The Annals of pharmacotherapy
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Comparative Study
International survey of self-reported medicine use among adolescents.
To examine gender, age, and country variations in adolescents' self-reported medicine use. ⋯ Substantial proportions of adolescents used medicine for common health problems. The prevalence of use differed between type of symptom for which the medicine was used, between countries, and between gender and age groups. We suggest that young people's medicine use should be addressed in public health policy.
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To report 2 cases of serotonin syndrome associated with combined therapy of risperidone and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in elderly patients. ⋯ An objective causality assessment revealed that the adverse drug event was probable in the first patient and definite in the second patient. We caution clinicians treating elderly patients with combined risperidone and SSRIs to include serotonin syndrome in differential diagnosis if the patient is showing signs of increasing agitation with escalating doses of risperidone.
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To report a case of anaphylaxis due to propofol in a child with allergies to egg and peanut oil. ⋯ Propofol should be avoided in patients with allergies to egg and/or soybean oil, if possible. Clinicians should consider the potential for adverse drug events in patients with select food allergies.
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To report the intrapleural use of alteplase in a patient diagnosed with complicated pleural effusion (CPE). ⋯ This patient's CPE resolved when intrapleural alteplase was used as an adjunct to chest tube drainage and antibiotics. Controlled trials need to be conducted to investigate fully the efficacy, dosing, and safety of intrapleural alteplase in the treatment of patients with CPE and empyema.