Matching articles for "Issue 1289"

Finasteride for Prevention of Prostate Cancer

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 30, 2008;  (Issue 1289)
Patients are asking physicians about an article on the front page of the June 15th New York Times, in which some prostate cancer experts were quoted as suggesting that men 55 and older might be well advised to...
Patients are asking physicians about an article on the front page of the June 15th New York Times, in which some prostate cancer experts were quoted as suggesting that men 55 and older might be well advised to take finasteride (Proscar, and others) to prevent prostate cancer.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2008 Jun 30;50(1289):49-50 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Extended-Release Fluvoxamine (Luvox CR)

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 30, 2008;  (Issue 1289)
Fluvoxamine maleate, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that has been available for many years in an immediate-release formulation (Luvox, and others) for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder...
Fluvoxamine maleate, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that has been available for many years in an immediate-release formulation (Luvox, and others) for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children and adults, has now been approved by the FDA in an extended-release formulation (Luvox CR - Jazz Pharmaceuticals) for treatment of OCD and social anxiety disorder (SAD) in adults.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2008 Jun 30;50(1289):50-1 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Olopatadine (Patanase) Nasal Spray

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 30, 2008;  (Issue 1289)
Olopatadine 0.6% nasal spray (Patanase - Alcon) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis in patients ≥ 12 years old. An H1-antihistamine with mast-cell stabilizing activity,...
Olopatadine 0.6% nasal spray (Patanase - Alcon) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis in patients ≥ 12 years old. An H1-antihistamine with mast-cell stabilizing activity, olopatadine is already marketed for treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in a 0.1% solution as Patanol and in a 0.2% solution as Pataday. Azelastine (Astelin), another H1-antihistamine with mast-cell stabilizing activity, has been available for intranasal treatment of allergic rhinitis since 1997.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2008 Jun 30;50(1289):51-2 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

In Brief: Intensive Glucose Lowering in Type 2 Diabetes

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 30, 2008;  (Issue 1289)
The goal for drug therapy of type 2 diabetes is achieving and maintaining a near-normal glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) concentration without inducing hypoglycemia; the target has generally been an HbA1C of...
The goal for drug therapy of type 2 diabetes is achieving and maintaining a near-normal glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) concentration without inducing hypoglycemia; the target has generally been an HbA1C of 6.5-7.0% or lower. Whether treating to this level prevents macrovascular (cardiovascular) events has been unclear. Now, 2 large randomized, double-blind trials in patients with long-standing diabetes and at high risk for cardiovascular disease have found no decrease in macrovascular events with intensive glucose control.

The ACCORD trial in about 10,000 patients found that patients intensively treated with anti-hyperglycemic drugs, including frequent use of thiazolidinediones, mostly rosiglitazone (Avandia), and insulin, with an HbA1C target of 6.0% (actual median HbA1C 6.4%) did not obtain a significant reduction in major cardiovascular events (the primary endpoint) over a period of 3.5 years. The trial was stopped early because of an unexpected increase in all-cause mortality (257 deaths vs. 203) in intensively treated patients compared to patients with an HbA1C target of 7.0-7.9% (actual median HbA1C 7.5%). The etiology of the higher mortality is unclear.1

The ADVANCE trial in about 11,000 similar patients treated to an HbA1C target of 6.5% with a sulfonylurea-based regimen, and infrequent use of thiazolidinediones, also found no decrease in macrovascular events, but no increase in all-cause mortality.2

Whether intensive glycemic control would reduce macrovascular events in patients at lower risk has not been established.

1. The ACCORD Study Group. Effects of intensive glucose lowering in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med 2008; 358:2545.
2. The ADVANCE Collaborative Group. Intensive blood glucose control and vascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med 2008; 358:2560.

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Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2008 Jun 30;50(1289):49 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction