To relieve constipation due to high-dose opioid therapy in cancer patients, consider the peripheral mu-opioid antagonist methylnaltrexone (Relistor).
A Danish study of hospitalized pneumonia patients revealed a lower death rate among statin users at time of admittance.
Subcutaneous omalizumab (Xolair) therapy significantly reduced childhood asthma attacks not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids.
The Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Event Alert to urge risk-reduction strategies for anticoagulant use among healthcare professionals, including screening for contraindications, side effects, and dosage monitoring.
Healthcare professionals should avoid using greater-than or less-than symbols when writing notes about medication, because it increases the risk of error, according to the Institute for Safe Medical Practices.
Albuterol sulfate inhalation solution (ProAir HFA) has won FDA approval for use in asthmatic children. Side effects resembled those found in adult and adolescent trials.
Users of inhaled anticholinergic agents for COPD showed a 58% increases in risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke, versus users of placebos or other inhaled COPD drugs.
Recent research favors use of telmisartan (Micardis) for treating vascular disease and high-risk diabetes in those who can't take angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, according to a study published in The Lancet.
The FDA has approved use of tetrabenazine (Xenazine) for treatment of chorea symptoms in Huntington's disease sufferers.
