BMJ : British medical journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Rapid tranquillisation for agitated patients in emergency psychiatric rooms: a randomised trial of midazolam versus haloperidol plus promethazine.
To compare two widely used drug treatments for people with aggression or agitation due to mental illness. ⋯ Both treatments were effective. Midazolam was more rapidly sedating than haloperidol-promethazine, reducing the time people are exposed to aggression. Adverse effects and resources to deal with them should be considered in the choice of the treatment.
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Review
Effects of communicating individual risks in screening programmes: Cochrane systematic review.
To assess the effects of different types of individualised risk communication for patients who are deciding whether to participate in screening. ⋯ Individualised risk estimates may be effective for purposes of population health, but their effects on increasing uptake of screening programmes may not be interpretable as evidence of informed decision making by patients. Greater attention is required to ways of developing interventions for screening programmes that can achieve this.
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Meta Analysis
Methylxanthines for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: meta-analysis of randomised trials.
To evaluate the addition of methylxanthines to standard treatments in patients presenting with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ The available data do not support the use of methylxanthines for the treatment of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Potential benefits of methylxanthines for lung function and symptoms were generally not confirmed at standard levels of significance, whereas the potentially important adverse events of nausea and vomiting were significantly increased in patients receiving methylxanthines.