Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2009
Blood pressure-lowering effects of extended-release niacin alone and extended-release niacin/laropiprant combination: a post hoc analysis of a 24-week, placebo-controlled trial in dyslipidemic patients.
Dyslipidemia and high blood pressure are both major cardiovascular disease risk factors. Niacin is an effective lipid-altering agent that has been reported to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the more widespread use of niacin is limited, mainly due to the occurrence of flushing. Laropiprant (LRPT) is a selective antagonist of prostaglandin D(2) receptor subtype 1 that reduces extended-release niacin (ERN)-induced flushing without affecting its beneficial lipid effects. While the lipid effects of ERN are well known, the blood pressure effects are unclear. ⋯ This post hoc analysis of a 24-week trial found that ERN alone, or in combination with LRPT, was associated with significant placebo-adjusted reductions from baseline in blood pressure in these hyperlipidemic hypertensive or normotensive subjects.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2009
Review Meta AnalysisEffectiveness and tolerability of pharmacologic and combined interventions for reducing injection pain during routine childhood immunizations: systematic review and meta-analyses.
Immunization is the most common cause of iatrogenic pain in childhood. Despite the availability of various analgesics to manage vaccine injection pain, they have not been incorporated into clinical practice. To date, no systematic review has been published on the effectiveness of pharmacologic and combined interventions for reducing injection pain. ⋯ Topical local anesthetics, sweet-tasting solutions, and combined analgesic interventions, including breastfeeding, were associated with reduced pain during childhood immunizations and should be recommended for use in clinical practice.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyPharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of varenicline in healthy adolescent smokers: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study.
Varenicline is approved as an aid to smoking cessation in adults aged > or =18 years. ⋯ Varenicline steady-state exposure in study subjects weighing >55 kg was similar to that observed previously in adults. The body-weight effect on varenicline pharmacokinetics, which resulted in higher exposure in individuals of smaller body size (< or =55 kg), was adequately offset by administration of half the varenicline dose recommended in adults. Varenicline was generally well tolerated during the 14-day treatment period. Clinical Trials Identification Number: NCT00463918.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2009
ReviewBendamustine for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and rituximab-refractory, indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Bendamustine is a mechlorethamine derivative with a purine-like benzimidazole ring, which may enhance its clinical efficacy. Bendamustine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in March 2008 and for the treatment of rituximab-refractory, indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in October 2008. ⋯ Bendamustine is a mechlorethamine derivative with a purine-like benzimidazole ring, which may enhance its clinical efficacy. It has been approved in the United States for the treatment of CLL and rituximab-refractory, indolent B-cell NHL. It has been approved in Europe for use in other malignancies, and clinical studies have reported activity in MM.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2009
ReviewThe efficacy and safety profile of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, a prodrug of d-amphetamine, for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adults.
Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX) is a once-daily medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children (aged 6-12 years) and adults. ⋯ Current evidence supports the efficacy and tolerability of LDX as a treatment option for the management of children (aged 6-12 years) and adults with ADHD. As such, LDX may be an integral part of a total treatment program for ADHD that can include other measures such as psychological, educational, and social interventions.