Current medical research and opinion
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Efficacy and safety of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor alogliptin added to pioglitazone in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of alogliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled by therapy with a thiazolidinedione (TZD). ⋯ NCT00286494, clinicaltrials.gov.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Tadalafil therapy and health-related quality of life in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, progressive lung disorder that impairs performance of daily activities and quality of life (QoL), leading to right heart failure and death. Treatment options include prostanoids, endothelin antagonists, and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (e.g., tadalafil). Currently there is no cure for PAH, but tadalafil has improved exercise capacity in these patients. ⋯ Results suggest that tadalafil 40 mg may significantly improve HRQoL and exercise capacity for PAH patients. Limitations of this study include its relatively short nature limited to 16 weeks and the relative heterogeneity of the study population.
-
There has been considerable investment in efforts to improve postoperative pain management, including the introduction of acute pain teams. There have also been a number of guidelines published on postoperative pain management and there is widespread agreement on how pain should be practically managed. Despite these advances, there is no apparent improvement in the number of patients experiencing moderately severe or extreme pain after surgery. This highlights significant scope for improvement in acute postoperative pain management. ⋯ Acute postoperative pain can be more effectively managed if it is prioritised and anticipated by a well-informed care team who are educated with regard to appropriate analgesic options and understand what the long-term benefits of pain relief are. The principles of RADAR provide structure to help with training and implementation of good practice, to achieve effective postoperative pain management.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Single-dose pharmacokinetic study of rapidly dispersing diclofenac potassium formulations in healthy volunteers.
The clinical utility of diclofenac potassium, a commonly prescribed analgesic that provides mild to moderate pain relief, may be hindered by its delayed, depressed, and/or inconsistent absorption characteristics. A diclofenac potassium formulation using proprietary dispersion technology (ProSorb) was developed to overcome these limitations. The authors evaluated and compared the pharmacokinetics (PK) of 2 investigational diclofenac potassium liquid filled soft gelatin capsule (DPSGC) preparations and one investigational diclofenac liquid formulation, each incorporating the proprietary dispersion technology, to establish bioequivalence and identify a formulation for further clinical study. ⋯ These data show that diclofenac potassium formulations using proprietary dispersion technology are rapidly and consistently absorbed. These characteristics may be beneficial in settings where rapid and consistent drug absorption is desirable. These results may differ in other patient populations such as those experiencing pain or illness.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of saxagliptin monotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of once-daily saxagliptin monotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and inadequate glycemic control. ⋯ Once-daily saxagliptin monotherapy for 24 weeks was generally well tolerated and demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in key parameters of glycemic control vs. placebo.