. Yoder M, Edwards RF. Reversibl...

OBJECTIVE To contribute with information about the adequate administration of drugs during breastfeeding. SOURCES OF DATA MEDLINE articles from 1993 to 2004, and Lilacs articles from 1995 to 2004 were selected in Portuguese, Spanish and English, by including the following keywords: breastfeeding, lactation, drugs and medicines. Other updated references found in articles and books were also in...

The timely article by Verdoux & Begaud ́ hopefully begins to redress the imbalance between randomised controlled trials and other ways of evaluating drug treatments. I would like to present further evidence for the ‘gap between guidelines and utilisation . . . for psychotropic medications’ (Verdoux & Begaud, 2004). ́ Using the Drug Report of the German Public Health Insurance (Schwabe & Pfaffrath...