Cns Drugs
-
Dexmedetomidine is currently used in the US in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting, although data to support this practice are limited. Dexmedetomidine targets the noradrenergic system, an important but frequently overlooked secondary mechanism in the development of AWS, and, in doing so, may reduce the need for excessive benzodiazepine use which can increase the risk of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated deliriogenesis and respiratory depression. The purpose of this narrative review is to evaluate available literature reporting on the safety and efficacy of dexmedetomidine for AWS in the ICU setting. ⋯ Eight published case studies and case series were identified. Based on a limited body of evidence, dexmedetomidine shows promise as a potentially safe and possibly effective adjuvant treatment for AWS in the ICU. Prospective, well-controlled studies are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of the use of dexmedetomidine in AWS.
-
Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a daily, or almost daily, headache form that arises from overuse of one or more classes of migraine-abortive or analgesic medication. The main classes of drugs that cause MOH are opioids, butalbital-containing mixed analgesics, triptans, ergotamine tartrate derivatives, simple analgesics (except for plain aspirin), and perhaps non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. MOH can be debilitating and results from biochemical and functional brain changes induced by certain medications taken too frequently. ⋯ Other primary headache disorders are not currently believed to be vulnerable. The treatment of MOH consists of discontinuation of the offending drug(s), acute treatment of the withdrawal symptoms and escalating pain, establishing a preventive treatment when necessary, and the implementation of educational and behavioral programs to prevent recidivism. In most patients, MOH can be treated in the outpatient setting but, for the most difficult cases, including those with opioid or butalbital overuse, or in patients with serious medical or behavioral disturbances, effective treatment requires a multidisciplinary, comprehensive headache program, either day-hospital with infusion or an inpatient hospital setting.
-
No head-to-head clinical trials have been published comparing guanfacine extended release (GXR) and atomoxetine (ATX): two nonstimulants approved for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, other study designs or methods could be used to indirectly compare these two medications. Matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) is a recent methodology that utilizes individual patient data (IPD) from clinical trials for one treatment and published aggregate data from another treatment to estimate the relative efficacy of both, providing rapid, reliable comparative efficacy results. ⋯ After adjusting for difference in baseline trial characteristics using MAIC, GXR appears to be more efficacious than ATX for the treatment of ADHD. Results were consistent in a variety of dosage range comparisons and within increasingly heterogeneous trial populations.
-
Meta Analysis
Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of perampanel in the treatment of partial-onset epilepsy.
Perampanel is a first-in-class antiepileptic drug approved for adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizure in patients aged 12 years or older. Published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) had small sample sizes, and meta-analyses have included too few studies to draw conclusive results for the assessment of tolerability, efficacy and safety of perampanel. There is a need to conduct a meta-analysis with a larger dataset and an appropriate study design. ⋯ The use of perampanel resulted in a statistically significant reduction of seizure frequency with respect to the 50 % responder rate in patients with partial-onset epilepsy. Perampanel is well tolerated at 4 mg and reasonably tolerated at 8 and 12 mg. Further clinical and pharmacovigilance studies are required to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of perampanel in the management of other types of epilepsy.
-
Antiepileptic drugs are commonly given for perioperative prophylaxis after brain tumor surgery, and there has been growing interest in levetiracetam, a second-generation antiepileptic drug. This retrospective study compared the seizure outcomes, side effects and durability of levetiracetam with valproic acid after a craniotomy for supratentorial brain tumors. ⋯ The postoperative seizure control rates of levetiracetam and valproic acid were not statistically significantly different; however, levetiracetam may be superior to valproic acid in terms of its safety and durability after supratentorial tumor surgery.