Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Efficacy of oxycodone/paracetamol for patients with bone-cancer pain: a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.
Bone-cancer pain is a common and refractory cancer pain. Opioids, on their own, do not control this type of pain well enough, and co-analgesics are necessary. ⋯ Patients with bone-cancer pain, already on opioids, obtain clinically important, additional pain-control, with regular oxycodone/paracetamol dosing.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Long-term tolerability of tramadol LP, a new once-daily formulation, in patients with osteoarthritis or low back pain.
Tramadol hydrochloride is a centrally acting analgesic, which possesses opioid agonist properties and activates monoaminergic spinal inhibition of pain. An oral, once a day, sustained release formulation of tramadol is thought to be advantageous compared with immediate release preparations as it prevents plasma peaks associated with increased side-effects of the drug. It may also improve compliance. The purpose of the study was to assess the long-term safety of a new sustained-release formulation of tramadol (tramadol LP) in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis and in patients with refractory low back pain. ⋯ Long-term treatment with tramadol LP once daily is generally safe in patients with osteoarthritis or refractory low back pain.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Optimization of phenytoin therapy in adults with epilepsy in the Western Cape, South Africa.
To assess the extent to which adults with epilepsy were optimized and individualized on phenytoin monotherapy in the Western Cape, South Africa and to estimate the average optimized dose and serum phenytoin concentration, and the therapeutic range for this patient group. ⋯ These findings indicate that many patients (47%) attending outpatient clinics were not optimized on phenytoin therapy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Slowing the titration rate of tramadol HCl reduces the incidence of discontinuation due to nausea and/or vomiting: a double-blind randomized trial.
Ultram [tramadol hydrochloride (HCl)] is a centrally acting analgesic that is widely prescribed for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe chronic pain. Although tramadol is generally well tolerated, some patients discontinue use early in the course of treatment because of nausea and vomiting. ⋯ This study demonstrated that a slower titration rate of tramadol HCl improves tolerability in patients who previously discontinued therapy due to nausea and/or vomiting. This study also demonstrates that the rate of titration of tramadol HCl rather than the target dose is the major determinant of tolerability.