Advances in therapy
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Advances in therapy · Jun 2014
Meta AnalysisSafety and tolerability of tapentadol extended release in moderate to severe chronic osteoarthritis or low back pain management: pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials.
This analysis of pooled data from four randomized, controlled-dose adjustment, phase 3 studies (three 15-week, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled studies and a 1-year, open-label, active-controlled safety study) in patients with chronic osteoarthritis hip or knee pain or low back pain evaluated the safety and tolerability of tapentadol extended release (ER) for the management of moderate to severe, chronic pain. ⋯ Results from this large patient population showed that tapentadol ER (100-250 mg bid) had improved gastrointestinal tolerability compared with oxycodone CR, based on the overall incidence of gastrointestinal TEAEs, the incidence of moderate or severe gastrointestinal TEAEs, and the incidence of gastrointestinal TEAEs leading to discontinuation.
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Advances in therapy · Apr 2014
ReviewPirfenidone in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: expert panel discussion on the management of drug-related adverse events.
Pirfenidone is currently the only approved therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, following studies demonstrating that treatment reduces the decline in lung function and improves progression-free survival. Although generally well tolerated, a minority of patients discontinue therapy due to gastrointestinal and skin-related adverse events (AEs). ⋯ The main recommendations to help prevent and/or mitigate gastrointestinal and skin-related AEs include taking pirfenidone during (or after) a meal, avoiding sun exposure, wearing protective clothing, and applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with high ultraviolet (UV) A and UVB protection. These measures can help optimize AE management, which is key to maintaining patients on an optimal treatment dose.
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Advances in therapy · Apr 2014
Meta AnalysisPerioperative landiolol administration reduces atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is one of the most common complications after cardiac surgery. Patients who develop POAF have a prolonged stay in the intensive care unit and hospital and an increased risk of postoperative stroke. Many guidelines for the management of cardiac surgery patients, therefore, recommend perioperative administration of beta-blockers to prevent and treat POAF. Landiolol is an ultra-short acting beta-blocker, and some randomized controlled trials of landiolol administration for the prevention of POAF have been conducted in Japan. This meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of landiolol administration for the prevention of POAF after cardiac surgery. ⋯ Landiolol administration reduces the incidence of POAF after cardiac surgery and is well tolerated.
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Advances in therapy · Apr 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyImpacts of patient characteristics on the effectiveness of landiolol in AF/AFL patients complicated with LV dysfunction: Subgroup analysis of the J-Land study.
Results from the multicenter trial (J-Land study) of landiolol versus digoxin in atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction revealed that landiolol was more effective for controlling rapid HR than digoxin. The subgroup analysis for patient characteristics was conducted to evaluate the impact on the efficacy and safety of landiolol compared with digoxin. ⋯ This subgroup analysis indicated that landiolol was more useful, regardless of patient characteristics, as compared with digoxin in AF/AFL patients complicated with LV dysfunction. Particularly, in patients with impaired renal function, landiolol should be preferred for the purpose of acute rate control of AF/AFL tachycardia.
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Advances in therapy · Mar 2014
Impact of dronedarone treatment on healthcare resource utilization in patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter.
The ATHENA (A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel Arm Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Dronedarone 400 mg bid for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Hospitalization or Death from Any Cause in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation/Atrial Flutter) trial demonstrated a significant reduction (26%) in the rate of first cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization in dronedarone-treated patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL). ATHENA was the first trial to demonstrate a CV outcomes benefit, specifically reduced CV hospitalizations, with an antiarrhythmic drug. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of dronedarone treatment on healthcare resource utilization among real-world patients with AF/AFL in United States clinical practice. ⋯ This study suggests that dronedarone use in real-world practice, as in the ATHENA trial, results in substantial reductions in hospital admissions, both in first-line and second-line antiarrhythmic treatment settings.