Current medical research and opinion
-
A recent pharmacokinetic study with buprenorphine transdermal patches showed similar systemic exposures of buprenorphine in subjects aged ≥75 and 50-60 years. The current prospective, open-label study aimed to verify this in a clinical setting by evaluating efficacy and safety of buprenorphine patches in patients with chronic osteoarthritis (OA) pain. ⋯ Efficacy and tolerability of buprenorphine patches was demonstrated in chronic pain patients, regardless of age, supporting the conclusion that no age-related dose adjustment of transdermal buprenorphine is needed. A study limitation is lack of active control but no other opioid was appropriate in elderly patients or this indication.
-
Statins are hypothesized to have beneficial effects in asthma management through their pleiotropic anti-inflammatory effects. Several studies have examined this relationship, but have yielded conflicting results. This study investigates the effect of statin use on asthma-related hospitalizations and/or emergency department (ED) visits, and whether this relationship varies by concomitant inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in a large cohort of asthma patients. ⋯ Statin use is associated with fewer ED visits in asthma patients who are using ICS.
-
British clinical guidelines recommend statins as first-line lipid-modifying treatment (LMT) for patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We undertook an observational study to assess total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in high-risk patients who were treated with atorvastatin monotherapy by UK general practitioners. ⋯ Less than half of UK high-CVD-risk patients receiving atorvastatin monotherapy achieved guideline-recommended treatment targets for TC, and less than two-thirds of patients with CHD/AVD + DM had values below TC (4.0 mmol/L) or LDL-C (2.0 mmol/L) targets. More effective lipid-lowering strategies may be warranted to optimize cholesterol lowering and target attainment in high-risk patients. Limitations of this study include its retrospective, observational nature.