Current medical research and opinion
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Perioperative use of etoricoxib reduces pain and opioid side-effects after total abdominal hysterectomy: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase III study.
To evaluate the effects of two different doses of etoricoxib delivered perioperatively compared with placebo and standard pain management on pain at rest, pain with mobilization, and use of additional morphine/opioids postoperatively. ⋯ In patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy, etoricoxib 90 mg and 120 mg dosed preoperatively and then continued postoperatively significantly reduces both resting and movement-related pain, as well as reduced opioid (morphine) consumption that led to more rapid bowel recovery.
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Multicenter Study
Safety and efficacy outcomes of long-term treatment up to 4 years with 5% lidocaine medicated plaster in patients with post-herpetic neuralgia.
Prospective evaluation of the long-term efficacy and safety of the 5% lidocaine medicated plaster in patients with post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). ⋯ This study demonstrates that long-term treatment of ≥12 months with the 5% lidocaine medicated plaster is effective and well tolerated in PHN patients. These findings support the recommendations to use the 5% lidocaine medicated plaster as baseline therapy for localized neuropathic pain after herpes zoster infection (PHN).
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In a previously-published study, adding sitagliptin or glipizide to ongoing metformin therapy provided similar HbA(1c) improvement (both groups, -0.7%) after 52 weeks in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Significantly fewer patients experienced symptomatic hypoglycemia with sitagliptin (5% of 588 patients) compared to glipizide (32% of 584 patients). Glycemic efficacy and patient characteristics may influence hypoglycemic events. The present analysis evaluated the risk of hypoglycemia with sitagliptin or glipizide after adjusting for the most recently measured HbA(1c) value. ⋯ In pre-specified analyses adjusting for the most recently measured HbA(1c) value, there was a substantial reduction in risk for confirmed hypoglycemia with sitagliptin compared to glipizide when added to ongoing metformin therapy in patients with T2DM. The risk of confirmed hypoglycemia was very low in younger and older patients treated with sitagliptin.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Efficacy and tolerability of DHEP-heparin plaster in reducing pain in mild-to-moderate muscle contusions: a double-blind, randomized trial.
To investigate if the 180-mg diclofenac epolamine and heparin sodium 5600 IU medicated plaster (DHEP-heparin) is more effective for pain reduction in mild-to-moderate contusions than the reference diclofenac epolamine 180 mg plaster (DHEP). ⋯ The DHEP-heparin plaster is superior to the reference DHEP plaster in reducing pain associated with mild-to-moderate muscle contusion. Both active treatments were significantly more effective than placebo, and each showed a comparably favorable, placebo-like safety profile.
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Generic medicines are often used in public hospitals. However, data on the quality of generic alendronate, its efficacy, side-effects and medication adherence in clinical practice is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the side-effects and medication adherence of generic (apo-alendronate*) and proprietary alendronate (Fosamax†). ⋯ Medication adherence to both generic and proprietary alendronate appeared similar although patients who were taking generic alendronate* were significantly more likely to experience side-effects than those on proprietary alendronate. Therefore, the switch from proprietary alendronate to the generic forms should not only consider the cost of the products but must also ensure that the generic and proprietary alendronate are equivalent in all aspects of efficacy and safety.