The American journal of medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Oral antibiotic treatment of right-sided staphylococcal endocarditis in injection drug users: prospective randomized comparison with parenteral therapy.
To compare the efficacy and safety of inpatient oral antibiotic treatment (oral) versus standard parenteral antibiotic treatment (intravenous) for right-sided staphylococcal endocarditis in injection drug users. ⋯ For selected patients with right-sided staphylococcal endocarditis, oral ciprofloxacin plus rifampin is effective and is associated with less drug toxicity than is intravenous therapy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A new therapeutic option for the treatment of pneumonia.
Patients with bacterial pneumonia often are treated empirically with parenteral broad-spectrum antimicrobials intended to cover potential gram-negative and gram-positive pathogens. However, beta-lactamase-mediated resistance has developed to many of these antimicrobials, particularly third-generation cephalosporins, and has led to the development of fourth-generation agents that are relatively beta-lactamase stable. The purpose of these studies was to compare the efficacy and safety of the fourth-generation agent, cefepime, with that of the third-generation agent, ceftazidime, in the treatment of hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe bacterial pneumonia. ⋯ Among the most frequent adverse events in both groups were nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Similar adverse events were noted in the 99 patients in the blinded study. These studies indicate that the efficacy and safety of cefepime administered at 1 g twice daily is comparable to that of ceftazidime administered at 1 g three times daily for treatment of hospitalized patients with pneumonia caused by susceptible pathogens.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Current and future management of serious skin and skin-structure infections.
The purpose of this study was to compare in a randomized, open-label clinical study, the efficacy and safety of cefepime (1 g every 12 hours) with that of ceftazidime (1 g every 8 hours) in patients with serious skin and skin-structure infections. Of 298 patients enrolled in the study, 130 with serious skin and skin-structure infections were evaluable. Demographics and underlying medical conditions were comparable in both groups. ⋯ Adverse events occurred with similar frequency in both groups. Events probably related to study drugs affected 3% (6 of 198) of patients treated with cefepime and 4% (4 of 100) of ceftazidime-treated patients. Cefepime, a new parenteral cephalosporin administered every 12 hours, is an extremely well tolerated and effective alternative to ceftazidime given every 8 hours for the treatment of serious skin and skin-structure infections.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
A randomized, controlled trial of a clinical pharmacist intervention to improve inappropriate prescribing in elderly outpatients with polypharmacy.
To evaluate the effect of sustained clinical pharmacist interventions involving elderly outpatients with polypharmacy and their primary physicians. ⋯ This study demonstrates that a clinical pharmacist providing pharmaceutical care for elderly primary care patients can reduce inappropriate prescribing and possibly adverse drug effects without adversely affecting health-related quality of life.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Isoetharine versus albuterol for acute asthma: greater immediate effect, but more side effects.
To compare the magnitudes of the immediate effects of the nebulized beta-agonists isoetharine and albuterol in the treatment of acute severe asthma. ⋯ Both medications were equally effective in alleviating bronchospasm. The immediate effect of isoetharine was significantly greater, but equalized that of albuterol within an hour after treatment. There were more side effects with isoetharine.