Pharmacy

Erenumab works well in chronic migraine patients across Asia

Jairia Dela Cruz, an hour ago

Erenumab proves to be effective at lowering the number of monthly migraine days in Asian patients with chronic migraine while having a favourable safety profile, according to the results of DRAGON study.

Weekly somapacitan on par with daily growth hormone in children

Stephen Padilla, 3 hours ago

Weekly somapacitan is noninferior to daily growth hormone (GH) in terms of height velocity (HV), with comparable safety and mean insulin-like growth factor-1 standard deviation score (IGF-1 SDS) levels in treatment-naïve children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD), a study has shown.

Itraconazole effective for ringworm of the body but requires longer treatment

7 hours ago

Itraconazole appears to be effective in the treatment of patients with tinea corporis/cruris (TCC) or ringworm of the body, as shown in a study. However, the treatment duration needs to be longer and, even with successful treatment, many patients experience relapse.

Midodrine a novel option for PICD prevention in ACLF

Elvira Manzano, 15 hours ago

Oral midodrine may be a good alternative to intravenous albumin for preventing paracentesis-induced circulatory dysfunction (PICD) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) undergoing modest-volume paracentesis for ascites, suggests a new study.

Hydrogen intake eases breath alcohol levels, hangover symptoms

Stephen Padilla, Yesterday

Treatment with hydrogen helps reduce breath alcohol levels and, in the short term, improve attention and executive functions following alcohol consumption, reveals a study. In the long term, hydrogen relieves hangover symptoms.

Timely treatment of patients at risk for severe COVID-19 prevents severe outcomes

Dr. Asok Kurup, Dr. Alex Soriano, 31 Oct 2022

Despite widespread uptake of vaccinations, COVID-19 remains a serious health issue for high-risk patients, owing to the emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs), waning immunity, and breakthrough infections.

At a recent symposium in Singapore, esteemed experts Dr Asok Kurup, Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Singapore, and Dr Alex Soriano, Head of Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and Assistant Professor, University of Barcelona, Spain, gave insights on the evolution of global trends since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed key challenges in managing high-risk patients with COVID-19 in the ICU. They also highlighted early treatment strategies to minimize the burden of COVID-19 on healthcare systems.

Dapagliflozin DELIVERs across full HF spectrum regardless of LVEF

Elvira Manzano, 04 Oct 2022

The selective, oral sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor dapagliflozin reduces the risk of cardiovascular (CV) death or worsening heart failure (HF) in patients with HF and mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFmrEF or HFpEF) in the phase III DELIVER* trial, touted as the largest and most inclusive thus far in this patient group.

Midodrine a novel option for PICD prevention in ACLF

Elvira Manzano, 06 Dec 2022

Post-PCI bivalirudin infusion reduces death, bleeding vs heparin

Roshini Claire Anthony, 04 Dec 2022

Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have a reduced risk of all-cause death or BARC* type 3–5 bleeding when they receive a bolus plus post-PCI high-dose infusion of bivalirudin compared with heparin monotherapy, results of the BRIGHT**-4 trial showed.

IV iron cuts risk of HF rehospitalization, CV death in ambulatory HFrEF patients

Audrey Abella, 02 Dec 2022

In a broad range of patients with HFrEF* and iron deficiency, the administration of IV ferric derisomaltose (FDI) was associated with a lower risk of recurrent hospitalization for heart failure (HHF) and cardiovascular (CV) death compared with standard of care (SoC), findings from the IRONMAN** trial have shown.

FRESCO-2: Fruquintinib improves OS in heavily pretreated mCRC

Elaine Soliven, 30 Nov 2022

Fruquintinib, a highly selective and potent oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor of VEGFR*-1, -2, and -3, significantly improves overall survival (OS) in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), according to the FRESCO-2** trial presented at ESMO 2022.

Lower all-cause death, fewer HF events with empagliflozin in acute HF

Roshini Claire Anthony, 25 Nov 2022

Patients hospitalized with acute heart failure (HF) have a reduced risk of subsequent HF events or all-cause mortality if treated with once-daily empagliflozin while in hospital, according to results of the EMPULSE trial presented at HFSA 2022.

Letermovir as good as valganciclovir for CMV prophylaxis

Elaine Soliven, 25 Nov 2022

The novel antiviral letermovir is as good as the current standard of care valganciclovir in preventing cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in post-kidney transplant patients, but with less toxicity, according to a phase III trial presented at IDWeek 2022.

TB rates elevated after ART initiation in PLHIV

Roshini Claire Anthony, 21 Nov 2022

People living with HIV (PLHIV) who initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) are at an increased risk of developing tuberculosis (TB), particularly in the first 3 months after starting ART, according to a study presented at HIV Glasgow 2022.