Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy
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Aceclofenac (Almirall Prodesfarma SA) is an oral NSAID that is effective in the treatment of painful inflammatory diseases and has been used to treat > 75 million patients worldwide. It has proved as effective as diclofenac, naproxen and piroxicam in patients with osteoarthritis, diclofenac, ketorolac, tenoxicam and indomethacin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and tenoxicam, naproxen and indomethacin in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. ⋯ Aceclofenac appears to be particularly well-tolerated amongst the NSAIDs, with a lower incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects. This good tolerability profile results in a reduced withdrawal rate and hence greater compliance with treatment.
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Expert Opin Pharmacother · Jun 2004
ReviewDelaying surgery with chemotherapy for osteosarcoma of the extremities.
Osteosarcoma is the most frequent primary cancer of bone. When treated by surgery alone, it is almost invariably followed by metastatic dissemination and death. ⋯ This article provides a summary overview of current pharmacotherapy in osteosarcoma of the extremities, focussing on the approach of preoperative 'neoadjuvant' chemotherapy and thus, the potential benefits and pitfalls of delaying surgery. Prospective, multi-institutional trials are essential in guaranteeing that as many patients as possible can benefit from modern, efficacious interdisciplinary therapeutic regimens and that further progress can be made.
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Expert Opin Pharmacother · Jun 2004
ReviewPharmacological strategies in relieving neuropathic pain.
The pharmacological treatment of neuropathic pain relies, to a large extent, on drugs belonging to a small number of defined classes. Opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs and membrane stabilisers form the current basis of treatment. ⋯ A number of drugs currently licensed for a different indication have recently had an analgesic effect in neuropathic pain attributed to them. In addition, a number of novel compounds are undergoing investigation and provide hope of dicovering more efficacious treatment options in the future.