Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy
-
Expert Opin Pharmacother · Mar 2015
ReviewAdvances in pharmacotherapy for opioid-induced constipation - a systematic review.
Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is one of the most frequent and burdening adverse events (AE) of opioid therapy. This systematic review aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of drugs in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with adult OIC patients. ⋯ Finding a consensus definition and inclusion criteria for OIC plus a rational balance between efficacy and AEs of drugs remain future challenges.
-
Convulsive status epilepticus (SE) is one of the most frequent and severe neurological emergencies in both adults and children. A timely administration of appropriate antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) can stop seizures early and markedly improve outcome. ⋯ There is limited evidence to support what the best initial benzodiazepine or the best non-benzodiazepine AED is. Recent and developing multicenter trials are evaluating the best treatment options and will likely modify the recommended treatment choices in SE in the near future. Additionally, more research is needed to understand how different treatment options modify prognosis in SE. Timely implementation of care protocols to minimize treatment delays is crucial.
-
Expert Opin Pharmacother · Mar 2015
Multicenter Study Observational StudyProlonged-release oxycodone/naloxone in opioid-naïve patients - subgroup analysis of a prospective observational study.
Prolonged-release oxycodone/naloxone (OXN PR) showed improved gastrointestinal tolerability and equivalent analgesic efficacy compared to oxycodone alone in patients with non-cancer pain or cancer pain. This is the first dataset to demonstrate its effectiveness and safety compared to other strong opioids in opioid-naïve patients. ⋯ The favorable outcomes under real-life conditions suggest that OXN PR provides a valuable option for treatment of moderate-to-severe pain without using weak opioids first.