Prescrire international
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Cannabis, Cannabis sativa L., is used to produce a resin that contains high levels of cannabinoids, particularly delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which are psychoactive substances. Although cannabis use is illegal in France and in many other countries, it is widely used for its relaxing or euphoric effects, especially by adolescents and young adults. What are the adverse effects of cannabis on health? During consumption? And in the long term? Does cannabis predispose users to the development of psychotic disorders? To answer these questions, we reviewed the available evidence using the standard Prescrire methodology. ⋯ Alcohol remains the main toxic agent that hepatitis C patients should avoid. In practice, the adverse effects of low-level, recreational cannabis use are generally minor, although they can apparently be serious in vulnerable individuals. The adverse effects of cannabis appear overall to be less serious than those of alcohol, in terms of neuropsychological and somatic effects, accidents and violence.
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The 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, 23F) is the standard vaccine for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal infections in infants and children under 5 years of age. A 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (with the addition of valences 1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F and 19A) has now been authorised to replace the 7-valent vaccine within the European Union. This new vaccine, adapted to recent epidemiological data on invasive pneumococcal infections, is supposed to cover at least 80% of pneumococcal infections in Europe. ⋯ Increasing the number of valences in the vaccine from 7 to 13 led to no marked increase in local adverse effects (hypersensitivity, indurations, erythema) or systemic reactions (mainly fever, decreased sleep and irritability). In practice, replacing the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine with the 13 valence vaccine could lead to a further reduction in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal infections. However, this remains to be confirmed by well-conducted epidemiological follow-up studies.
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Prescrire international · Dec 2010
ReviewAcute poisoning following ingestion of medicines: initial management. How to treat life-threatening complications and to evaluate the risk of delayed effects and psychological distress.
Acute poisoning following ingestion of medications, both intentional and unintentional, is frequent and more or less severe. It is often unclear whether a toxic dose has been ingested. This review examines the initial management of patients with suspected acute poisoning, based on a review of the literature using the standard Prescrire methodology. ⋯ In case of self-poisoning, the risk of short-term relapse should be evaluated, even when the patient's condition is not life-threatening. Hospital admission should be proposed, or sometimes imposed, until the acute risk of suicide has subsided. In practice, when faced with acute drug poisoning, the first step is to implement life-support measures, to gather and communicate prognostic information and details of any treatments to the ambulance crew or hospital team.