Current medical research and opinion
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A retrospective analysis was performed of 405 patients, over the age of 65 years, who had been admitted with proven myocardial infarction to a coronary care unit, to investigate the relationship between the serum potassium level on admission and the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias. On admission, 173 (42.7%) patients had a serum potassium of less than 4.0 mmol/l. During the first 24 hours in hospital, 57% of all patients exhibited a disturbance of cardiac rhythm. ⋯ The difference in incidence of this arrhythmia was highly significant (p less than 0.001). No patient who experienced ventricular fibrillation was on existing cardiac medication with either a diuretic, beta-adrenoreceptor blocking drug or digoxin. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of other cardiac arrhythmias between low and normal serum potassium groups.
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Case Reports Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
A controlled study of benzydamine oral rinse ("Difflam") in general practice.
Fifty-two patients suffering from presumed viral pharyngeal infection or tonsillitis were treated with either benzydamine or placebo oral rinse as a gargle at 3-hourly intervals in a randomized double-blind study. Patients on the active preparation experienced faster resolution of pain and dysphagia and at 7 days 88% were symptom-free compared with 38% on placebo.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-blind comparative trial of new muscle relaxant, tizanidine (DS 103-282), and baclofen in the treatment of chronic spasticity in multiple sclerosis.
A double-blind trial with two parallel groups was carried out to compare the antispastic effect and tolerability of a new muscle relaxant, tizanidine (DS 103-282), with those of baclofen in the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. Twenty-one hospitalized patients with stable spasticity participated in the 6-week trial. Eleven received tizanidine and 10 baclofen in gradually increasing daily doses. ⋯ Tiredness was the most frequent side-effect on tizanidine and muscle weakness on baclofen. The laboratory tests did not show any pathological changes with either medication. According to these results, tizanidine provides a new therapeutic alternative in the treatment of spasticity.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-blind comparison of parenteral dipyrone and pethidine in the treatment of post-operative pain.
A double-blind trial was carried out in 100 patients with moderate to severe post-operative pain to compare the analgesic effectiveness over a 6-hour period of single intramuscular injections of 2.5 g dipyrone and 100 mg pethidine. Maximum pain relief was seen 2 hours after drug administration in both groups and there was no statistically significant difference in responses. No side-effects were reported.
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Twenty-seven patients with tennis elbow were treated with triamcinolone acetonide (40 mg/ml) injected locally into the tender area without local anaesthetic. Reduction of pain or complete relief was achieved in 1 to 72 hours, although in 9 cases exacerbation of pain occurred before relief was given. The recurrence rate at 6 months was 17.8%. The study shows that triamcinolone acetonide is a useful preparation in the relief of this condition.