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High blood pressure risk in African-Americans linked to genetics

National health records have shown that African-Americans are more prone to high blood pressure than Caucasians, but pinning down the roots of that difference has proven elusive. Now, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have narrowed down the search for genes that contribute to this difference in disease risk.

24 Jan 2005

Are NSAIDS enough for cancer pain?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective in managing cancer pain with few side effects, according to a new review of a number of studies.

24 Jan 2005

Antioxidants do not prolong the survival of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease

A review of recent studies suggests that antioxidant supplements, including vitamin E and selenium, do not prolong the survival of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

24 Jan 2005

New federal guidelines for the use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced new federal guidelines for the use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection after exposure to HIV through sexual intercourse, sexual assault, injection drug use, or accidents.

20 Jan 2005

Pharmacist review does not keep older people out of hospital

The NHS recommends regular medication reviews for older patients, yet a study published on bmj.com today finds that home based monitoring does not keep older people out of hospital.

20 Jan 2005

Australian Medical Association slams BUPA Australia

Australian Medical Association President, Dr Bill Glasson, today slammed claims by health insurer, BUPA Australia, that doctors are forcing up the cost of patient care in private hospitals by ordering the most expensive drugs and medical technology.

20 Jan 2005

African drug Ibogaine blocks alcohol cravings

A naturally occurring hallucinogen advocated by some clinicians as a potent anti-addiction drug has been rigorously studied for the first time, confirming its ability to block alcohol craving in rodents, and clarifying how it works in the brain.

20 Jan 2005

Heart patients with gastrointestinal complications should use low doses of aspirin combined with drugs that treat stomach ulcers

Physicians are challenged in treating heart patients who may be at high-risk for gastrointestinal bleeding from aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Factors that place patients at high-risk include a history of ulcers or gastrointestinal complications such as bleeding, increased age and congestive heart failure.

20 Jan 2005

New ideas for creating a new generation of oral medications to treat infertility

Researchers now have a much better picture of how follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), one of the most frequently used fertility drugs, works, and with it new ideas for creating a new generation of oral medications to treat infertility.

20 Jan 2005

Clopidogrel (Plavix®) responses appear normal in largest data set

Although individual patients respond differently to treatment with the anti-platelet medication clopidogrel (brand name Plavix®), those variations appear normal and may not indicate important differences in the effectiveness of treatment, according to a new study (PDF file) in the Jan. 18, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

19 Jan 2005

Medicine alone may not offer best quality of life for patients with moderate heart attack risk

Routine angiography and revascularization procedures, if indicated, appear to offer better quality of life than conservative medical treatment for patients with chest pain and evidence of coronary artery disease, according to a new study (PDF file) in the Jan. 18, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

19 Jan 2005

FDA knocks back anticancer drug Marqibo

Inex Pharmaceuticals announced today that United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided an action letter detailing that the anticancer drug Marqibo (vincristine sulfate liposomes injection) is "not approvable" under the FDA's accelerated approval regulations based on the phase 2 clinical trial data submitted.

19 Jan 2005

Cellular fuel gauge could hold clue to diabetes

A molecule in the body could hold the key to explaining why people who exercise regularly are less likely to have illnesses such as type 2 diabetes.

19 Jan 2005

Number of people misusing heroin in Scotland has dropped

A new report by the Centre for Drug Misuse Research at the University of Glasgow reveals that the number of people misusing heroin in Scotland has dropped. The research shows a near eight per cent drop in the number of problem drug users since 2000.

19 Jan 2005

Physicians should avoid prescribing Bextra altogether

Physicians should avoid prescribing Bextra altogether, or use it only as a drug of last resort, says a researcher from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and colleagues in an editorial published on-line Jan. 17 in Circulation, a publication of the American Heart Association.

19 Jan 2005

Simplified approach to the management of patients with an acute coronary syndrome

A simplified approach to the management of patients with an acute coronary syndrome (chest pain at rest or with mild exertion) can help ensure that precise risk-reducing strategies are followed to the letter by doctors and other caregivers of patients with this medical condition, according to a study by Johns Hopkins researchers.

19 Jan 2005

World-first advertising campaign warns women about the health impacts, and ineffectiveness, of fad diets

A world-first advertising campaign that warns women about the health impacts, and ineffectiveness, of fad diets has been launched by the Australian Health Minister, Bronwyn Pike.

18 Jan 2005

Animal study on vascular effects of COX-2 inhibition

In an article by Egan et al, titled, "Cyclooxygenases, Thromboxane, and Atherosclerosis," published in the Jan 17 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association researchers examined some of the molecular mechanisms of drugs affecting prostaglandin and thromboxane production.

17 Jan 2005

Research leads to new antiangiogenic drugs

Scientists have uncovered critical information that may lead to an urgently needed method for effective monitoring of antiangiogenic cancer therapies.

17 Jan 2005

Measures to improve the drug side effect reporting system - the Yellow Card Scheme

Patients and researchers will be able to look at data on the safety of different medicines announced Health Minister, Lord Warner today. The move is part of a series of measures to further improve the drug side effect reporting system - the Yellow Card Scheme, which is used by the medicines watchdog (MHRA) to monitor the safety of medicines in the UK.

17 Jan 2005

Drugs News and Research

High blood pressure risk in African-Americans linked to genetics

Are NSAIDS enough for cancer pain?

Antioxidants do not prolong the survival of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease

New federal guidelines for the use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection

Pharmacist review does not keep older people out of hospital

Australian Medical Association slams BUPA Australia

African drug Ibogaine blocks alcohol cravings

Heart patients with gastrointestinal complications should use low doses of aspirin combined with drugs that treat stomach ulcers

New ideas for creating a new generation of oral medications to treat infertility

Clopidogrel (Plavix®) responses appear normal in largest data set

Medicine alone may not offer best quality of life for patients with moderate heart attack risk

FDA knocks back anticancer drug Marqibo

Cellular fuel gauge could hold clue to diabetes

Number of people misusing heroin in Scotland has dropped

Physicians should avoid prescribing Bextra altogether

Simplified approach to the management of patients with an acute coronary syndrome

World-first advertising campaign warns women about the health impacts, and ineffectiveness, of fad diets

Animal study on vascular effects of COX-2 inhibition

Research leads to new antiangiogenic drugs

Measures to improve the drug side effect reporting system - the Yellow Card Scheme

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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