Current medical research and opinion
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Functional, cognitive and behavioral effects of donepezil in patients with moderate Alzheimer's disease.
To investigate the efficacy and safety of donepezil in a subgroup of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) of moderate severity from a previous trial. ⋯ The significant treatment responses observed with donepezil in these patients reinforce the findings from earlier studies that show donepezil to have important benefits, compared wih placebo, across functional, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms, with good tolerability, in patients with AD of moderate severity.
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A retrospective audit was carried out to investigate triptan usage over a period of one year among 360 adult patients with migraine in nine GP practices in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Data from patient records were analysed, in conjunction with replies to a questionnaire about patients' perceptions of their migraine and its treatment. The majority of patients included in the audit were women (83%), and most patients (81%) were aged between 35 and 64 years. ⋯ The high usage predictors could be developed into a checklist of potential indicators for GPs to identify patients who may become high users if prescribed triptans and who might require closer monitoring. We recommend that patients identified as having a potential for high usage should be routinely reviewed, every 3-6 months, to ensure that they are using triptans appropriately to treat migraine. Although triptans are generally safe and well tolerated, unnecessary use of any medication should be avoided.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Efficacy and acceptability of fusafungine, a local treatment for both nose and throat infections, in adult patients with upper respiratory tract infections.
The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of fusafungine in the treatment of patients with community-acquired, upper respiratory tract infections. These infections, although frequently of viral origin, may be conducive to bacterial superinfection. Fusafungine, a combination of several enniatins, has been shown to display bacteriostatic activity against many micro-organisms responsible for infections of the respiratory tract, along with anti-inflammatory activity. ⋯ In terms of tolerability, assessment by the investigators and the patients themselves demonstrated that fusafungine was extremely well tolerated. Acceptability of the treatment was considered poor by only one patient. Results of this study suggest that fusafungine, whatever the aetiology of the infection, gives rapid relief of nasal and pharyngeal symptoms and provides strong evidence of its efficacy and acceptability in treating URTIs.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Efficacy and safety of a fixed combination phytomedicine in the treatment of the common cold (acute viral respiratory tract infection): results of a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, multicentre study.
The common cold (acute viral respiratory tract infection) is one of the most frequent diseases in man, world-wide. Clinically relevant efficacy should include early improvement of all symptoms. Results of a clinical trial of a commercially available fixed combination herbal remedy (Radix echinaceae, Radix baptisiae, Herba thujae) are reported here. The aim of this study was to verify clinical efficacy shown in recent studies under (i) good clinical practice (GCP) quality assurance and (ii) common situations at family doctors. ⋯ This study shows that the herbal remedy is effective and safe. The therapeutic benefit consists of a rapid onset of improvement of cold symptoms. If patients with colds are able to start the application of the herbal remedy as soon as practical after the occurrence of the initial symptoms, the benefit would be expected to increase (e.g. self-medication).
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Effect of eprosartan and enalapril in the treatment of black hypertensive patients: subgroup analysis of a 26-week, double-blind, multicentre study. Eprosartan Multinational Study Group.
A double-blind comparator study was performed in 528 hypertensive patients [baseline sitting diastolic blood pressure (SitDBP) 95-114 mmHg]. The primary objective was to compare the incidence of drug-related cough in patients treated with enalapril and eprosartan. The secondary objective was to compare antihypertensive efficacy between treatments. ⋯ In conclusion, eprosartan is effective and appears to be safe in black hypertensive patients. The combination of eprosartan and HCTZ was also well tolerated and provided additional efficacy in those patients not responding to eprosartan alone. The incidence of treatment-associated cough in the black subgroup was low, but there were no apparent differences between treatment groups.