Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pharmacy for October 2015. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Chronic Pain Conditions Cost $32K Per Patient Annually
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Chronic pain conditions pose a substantial utilization burden on the health care system, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in Pain Practice.
Synchronized Prescription Renewal Process Saves Time
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A synchronized prescription renewal process can save physicians time and money, which can be dedicated to patient care, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
Doctors May Wait Too Long to Up Rx for Severe Acne
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many patients with severe acne remain on antibiotics too long before they are prescribed more effective medication, according to research published online Oct. 30 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
AAFP Encourages Family Doctors to Consider Prescribing Naloxone
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A resource has been produced to encourage family physicians to consider prescribing naloxone to patients, their family members, or close friends when there is a risk of opioid overdose, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Income Level Doesn’t Substantially Impact CPAP Use
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), patient neighborhood income level is not significantly associated with purchase of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, and the overall rate of uptake remains low, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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FDA Approves Expanded Use for Melanoma Drug
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The melanoma drug Yervoy (ipilimumab) can now be used to reduce the risk of the recurrence after surgery, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
CDC: Not Enough Young Girls Getting HPV Vaccination
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among American girls remain too low, according to research published in the Oct. 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Many Seniors May Be Overtreated for T2DM, Hypertension
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — When it comes to treating seniors with diabetes, new research suggests that doctors often don’t cut back on medications, even when treatment goals are surpassed. The findings were published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Flu Vaccine Slightly Less Effective in Patients on Statins
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Two new studies raise the possibility that statins may blunt the effectiveness of flu vaccines in seniors. The research is published online Oct. 28 in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Sanofi Recalls Auvi-Q Injectors Used to Treat Anaphylaxis
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — All packs of Auvi-Q injectors are being recalled in the United States as some may not deliver the correct dose of epinephrine, according to a news release issued by Sanofi on Wednesday.
More Prescription Opioid Addicts Are Turning to Heroin
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Concurrent use of heroin and prescription opioids is increasing, according to a research letter published in the Oct. 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Some RA Treatments Up Second Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Risk
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with prior nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), the risk of second NMSC varies with different treatments, according to a study published online Oct. 28 in JAMA Dermatology.
Part D Enrollment Doesn’t Improve Outcomes After AMI
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), enrollment in Part D by hospital discharge is not associated with improved outcomes, according to a study published online Oct. 27 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Ovarian Cancer Rx Promising for Prostate Tumors
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Lynparza (olaparib) targets mutations found in about 30 percent of men with prostate cancer, but may also benefit men whose tumors have acquired defects in DNA repair, according to research published in the Oct. 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Low-Dose Rifaximin Cuts Endotoxin Level in Cirrhosis
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with liver cirrhosis, low-dose rifaximin is comparable to high-dose rifaximin for reducing serum endotoxin levels, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in the Journal of Digestive Diseases.
Lidocaine, Hyaluronidase Mix Works Faster in Myofascial Pain
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), trigger point injection (TPI) with lidocaine and hyaluronidase works more quickly on the first day following injection than lidocaine alone, but there are no significant differences between the methods after four days, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in Pain Practice.
Review Supports LMWH for Cancer-Linked Incidental PE
THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Cancer-associated incidental pulmonary embolism (IPE) should be treated with low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), according to a review published online Oct. 15 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
FDA Approves Imlygic for Melanoma
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Imlygic (talimogene laherparepvec) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat melanoma lesions of the skin and lymph nodes.
Women More Often Treated With Low-Dose Dabigatran
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Women are more often treated with low-dose dabigatran, although there is a trend toward lower stroke rates with high-dose dabigatran, according to a study published online Oct. 27 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
LABAs No Better Than Tiotropium in Black Adults With Asthma
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For black patients with asthma treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), outcomes are similar with addition of tiotropium and long-acting β-agonists (LABAs), according to a study published in the Oct. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Nearly 15 Percent of Plans Lack In-Network Specialists
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of federal marketplace plans lack at least one in-network specialist, according to a research letter published in the Oct. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Case of Lactic Acidosis With Metformin, Normal Renal Function
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In a case report published in the October issue of Clinical Diabetes, lactic acidosis is described in a patient with normal renal function receiving metformin for type 2 diabetes.
Treatment of Post-Thrombolysis sICH Doesn’t Lower Mortality
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Treatment of thrombolysis-related symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) does not reduce in-hospital mortality, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Neurology.
Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapies Beneficial in HCV-MCS
TUESDAY, Oct. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies are associated with high sustained virologic response rates in hepatitis C virus-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome (HCV-MCS), according to a study published online Oct. 17 in Hepatology.
Gender Gap Appears to Continue in Cardiovascular Care
TUESDAY, Oct. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New research suggests that doctors don’t warn younger women when they’re at risk for cardiovascular disease as often as they warn men. And once younger women suffer an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), they are less likely to receive revascularization and more likely to die in the hospital. The findings were reported in two separate studies published in the Nov. 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Vitamin D Supplementation Beneficial in Rheumatoid Arthritis
TUESDAY, Oct. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation is associated with improved disease activity within a short period, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
ADHD Meds Up Cardiac Event Risk in Long-QT Syndrome
TUESDAY, Oct. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients with long-QT syndrome (LQTS) treated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications have an increased risk for cardiac events, according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology.
House Dust Mite Allergen Immunotherapy Deemed Safe
TUESDAY, Oct. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with mild-to-moderate asthma, house dust mite (HDM) sublingual allergen immunotherapy (AIT) appears safe, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in Allergy.
CDC: Too Few Male Adolescents Receiving HPV Vaccine
MONDAY, Oct. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Most male adolescents in the United States aren’t receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine alongside their other scheduled inoculations, largely because doctors fail to recommend it or adequately explain its benefits to parents, according to a report published online Oct. 26 in Pediatrics.
MenB Vaccine Recommended for 16- to 23-Year-Olds
MONDAY, Oct. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccination is recommended for adolescents and young adults aged 16 to 23 years to provide short-term protection from most strains of serogroup B meningococcal disease, according to a report published in the Oct. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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JAK Inhibitors May Help Treat Hair Loss
MONDAY, Oct. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors may hold potential for boosting hair growth, new animal research suggests. The findings were published online Oct. 23 in Science Advances.
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FDA Requires New Warning on Two Hepatitis C Drugs
MONDAY, Oct. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Viekira Pak and Technivie appear linked to serious liver damage in patients with advanced liver disease, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned in a statement issued Thursday.
Sartans Improve Survival, Time to Recurrence in Liver Cancer
MONDAY, Oct. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation, angiotensin II receptor 1 blockers (sartans) correlate with significantly improved overall survival and time to recurrence, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Cellphone System Ups Glucose Self-Monitoring in Pregnancy
MONDAY, Oct. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes, use of a cellphone-Internet technology (CIT) system, which collects and sends glucose readings directly to a cellphone, is associated with improved compliance in self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), according to a report published in the October issue of Clinical Diabetes.
AMA: Eight Reasons for Nonadherence to Medications
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Eight reasons associated with patient’s intentional nonadherence to medications have been identified in a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
FDA Approves Yondelis for Soft-Tissue Sarcoma
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The chemotherapy drug Yondelis (trabectedin) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat certain advanced or unresectable soft-tissue sarcomas (STS).
FDA Approves Onivyde for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Onivyde (irinotecan liposome injection) to be used in combination with fluorouracil and leucovorin in advanced pancreatic cancer.
Intensive Lifestyle Intervention Improves GI Symptoms in T2DM
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) can reduce gastrointestinal symptoms among overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes, according to research published in the October issue of Clinical Diabetes.
Childhood Antibiotics Rx Tied to Weight Gain Through Adolescence
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Repeated antibiotic use is linked to greater weight gains in children, and it could affect their weight for the rest of their lives, a new study suggests. The findings were published online Oct. 21 in the International Journal of Obesity.
Nicotinamide Could Protect Against Some Skin Cancers
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Nicotinamide appears to reduce non-melanoma skin cancers by 23 percent when taken twice daily, according to a report published in the Oct. 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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High-Dose Metformin Linked to Increases in Child Height
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Metformin use at high doses seems to be associated with increases in height among children, according to a review published online Sept. 28 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Many Doctors Inconsistent With HPV Vaccine Recommendations
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many physicians are inconsistent or behind schedule in their recommendations for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Botulinum Toxin Might Control A-Fib After CABG Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Botulinum toxin injection may help prevent development of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, new research suggests. The results were published online Oct. 20 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.
Marijuana Use Doubles Among Americans in Past Decade
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — As laws and attitudes about marijuana have relaxed in the past decade, the number of Americans who say they smoke marijuana has more than doubled, and nearly three of 10 users had a marijuana use disorder in 2012 to 2013, according to a report published online Oct. 21 in JAMA Psychiatry.
FDA Approves Coagadex for Rare Clotting Disorder
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Coagadex (coagulation Factor X) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first coagulation factor replacement therapy for people with a rare blood disorder known as hereditary Factor X deficiency.
Opioid Added to Rx Naproxen No Help in Low Back Pain
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Naproxen alone appears to provide as much relief for low back pain as naproxen plus oxycodone/acetaminophen or cyclobenzaprine, according to research published in the Oct. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Tdap Appears Safe in Pregnancy Even With Recent Tetanus Shot
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Even if a woman gets a tetanus-containing shot before she conceives, it is still safe to give her the tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine while she is pregnant, new research indicates. The study was published in the Oct. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Low Hep B Vaccine Response Rate Linked to IBD Treatment
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), infliximab and/or azathioprine treatment is associated with poor response rate to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Many Doctors Don’t Explain Stroke, Bleeding Risk in A-Fib
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For many Canadian patients with atrial fibrillation, primary care physicians do not provide stroke or bleeding risk estimates, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
Many Elderly CHD Patients Not Taking Statins
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — High numbers of elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) are not being treated with a statin, according to a study published in the Oct. 27 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Opioid Prescriptions Common With Fibromyalgia
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Opioid use is widespread among patients with newly diagnosed fibromyalgia, and patients taking opioids have a decreased likelihood of receiving guideline-recommended medications, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in Pain Practice.
Report Details Benefits, Risks of Nivolumab for Squamous NSCLC
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with metastatic squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (SQ NSCLC), nivolumab has been granted U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. The benefit-risk summary was reviewed in a report published online Oct. 15 in JAMA Oncology.
FDA Approves Praxbind to Reverse Pradaxa’s Effect
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Praxbind (idarucizumab) has been approved for use in patients who are taking the anticoagulant Pradaxa (dabigatran) when there is an urgent need to reverse Pradaxa’s anticoagulant effects, according to a news release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Insulin Dose Doesn’t Up Mortality in ACCORD Trial
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial, insulin dose is not associated with cardiovascular (CV) death after adjustment for baseline covariates, according to a study published online Oct. 13 in Diabetes Care.
Possible Association for Bortezomib Therapy, Chalazia
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — There is a possible correlation between bortezomib use and chalazia, according to a report published online Oct. 15 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
CDC: Prescribing Practices Key to Curbing Rx Abuse
FRIDAY, Oct. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Improved prescribing practices could help reduce opioid abuse and overdose deaths from those drugs, according to research published in the Oct. 16 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Rising Threat of Antibiotic Resistance in Surgery, Chemo
FRIDAY, Oct. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — As many as half of postsurgical infections and more than a quarter of infections after chemotherapy are caused by organisms already resistant to standard antibiotics, according to a study published Oct. 15 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Hormonal Contraceptives Safe After Complete Hydatidiform Mole
FRIDAY, Oct. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The use of current hormonal contraceptives (HC) can safely prevent new conception after complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) irrespective of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Influenza Vaccine Linked to Reduced Stroke Incidence
FRIDAY, Oct. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Influenza vaccination is associated with reduced stroke incidence, according to a study published Oct. 5 in Vaccine.
Review: Maternal Flu Shot Doesn’t Up Congenital Anomalies
FRIDAY, Oct. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Maternal influenza vaccination is not associated with increased risk of congenital anomalies, according to a review published online Oct. 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Premixed Insulin Ups Hypoglycemia in Inpatients
THURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For hospitalized patients with diabetes, treatment with premixed insulin results in similar glycemic control but higher frequency of hypoglycemia compared with a basal-bolus regimen, according to a study published online Oct. 12 in Diabetes Care.
Budesonide May Be Beneficial in Extremely Preterm Infants
THURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For extremely premature infants, early inhaled budesonide is associated with reduced incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia but may be linked to increased mortality, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Vitamin D, Calcium Don’t Cut Recurrent Adenoma Risk
THURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Supplemental vitamin D and calcium do not seem to reduce the risk of recurrent colorectal adenomas, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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About 23,000 ER Visits/Year for Supplement-Linked Side Effects
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Every year about 23,000 U.S. emergency department visits involve adverse events related to dietary supplements, according to a special article published online Oct. 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Myopathy in Patient With Rx-Related Respiratory Symptoms
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Administration of nivolumab can cause adverse effects, including respiratory symptoms, according to a case study published in the October issue of The Journal of Dermatology.
Coadministering Tdap, Flu Vaccines Safe in Pregnancy
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Coadministering tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) and influenza vaccines appears safe in pregnancy, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Cannabis Not Recommended to Prevent Post-op Nausea
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Cannabis should not be used to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) because of unacceptable side effects and low effectiveness, according to a study published online Sept. 30 in Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Young Women Less Likely Than Men to Start Meds After AMI
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — After acute myocardial infarction (AMI), younger women are less likely than younger men to initiate prescribed medications, according to a study published online Oct. 13 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Lithium Safe, Effective for Bipolar I Disorder in Children
TUESDAY, Oct. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Lithium safely and effectively reduces manic symptoms in pediatric patients treated for bipolar I disorder (BP-I), according to a study published online Oct. 12 in Pediatrics.
Prescription Opioid Use Disorders Up From 2003 to 2013
TUESDAY, Oct. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Trends in opioid use and treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) are described in two studies published online Oct. 13 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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HAART Tied to Lower HBV Rate in Men Who Have Sex With Men
TUESDAY, Oct. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For men who have sex with men (MSM), highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is associated with lower incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), according to a study published online Oct. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Doxycycline May Cut Bleeding With Ventricular Assist Device
TUESDAY, Oct. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Doxycycline can potentially cut left ventricular assist device (LVAD)-associated bleeding, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in JACC: Heart Failure.
Sorafenib, Sunitinib May Pose Cardiovascular Risk
MONDAY, Oct. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Older kidney cancer patients treated with sorafenib or sunitinib may face an increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events, according to a study published online Oct. 6 in Cancer.
Americans Spend More on Health Care, but Fare Worse
MONDAY, Oct. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — When compared to 12 other industrialized nations, Americans spend more on health care services, but they fare worst in terms of life expectancy, according to recent findings from The Commonwealth Fund.
One-Third of Children See PCPs for Mental Health Conditions
MONDAY, Oct. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Primary care providers (PCPs) are the sole physician managers for more than one-third of children receiving mental health care, according to a study published online Oct. 12 in Pediatrics.
FDA Approves Expanded Use of Opdivo in Advanced Lung Cancer
FRIDAY, Oct. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Opdivo (nivolumab) to treat patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease progressed despite platinum-based chemotherapy.
Study of Daclizumab Yields Mixed Results in Multiple Sclerosis
THURSDAY, Oct. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Multiple sclerosis patients taking daclizumab high yield process (HYP), a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to CD25 (alpha subunit of the interleukin-2 receptor) and modulates interleukin-2 signaling, experienced lower relapse rates but more side effects than patients receiving interferon beta-1a, new research indicates. The study was published in the Oct. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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H. Pylori Resistance to Antibiotics Increasing
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Resistance to the antibiotics clarithromycin, metronidazole, and levofloxacin is high among patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, according to a study published in the September issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
FDA OKs Long-Acting Atypical Antipsychotic for Schizophrenia
TUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Aristada (aripiprazole lauroxil) extended-release injection has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat schizophrenia, the agency said Tuesday in a news release.
California Governor Signs Right-to-Die Bill Into Law
TUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — California Gov. Jerry Brown signed “right-to-die” legislation on Monday that will allow the terminally ill to legally end their lives.
Coronary Artery Calcium Score Improves CHD Risk Prediction
TUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Inclusion of the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score improves coronary heart disease (CHD) risk prediction, while the absence of CAC reclassifies many patients as not eligible for statins, according to two studies published in the Oct. 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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CDC Warns of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae
TUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Surveillance of seven U.S. metropolitan areas found higher-than-expected levels of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Atlanta, Baltimore, and New York City, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published online Oct. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Nitrites Aid Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
TUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), sodium nitrite infusion favorably reduces exercise-linked hemodynamic derangements of cardiac failure, according to a study published in the Oct. 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Guidelines Developed for Managing Conflicts of Interest
TUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The Guidelines International Network has developed principles for disclosure and management of conflicts of interest (COIs) during the clinical practice guideline development process, according to a report published in the Oct. 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Flu Vaccine Benefits Extend to Fewer Pneumonia Admissions
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Influenza vaccination can substantially reduce the risk of hospitalizations for influenza pneumonia, according to research published online Oct. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
β-Blockers May Up Risk of Surgical Complications for Some
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients taking β-blockers may face heightened risks of cardiovascular complications during non-cardiac surgeries, according to a large study published online Oct. 5 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Reduced-Dose Tacrolimus, Everolimus Cuts CMV Infection
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/disease is reduced in de novo kidney transplant recipients receiving reduced dose tacrolimus and everolimus, according to a study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Transplantation.
Simvastatin, Vitamin D3 Combo Helps Prevent Migraines
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In adults with episodic migraine, the combination of simvastatin and vitamin D3 seems effective for prevention of headache, according to a study published online Sept. 29 in the Annals of Neurology.
Prevention Bundle Can Cut Rate of Pediatric SSIs
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Adoption of a recommended bundle of prevention behaviors is associated with a reduction in the pediatric surgical site infection (SSI) rate, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in Pediatrics.
FDA Approves Keytruda for Advanced NSCLC
FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Keytruda (pembrolizumab) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat advanced cases of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with tumors that express the PD-L1 protein. Keytruda is approved for use with the PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx test, a companion diagnostic.
FDA Approves New Combo Therapy for Melanoma
FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new treatment for melanoma that combines two cancer drugs has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The therapy for advanced melanoma includes the drugs Yervoy (ipilimumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab), the Wall Street Journal reported.
Health Highlights: Oct. 2, 2015
Add-On Sitagliptin Cuts Risk of Insulin Initiation in T2DM
FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated with metformin, add-on sitagliptin is associated with a lower risk of insulin initiation than add-on sulphonylurea, according to a study published in the October issue of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Adjuvant Hormone Tx Ups Survival in Epithelial Ovarian CA
THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For women with epithelial ovarian cancer, adjuvant hormone therapy (AHT) for five years is associated with improved survival, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Two Experimental Drugs Promising for Psoriasis Rx
THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Two experimental drugs, brodalumab and secukinumab, show promise in treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, according to two studies published in the Oct. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Colds, Flu Up Odds for Stroke in Children, Though Risk Is Low
THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Having a cold or the flu may sometimes trigger a stroke in children — particularly those with underlying health conditions — though the overall risk remains low, according to a new study, published online Sept. 30 in Neurology.
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