pharmaceutical
When the Patient Is ‘Noncompliant’ – NYTimes.com
Despite efforts to change the term to the slightly more accurate “nonadherent,” the word “noncompliant” remains firmly entrenched in the medical lexicon. No matter what it’s called, however, it’s an enormous problem. Experts estimate that some 50 percent of patients do not take their medicines as prescribed or follow doctors’ recommendations.
via When the Patient Is ‘Noncompliant’ – NYTimes.com.
Underwriting and mortality issue? I think so.
AHA: No Excess Bleeding Risk with Dabigatran (Pradaxa)
Although the FDA review discounted an excess bleeding risk with dabigatran, it did not address another potential concern — the ability to reverse the anticoagulant effect acutely in cases of emergency.
Antman acknowledged that there is no specific, approved antidote for dabigatran or any of the novel anticoagulants, although it is an area of active investigation and the topic of several studies that will be presented at the AHA meeting in the coming days.
He said it’s not true, however, that clinicians don’t have any options. Intravenous administration of blood coagulation factors — prothrombin complex concentrates that are available in every hospital — can help to reverse the effect, though not completely.
In comparison, the effects of warfarin can be reversed with the administration of vitamin K. Antman noted. But that that doesn’t always work either, and patients can die because of it, he added.
Linzess – Think IBS with Constipation
Linzess is felt to act as a guanylate cyclase-C agonist. An agonist increases the activity of a process, the opposite of an antagonist. Linzess seems to act locally on the surface of the inside of the intestinal lining cells and by activation of guanylate cyclase-C increases levels of intracellular cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate) which results in increased levels of chloride and bicarbonate in the intestinal lumen and speeds up gastrointestinal transit.
Coffee: The Original Wonder Drug?
Coffee: The Original Wonder Drug?.
Great online slideshow with a number of excellent references.
Mirapex (pramipexole) Possible Risk of Heart Failure
ISSUE: FDA notified healthcare profesionals about a possible increased risk of heart failure with Mirapex (pramipexole). Results of recent studies suggest a potential risk of heart failure that needs further review of available data. Because of the study limitations, FDA is not able to determine whether Mirapex increases the risk of heart failure. FDA is continuing to work with the manufacturer to clarify further the risk of heart failure with Mirapex and will update the public when more information is available.
ADHD drug from Targacept Phase 2 Clinical Trial Failure
The drug known as TC-5619 failed to show enough evidence of effectiveness against inattentive-predominant ADHD. The Winston-Salem-based company said it will have to reduce its employee count to save money, but it did not announce how many jobs will be affected.
Reumofan Plus – Why You Should Not Buy Nor Use This Supplement
BACKGROUND: Reumofan Plus is marketed as a natural dietary supplement for pain relief. Reumofan Plus is labeled in Spanish and promoted for treating arthritis, muscle pain, osteoporosis, bone cancer, and other conditions. The product is manufactured in Mexico by Riger Naturals and sold in some retail outlets, at flea markets, and on various internet sites. FDA has worked closely with the Mexican government on this matter. The Mexican Ministry of Health has issued a health warning to the public and ordered Riger Naturals to recall the product.
Since June 1, 2012, when FDA first warned the public about the dangers of these supplements, the agency has received reports of fatalities, stroke, severe bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, dizziness, insomnia, high blood sugar levels and problems with liver and kidney functions,as well as corticosteroid withdrawal syndrome
via Safety Alerts for Human Medical Products > Reumofan Plus: Recall – Undeclared Drug Ingredient.
FDA OKs Generic Actos for Type 2 Diabetes
The FDA today approved the first generic version of Actos to treat adults with type 2 diabetes.
The generic tablets use the same active ingredient as Actos, called pioglitazone, to improve blood glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Gila Monster News – From Lizard to Laboratory… and Beyond
While studying the effects of exendin-4 on the pancreas, Dr. Egan and her colleagues found that it also seemed to have beneficial effects on the brain. Specifically, GLP-1 stimulates the growth of neurites (developing neurons) in cell culture, and both GLP-1 and exendin-4 protect mature neurons against cell death. In fact, research increasingly suggests that there may be a link between some neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic dysfunction. The hope is that drugs, such as exendin-4, that enhance metabolic function may also be useful in the treatment of neurologic disease.
Building on these findings, Dr. Egan and others in the NIA Intramural Research Program have tested exendin-4 in cellular and mouse models of several neurodegenerative diseases. The results are promising. For example, using a mouse model of Huntington’s disease, they found that exendin-4 reduces the accumulation of the mutant huntingtin protein, which is implicated in the disease’s onset and progression. The treatment also improved motor function and extended the survival time of the Huntington’s disease mice.
In other studies, investigators found that exendin-4 significantly reduced levels of amyloid beta protein (a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease) and its precursor molecule in mice models of the disorder. It also proved beneficial in cellular and animal models of another neurodegenerative disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
via National Institute on Aging | The Leader in Aging Research.
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