The Annals of pharmacotherapy
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Review Meta Analysis
Nebulized morphine for relief of dyspnea due to chronic lung disease.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nebulized morphine for the management of dyspnea in chronic pulmonary diseases. ⋯ Results from several small studies do not support the use of nebulized morphine for treatment of dyspnea; however, several positive case reports have been published.
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To review the availability, mechanisms, limitations, and clinical application of point-of-care (POC) devices used in the management of warfarin and parenteral direct thrombin inhibitors. ⋯ POC testing for anticoagulation therapy has been available for >20 years. Multiple POC devices are available to monitor warfarin. There is some variability in results between devices and between reagents used in the same device. Despite these limitations, POC monitoring of warfarin via the PT-INR is an integral part of clinical practice. Additional research evaluating POC monitoring of direct thrombin inhibitors is necessary.