FDA video warning about local anesthetics side effects
Local anesthetics side effects are covered in the March 2009 edition of FDA’s Patient Safety News. The agency’s concern is that after a study published in the the journal Radiology in which the authors suggest the use of topical anesthetics to reduce disconfort during mammography, more and more women will start using them without being […]
Drugs for migraine prophylaxis. Which is your choice?
Review of drugs indicated in migraine prophylaxis: beta-adrenergic blockers, calcium channel blockers and tricyclic antidepressants. Clinical guidelines on migraine management.
Respiratory drugs table: pharmacology of asthma and COPD
The Dept. of Pharmacology at University of Utah posted in their website tables to review respiratory pharmacology. This study aid analizes therapeutic uses & specificity, toxicity and side effects of the following drug classes: Bronchodilators: epinephrine, Ephedrine, Isoproterenol, Terbutaline, Isoetharine, Ipratropium bromide, Theophylline, Aminophylline. Leukotriene D4 receptors antagonists:Zafirlukast, Zileutron. Inhibition of mast cell degranulation: Cromolyn […]
PowerPoint presentation on diuretics: MOA, indications, side effects and therapeutic considerations
The following set of lectures has been created by Dr. Edwin Jackson and were published in the Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology, a branch of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Part 1: How diuretics work Download: DIURETICS Part 1 – How they work. PPT file Part 2: What do diuretics do Na-K-2Cl […]
NPS recommendations for the use of valsartan (Diovan)
The National Prescribing Service Limited (Australia) issues a publication called NPS RADAR. In this issue valsartan (Diovan) is reviewed, this is the summary: Valsartan reduces blood pressure to a similar extent as other angiotensin II-receptor antagonists. If blood pressure is not controlled by valsartan 160 mg, add a second drug rather than increasing the dose […]
NPS: Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) not superior to venlafaxine for major depressive disorder
The National Prescribing Service Limited (Australia) made an independent evaluation on the role of desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Summary: Desvenlafaxine is the active metabolite of venlafaxine. There is no evidence that desvenlafaxine is more effective, safer or better tolerated than venlafaxine or other antidepressants. Doses above 50 mg/day are unlikely […]
The largest case of scientific misconduct to date ?
Found via Pharmola: “Scott S. Reuben, MD, of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass., a pioneer in the area of multimodal analgesia, is said to have fabricated his results in at least 21, and perhaps many more, articles dating back to 1996. The confirmed articles were published in Anesthesiology, Anesthesia and Analgesia, the Journal of […]
Podcast commenting on JUPITER trial
Essential Evidence Plus, formerly InfoPOEMs is a service by John Wiley and Sons that aims to give physicians succinct medical evidence that will impact in their medical practice. In this podcast Dr. Ebell and Dr. Wilkes (National Public Radio) discuss the JUPITER trial: Rosuvastatin to Prevent Vascular Events in Men and Women with Elevated C-Reactive […]
Updated SIGN clinical guideline: Pain management in adults with cancer
The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) updated a clinical guideline entitled “Control of pain in adults with cancer”. An outline of the contents (drug therapy related) in this guideline for the treatment of cancer induced pain include: Principles of pain management: introduction, World Health Organization cancer pain relief programme, using the WHO ladder. Treatment with […]
PowerPoint presentations on pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine
What is Pharmacogenomics? Dr. Aquilante, Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences explains in a PowerPoint presentation its differences with pharmacogenetics and the future of personalized medicine.
Experts comment the JUPITER trial in the latest NEJM issue
Experts around the globe comment the JUPITER trial in the correspondence section of the March 5, 2009 issue of the NEJM. I collect here some of the most relevant and interesting correspondence to the editor. “JUPITER is notable for the unacknowledged exclusion of a population that may be at increased risk for dose-related adverse effects […]
Atomoxetine (Strattera) for ADHD: risk of psychotic or manic symptoms
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for March 2009. One of the drugs reviewed is atomoxetin (Strattera), a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor used for the treatment of ADHD. These are the recommendations: Advice for healthcare professionals: • At normal doses, atomoxetine can be associated with treatment-emergent psychotic or manic […]
PowerPoint presentation: drugs for the treatment of angina pectoris (nitrates, beta blockers)
The following set of pharmacology lectures has been created by Dr. Garret Gross and were published in the Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology, a branch of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Antianginal drugs lecture Outline: Myocardial Preconditioning, Nitrates tolerance (how to avoid it),contraindications. ß-adrenergic blockers contraindications. Reasons for Using Nitrates and Beta […]
MCQs for USMLE review on psychopharmacology: antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, antidepressants and lithium
These pharmacology MCQs from the UMKC School of Medicine have a different degree of difficulty, but are useful to review pharmacology of psychotropics. Psychotropics Item Number: 11667 correct answer: 4 category: Psychotropics 1. The symptoms of tardive dyskinesia will acutely improve with: 1. administration of diphenhydramine 2. administration of amantadine 3. administration of bromocriptine 4. […]