Drugs of today
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Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterized by chronic widespread pain and accompanied by a variety of other symptoms such as fatigue, sleep dysfunction, depression, anxiety and cognitive disturbance. Current guidelines recommend tricyclic antidepressants or SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) as first-line therapies to treat the multiple symptom domains. Until recently, however, there were no licensing authority approved treatments for FMS. ⋯ In a series of short-term randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of 8-14 weeks duration, pregabalin proved effective in reducing the pain and accompanying symptoms of FMS and improved quality of life domains. A 6-month double-blind, placebo-controlled trial demonstrated the durability of its effects on pain and a variety of secondary measures such as fatigue and sleep disturbance. Overall, pregabalin was well tolerated with no new adverse events emerging that have not been reported with its use in other indications.
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Pregabalin is a structural analogue of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), one of the key inhibitory neurotransmitters in the brain. Its mode of action is believed to be mediated by the alpha-2-delta-1 subunit protein of voltage-gated calcium channels to bring about its anxiolytic, anticonvulsant and antinociceptive effects. Pregabalin has linear pharmacokinetics, undergoes minimal metabolism and is excreted largely unchanged. ⋯ Pregabalin showed less cognitive and psychomotor impairment than alprazolam, and it showed different effects on sleep architecture to the latter in terms of REM sleep latency and slow wave stage 3/4 sleep. The most frequently reported adverse events were dizziness and somnolence, although tolerance to these developed within a few weeks. Withdrawal symptoms during a one-week taper phase were mild and were similar after both acute and chronic administration.
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Postoperative ileus (POI), a transient cessation of coordinated bowel motility after surgery, is an important factor in extending the length of hospital stay. The etiology of POI is multifactorial, and related to both the surgical and anesthetic pathways chosen. Additionally, opioids used to manage non-cancer-related and cancer-related chronic pain may also decrease gastrointestinal (GI) motility resulting in opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OBD). ⋯ S. Food and Drug Administration is currently evaluating alvimopan for the management of POI after bowel resection. Alvimopan may provide clinically meaningful benefits to patients and may lower the economic burden of POI to the healthcare system.
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Dalbavancin is a second-generation lipoglycopeptide bactericidal agent. Due to its once-weekly intravenous (i.v.) dosing and greater tissue penetration, dalbavancin may offer advantages in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as compared to vancomycin, the gold standard in the treatment of MRSA. Dalbavancin binds to the terminal D-alanyl-D-alanine moiety of peptidoglycan precursors in bacterial cell walls. ⋯ Dalbavancin is eliminated renally and hepatically, and does not need dose adjustments in patients with renal insufficiency. Once-weekly dosing with dalbavancin gives it another advantage when compared with vancomycin, and may alleviate the need for the continued presence of indwelling catheters in some patients with SSTIs and other infections requiring prolonged doses of antibiotics. While some in vitro evidence supports dalbavancin's effectiveness against vancomycin-resistant S. aureus, the preponderance of in vivo evidence does not demonstrate its effectiveness against vancomycin-resistant S. aureus.
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Most cardiovascular disease risk factors are modifiable by lifestyle changes. Nevertheless, the modern lifestyle is associated with increasing cardiovascular risk worldwide, with high prevalence of smoking, physical inactivity and obesity. Obesity is linked with diabetes, which has risen alarmingly, presently affecting 194 million people worldwide. ⋯ The complications of diabetes also increase disability, reduce life expectancy and create tremendous health costs. There is research available, however, which shows that diabetes can be prevented in the obese through lifestyle intervention. Such interventions are necessary to overcome what may be the most challenging health problem of the 21st century.