Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Jan 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEfficacy and safety of once-daily, extended-release hydrocodone in individuals previously receiving hydrocodone/acetaminophen combination therapy for chronic pain.
Hydrocodone/acetaminophen combination analgesics are frequently prescribed for chronic pain management; however, acetaminophen presents potential hepatotoxicity to patients and thus dose limitations. These opioid medications are also widely abused. Once-daily, single-entity hydrocodone (Hysingla™ ER tablets [HYD]) is a novel formulation with abuse-deterrent properties for the management of chronic pain and represents a suitable option for those patients receiving analgesics containing the same opioid analgesic, hydrocodone. This post-hoc analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of HYD in patients whose primary pre-study analgesic was hydrocodone/acetaminophen analgesics (23-31% of the study populations). ⋯ In patients whose primary pretrial analgesic was hydrocodone/acetaminophen combination tablets, single-entity HYD was effective in reducing pain intensity and in maintaining analgesia over time without need for continued dose increase. HYD's safety and tolerability profiles were similar to other opioid analgesics.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jan 2015
Meta AnalysisSafety of a novel formulation of ibuprofen sodium compared with standard ibuprofen and placebo.
Ibuprofen (IBU) is an efficacious over-the-counter analgesic/antipyretic with adverse event (AE) rates comparable to placebo. IBU sodium (IBU(Na)) is a newer, more soluble form that is absorbed faster than standard IBU, leading to more rapid analgesia. Although its safety and tolerability are expected to be comparable to standard IBU, this has not yet been reported. ⋯ IBU(Na) has a favorable safety profile comparable to those of standard IBU tablets and placebo in single-dose studies evaluating analgesic or antipyretic efficacy. ClinicalTrials.gov Registry Numbers: Dental pain studies: NCT01098747 and NCT01216163; headache studies: NCT01077973 and NCT01362491; pyresis study: NCT01035346.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jan 2015
ReviewUser's guide to mechanism of action and clinical use of GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are injectable glucose-lowering medications approved for the treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This article provides practical information to guide primary care physicians on the use of GLP-1RAs in patients with T2DM. Two short-acting (once- or twice-daily administration; exenatide and liraglutide) and three long-acting (weekly administration; albiglutide, dulaglutide and exenatide) GLP-1RAs are currently approved in the US. ⋯ The most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal, which are transient and less common with the long-acting drugs. GLP-1RAs are recommended as second-line therapy in combination with metformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones or basal insulin, providing a means of enhancing glucose control while offsetting the weight gain associated with insulin and some oral agents. GLP-1RAs represent a useful tool that the primary care physician can use to help patients with T2DM achieve their therapeutic goals.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jan 2015
ReviewScreening instruments for depression in primary care: a concise review for clinicians.
Depression is prevalent across the life span worldwide. It is a common problem encountered in primary care settings. The World Health Organization recommends the integration of mental health into general health care in order to seal the existing gap between the number of patients who need mental health care and those who actually receive it. ⋯ Patients with positive scores ought to be interviewed more thoroughly. Computerized depression screening instruments that are interfaced or integrated into electronic health records seem to be promising steps toward optimizing diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. The availability of adequate management and follow-up are ethical requirements for the utilization of any screening instrument for depression.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jan 2015
Discontinuation of oral anticoagulation preceding acute ischemic stroke--prevalence and outcomes: Comprehensive chart review.
Oral anticoagulants (OAC) are the therapy of choice to prevent thromboembolism in patients at risk. Discontinuation of OAC prior to elective medical and surgical procedures may reduce the risk of bleeding, but may expose patients to increased risk of thromboembolism and ischemic stroke. The current public health burden of ischemic strokes associated with OAC discontinuation is unknown. We aimed to study the prevalence OAC discontinuation in patients who presented with acute ischemic stroke as well as the outcomes of these strokes. ⋯ About 2.6% or 1 in every 38 of all ischemic stokes occurred after OAC discontinuation. Strokes occurring after OAC discontinuation also have higher mortality and morbidity. Our data suggest that any planned discontinuation of OAC, however brief, should be carefully considered.