Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialPharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ticagrelor and prasugrel in healthy male Korean volunteers.
A combination of clopidogrel and aspirin is the standard treatment for patients with acute coronary syndrome and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Two novel antiplatelet agents, ticagrelor and prasugrel, have been shown to rapidly and more effectively inhibit the P2Y12 receptor compared with clopidogrel. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of ticagrelor and prasugrel in healthy male Korean volunteers. ⋯ Prasugrel 30 and 60 mg exhibited slightly stronger, more rapid, and sustainable platelet inhibitory effects compared with ticagrelor 180 mg. These differing effects should be considered when determining the efficacy and adverse effects of ticagrelor and prasugrel. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01876797 and NCT02075268.
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Clinical therapeutics · Mar 2015
Effects of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation on oxygenation status and prognosis in patients with acute paraquat-induced lung injury.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) on oxygenation status and prognosis in patients with acute lung injury induced by paraquat (PQ) poisoning. ⋯ NIPPV may effectively improve oxygenation status in patients with acute PQ-induced lung injury, thereby relieving dyspnea and promoting the recovery of pulmonary function. PIinit and PImax may be important determinants of prognosis in acute PQ-induced lung injury. These findings need further verification in a large-scale, multicenter, randomized controlled study that combines other factors with a relatively long-term follow-up.
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Clinical therapeutics · Mar 2015
Observational StudyEffects of rivaroxaban versus warfarin on hospitalization days and other health care resource utilization in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: an observational study from a cohort of matched users.
Compared with warfarin, the new target-specific oral anticoagulant agents may have advantages, such as shorter hospital length of stay, in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The objective of the present study was to assess, among patients with NVAF, the effects of rivaroxaban versus warfarin on the number of hospitalization days and other health care resource utilization in a cohort of rivaroxaban users and matched warfarin users. ⋯ In this study conducted in clinical practice, the estimated mean numbers of hospitalization days, outpatient visits, and AF-related hospitalizations associated with rivaroxaban were significantly less than were those associated with warfarin in these patients with NVAF. The corresponding estimated difference in all-cause ED visits was not statistically significant.
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Clinical therapeutics · Mar 2015
ReviewEmerging new therapies for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.
The goal of this article was to review the safety, efficacy, and potential for utilization of the newly approved once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. ⋯ The GLP-1 receptor agonists have proven efficacy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and may provide patients with additional nonglycemic benefits, including significant weight loss and decreased systolic blood pressure. The newer once-weekly formulations are more convenient than the BID and once-daily medications, which could improve adherence and may be more attractive to providers and patients.
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease in adults. It is almost invariably lethal within a few years after the onset of symptoms. No effective treatment is currently available beyond supportive care and riluzole, a putative glutamate release blocker linked to modestly prolonged survival. This review provides a general overview of preclinical and clinical advances during recent years and summarizes the literature regarding emerging therapeutic approaches, focusing on their molecular targets. ⋯ Currently, no therapeutic effort seems to be efficient, but recent findings in ALS could help accelerate the discovery of an effective treatment for this disease.