Pharmacotherapy
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A MEDLINE search of the National Library of Medicine data base from 1966-1994 was performed to review the anatomy and pathophysiology of intractable hiccups and their nondrug and drug therapies. Pertinent articles were further reviewed for older references and related literature. ⋯ The only approved drug for the disorder, chlorpromazine, may not be acceptable for every patient. Studies have been conducted with metoclopramide, valproic acid, nifedipine, and baclofen as alternative therapies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A pilot pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic study of benzodiazepine antagonism by flumazenil and aminophylline.
To develop a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model using quantitative electroencephalographic (EEG) analysis to compare two separate benzodiazepine antagonists and generate data concerning response variability. ⋯ Flumazenil was consistently effective in reversing sedation by midazolam at routinely recommended dosing. Further investigation of aminophylline as a reversal agent should use an estimated dose of 6-8 mg/kg aminophylline. To achieve adequate reversal, some patients may require aminophylline dosages that exceed safe clinical administration.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of a weight-based heparin nomogram with traditional heparin dosing to achieve therapeutic anticoagulation.
Optimum anticoagulation with heparin within the first 24 hours of a thrombotic event is critical in preventing a recurrence. We believed that traditional nonweight-based heparin dosing at our institution resulted in delayed anticoagulation. A weight-based heparin nomogram was therefore created and compared to traditional heparin dosing in patients with a diagnosis of acute deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. ⋯ The initial nomogram was revised for patients weighing more than 80 kg owing to a greater frequency of excessive anticoagulation in these patients. Subsequent analysis of 29 patients using the modified nomogram revealed sustained efficacy and a reduced number of supratherapeutic aPTTs. We concluded that a weight-based heparin nomogram is superior to traditional therapy in achieving rapid therapeutic anticoagulation without an increase in adverse outcomes.
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Fosphenytoin is a phenytoin prodrug that received an approvable letter from the Food and Drug Administration in February 1996. It was designed to overcome many of the shortcomings associated with parenteral phenytoin sodium. Specifically, fosphenytoin is a highly water-soluble, phosphate ester of phenytoin that has no known pharmacologic activity before its conversion to phenytoin. ⋯ It is also well tolerated when given intramuscularly, and this is a valuable alternative route of administration when intravenous access or cardiographic monitoring is unavailable. Its pharmacoeconomic advantages over phenytoin have not been documented in formal studies to date, although the likelihood of savings based on cost-effectiveness analyses is high. Hence, fosphenytoin has the potential as a safe, well-tolerated, and effective means of delivering phenytoin parenterally in a variety of clinical settings.
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Comparative Study
The impact of practice guidelines on prescribing patterns of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents.
Guidelines for selecting nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents (NNMBAs) were developed and implemented by an interdisciplinary team for use in our intensive care units. They suggest pancuronium as the drug of choice if the patient does not have renal insufficiency and is hemodynamically stable. If either of these criteria is not met and hepatic function is normal, vecuronium is recommended. ⋯ After guideline implementation, atracurium, vecuronium, and pancuronium were prescribed for 33% (8), 21% (5), and 46% (11) of patients, respectively, and use was inappropriate in 38% (3), 60% (3), and 0% of patients, respectively. Overall, the prevalence of inappropriate NNMBA selection decreased from 80% (20) to 25% (6). Further analysis is necessary to determine the associated pharmacoeconomic impact of decreased inappropriate NNMBA prescribing.