British journal of clinical pharmacology
-
Br J Clin Pharmacol · Aug 2018
Historical ArticleMarketing medicines: charting the rise of modern therapeutics through a systematic review of adverts in UK medical journals (1950-1980).
To examine how pharmaceutical products that were first marketed between 1950 and 1980 were promoted to physicians through advertisements and briefly review advertising regulations and accuracy of the advertisements in the light of modern knowledge. ⋯ Advertising pharmaceuticals in the BMJ and World Medicine in 1950-1980 was poorly regulated and often lacked rigour. However, advertisements were gradually modified in the light of increasing clinical pharmacological knowledge, and they reflect an exciting period for the introduction of many drugs that continue to be of benefit today.
-
Br J Clin Pharmacol · Apr 2018
Comparative StudyCardiac output changes after osmotic therapy in neurosurgical and neurocritical care patients: a systematic review of the clinical literature.
Osmotherapy constitutes a first-line intervention for intracranial hypertension management. However, hyperosmolar solutes exert various systematic effects, among which their impact on systemic haemodynamics is poorly clarified. This review aims to appraise the clinical evidence of the effect of mannitol and hypertonic saline (HTS) on cardiac performance in neurosurgical and neurocritical care patients. ⋯ Mannitol or HTS administration seems to induce an enhancement of cardiac performance; being more prominent after HTS infusion. This effect combined with mannitol-induced enhancement of diuresis and HTS-promoted increase of plasma sodium concentration could partially explain the effects of osmotherapy on cerebral haemodynamics.
-
Br J Clin Pharmacol · Jul 2017
Review Meta AnalysisEfficacy of olanzapine for the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of olanzapine for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). ⋯ Olanzapine is an excellent alternative for the prophylaxis of CINV. Olanzapine 5 mg per day should be recommended as the initial dose because of equivalent efficacy to a 10 mg dose but a lower potential risk of side effects. Further studies are needed to explore the optimal combination of medicines.
-
Br J Clin Pharmacol · Nov 2016
ReviewTargeting molecules to medicine with mTOR, autophagy and neurodegenerative disorders.
Neurodegenerative disorders are significantly increasing in incidence as the age of the global population continues to climb with improved life expectancy. At present, more than 30 million individuals throughout the world are impacted by acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders with limited treatment strategies. ⋯ Coupled to the cellular biology of mTOR are a number of considerations for the development of novel treatments involving the fine control of mTOR signalling, tumourigenesis, complexity of the apoptosis and autophagy relationship, functional outcome in the nervous system, and the intimately linked pathways of growth factors, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-K), protein kinase B (Akt), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), silent mating type information regulation two homologue one (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1) and others. Effective clinical translation of the cellular signalling mechanisms of mTOR offers provocative avenues for new drug development in the nervous system tempered only by the need to elucidate further the intricacies of the mTOR pathway.
-
Br J Clin Pharmacol · Jul 2016
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyEfficacy and safety of prophylactic levetiracetam in supratentorial brain tumour surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The aim of this study was to perform an up-to-date systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of prophylactic administration of levetiracetam in brain tumour patients. ⋯ The efficacy of prophylaxis with levetiracetam seems to be superior to that with phenytoin and valproate administration. Moreover, levetiracetam use demonstrates fewer side effects in brain tumour patients. Nevertheless, high risk of bias and moderate methodological quality must be taken into account when considering these results.