European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
-
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · Mar 2017
ReviewAnesthesia and analgesia in breast surgery: the benefits of peripheral nerve block.
Breast surgery is frequently associated with postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, that result in increased patient's suffering, prolongation of hospital stays and related costs. Thoracic paravertebral nerve block (TPVB) is a viable option to the classic multimodal analgesia in breast surgery as it enhances surgical anesthesia and postoperative analgesia. In this review, we report the results of a number of studies on the role of TPVB in breast surgery. ⋯ In particular, TPVB seems to provide the most benefits in patients undergoing an unilateral or bilateral mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction. Some studies also suggest that the use of regional anesthesia-analgesia could attenuate perioperative immunosuppression and minimize metastases in breast cancer patients. TPVB can be also coupled with other regional anesthetic techniques such as pectoral nerve block (PNB), thus increasing the reduction in postsurgical pain, opioids consumption and length of hospital stays.
-
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · Dec 2015
ReviewClinical applications of sodium oxybate (GHB): from narcolepsy to alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a short chain fatty acid endogenously produced within the central nervous system (CNS) and acts as a precursor and metabolite of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Although, it is an illegal recreational drug of abuse, its sodium salt (sodium oxybate) has been utilized as a medication for a number of medical conditions. The first aim of this review was to focus on current applications of sodium oxybate for the treatment of narcolepsy, with a particular emphasis on the key symptoms of this disorder: cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). ⋯ However, there is limited randomized evidence and, thus, GHB cannot be reliably compared to clomethiazole or benzodiazepines. Some randomized data suggest that GHB is better than naltrexone and disulfiram regarding abstinence maintenance and prevention of craving in the medium term i.e. 3-12 months. It is recommended that GHB should be used only under strict medical supervision, since concerns about the abuse/misuse of the drug and the addiction potential have been arisen.
-
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · Sep 2015
ReviewNBOMe: new potent hallucinogens--pharmacology, analytical methods, toxicities, fatalities: a review.
NBOMe is a class of emerging new psychoactive substances that has recently gained prominence in the drug abuse market. NBOMes are N-2-methoxy-benzyl substituted 2C class of hallucinogens, currently being marked online as "research chemicals" under various names: N-bomb, Smiles, Solaris, and Cimbi. This article reviews available literature on the pharmacology; the analytical methods currently used for the detection and quantification of NBOMe in biological matrices and blotters, together with intoxication cases and NBOMe-related fatalities. ⋯ The high potency of NBOMes (potent agonists of 5-HT2A receptor) has led to several severe intoxications, overdose and traumatic fatalities; thus, their increase raises significant public health concerns. Moreover, due to the high potency and ease of synthesis, it is likely that their recreational use will become more widespread in the future. The publication of new data, case reports and evaluation of the NBOMes metabolites is necessary in order to improve knowledge and awareness within the forensic community.
-
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · Apr 2015
ReviewPropofol: an anesthetic possessing neuroprotective effects.
Propofol is a short-acting intravenous anaesthetic agent and widely used not only in operating rooms but also in the intensive care unit (ICU). Apart from its multiple anaesthetic advantages, the neuroprotective effect of propofol has been demonstrated in diverse models of neuronal injury. ⋯ This review focuses on the research progress of the neuroprotective effects of propofol and its mechanisms of action to date. The implications for possible use for the clinical setting are also discussed.
-
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a spice traditionally used to treat indigestion, nausea and vomiting. Ginger extracts accelerate gastric emptying and stimulate gastric antral contractions. ⋯ A systematic review of double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized studies highlighted the potential efficacy of ginger on the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting of various origins, even though additional controlled studies are needed. This review focuses on pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting and on chemotherapy induced nausea, and hypothesizes a therapeutic role for ginger extracts in case of side effects, as an alternative to traditional prokinetic drugs such as domperidone, levosulpiride or metoclopramide.