Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
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Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is an uncommon and disabling disorder characterized by progressive rigidity and episodic painful spasms involving axial and limb musculature. SPS treatment is mostly based on benzodiazepines, baclofen, immunosuppressants and intravenous immunoglobulin. Cannabis derivatives [tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)] are available as an oromucosal spray (Sativex(®)), indicated as add-on treatment, for symptom improvement in patients with moderate to severe spasticity because of multiple sclerosis (MS). Our objective is to report a case of seronegative SPS successfully treated with THC-CBD oromucosal spray. ⋯ Clinical experience with cannabis derivatives in patients with multiple sclerosis is accumulating steadily, but there is no current literature about its efficacy for SPS. Because MS and SPS share some neurological symptoms such as spasticity and rigidity, it is thought that THC-CBC can be an option for SPS patient. Our case report suggests that THC-CBD oromucosal spray is an alternative treatment for patients with refractory SPS, and further validation is appropriate.
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Spontaneous Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems (ADRRS) provide early warnings or 'signals' for adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Our aim was to survey reports of ADRs made through our teaching-hospital-based pharmacovigilance system to identify the drugs most commonly associated with allergies and the types of immunological reactions reported. ⋯ A hospital-based ADR reporting system can generate useful data. In our study, antibiotics accounted for the majority of drug allergies, particularly anaphylactic reactions. More cases of drug allergies were owing to cephalosporin allergies than penicillins. Anti-epileptic agents caused most of the severe drug hypersensitivity syndromes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intravenous dexmedetomidine in healthy Korean subjects.
Dexmedetomidine is a selective alpha2-adrenoreceptor agonist used for sedation in critically ill patients. The current study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PKs), pharmacodynamics and tolerability of intravenous dexmedetomidine in healthy Korean subjects. ⋯ Dexmedetomidine shows linear PK characteristics and dose-dependent sedative effects. A two-compartment population PK model was developed for healthy Korean subjects. The PK parameter estimates are similar in Koreans and Caucasians.
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Thrombolysis using intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the only available evidence-based treatment for acute ischaemic stroke; however, its current utilization is very low. Therefore, the aim of this article is to review the literature regarding the use of intravenous tPA for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke. The review will also compare utilization rates of thrombolysis in different centres across the world and identify key reasons for the underutilization of thrombolysis in stroke. ⋯ tPA reduces disability in stroke patients. Moreover, acceptable safety has been demonstrated in routine clinical practice. However, tPA is significantly underutilized, and specific efforts are needed to encourage appropriate implementation of the stroke treatment guidelines to optimize the use of this important therapy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Lack of clinically significant pharmacological interactions between ticagrelor and enoxaparin or unfractionated heparin in healthy subjects.
Patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) receive several pharmacological therapies concomitantly, including antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents. As unfractionated heparin (UFH) activates platelets in vitro and in vivo, co-administration with an antiplatelet agent may lead to decreased clinical effectiveness of the latter. The aim was therefore to determine any potential drug-drug interactions between the new oral antiplatelet agent ticagrelor, and UFH or enoxaparin. ⋯ Enoxaparin and UFH had no effect on the pharmacokinetics and no clinically significant effect on the pharmacodynamics of ticagrelor. Ticagrelor had no clinically significant effects on the pharmacodynamics of enoxaparin or UFH.