Sedative News and Research

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A sedative is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement.

Slow-release morphine helps chronic persistent cough

Slow-release morphine helped a group of patients with long-term, treatment-resistant chronic cough reduce their daily cough score levels by 40 percent.

15 Feb 2007

Five year old dies after dental visit

A routine visit to the dentist has ended in death for a 5-year-old girl in Chicago.

28 Sep 2006

Unpleasant memories from intensive care

"Being cared for in an intensive care unit (ICU) can never be an especially positive experience. But at any rate it should not mean that the care improves the patient's physical condition only to leave him or her with severe mental problems!"

20 Sep 2006

Thousands of prescription drug products sold in the U.S. not approved by FDA

Drugs that have not been approved by FDA make up nearly 2% of prescription drugs on the market, and some of them "might not only be ineffective but also might actually be harmful," USA Today reports.

20 Sep 2006

Studies on effects of drugs on children often not published

According to a new study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center, many of the drugs that are prescribed for children may not in fact be either safe or effective for pediatric use and could require different doses than is recommended.

13 Sep 2006

Popular antihistamine used to help young children sleep is ineffective

Although about half of pediatricians recommend that children under age 2 can be given diphenhydramine to help them sleep, the first study to look at effectiveness of the agent in children who are that young found no benefit.

4 Jul 2006

New sleep medication Ramelteon shows less potential to foster abuse and dependence

As part of the effort to develop effective behavioral and medical sleep therapies, scientists consider the potential for dependence and abuse associated with prescription sleep drugs.

27 Jun 2006

FDA approves Prezista (darunavir)

FDA approves Prezista (darunavir), a new drug for adults whose infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has not responded to treatment with other antiretroviral drugs.

26 Jun 2006

New drug will treat those winter blues

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given it's approval for a drug to treat a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

14 Jun 2006

What is it about grapefruit juice that affects some drugs?

Researchers in the United States say they have identified the compound in grapefruit juice that affects how some drugs are absorbed in the body and produces unwanted side effects.

14 May 2006

Improving care for Alzheimer disease sufferers

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia represent a major challenge in the care of older adults with Alzheimer disease.

12 May 2006

Alcohol use, comorbidity, and mortality

Older men who drink as few as two drinks twice a week and also have diseases that could be worsened by alcohol or cause problems with medications taken while drinking alcohol have higher death rates, as compared to men who either drink less or may drink more but don't have such comorbidities.

11 Apr 2006

Shape and function of the heart improves with apnea treatment

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea have enlarged and thickened hearts that pump less effectively, but the heart abnormalities improve with use of a device that helps patients breathe better during sleep, according to a new study in the April 4, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

4 Apr 2006

Strange behaviour blamed on sleeping pills

Reports of some very strange behavior by insomniacs taking a prescribed sleeping pill have been of concern and have raised safety questions about insomnia medications.

16 Mar 2006

Low pressure and low oxygen factors in DVT and long flights

Researchers say that the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) during flights may not be due simply to sitting still; they say the low pressure and low oxygen environment during air travel may also contribute to the development of deep vein thrombosis in some susceptible individuals.

13 Mar 2006

Women more vulnerable to effects of alcohol use

Although women consume less alcohol than men, they are more susceptible to some of the negative medical consequences of alcohol use, such as cirrhosis of the liver, cardiac disease, and cognitive impairments.

6 Jan 2006

For older people, the risks outweigh the benefits of taking sleeping pills and other sedatives

Insomnia can often affect the quality of life for older people and between 5% and 33% of older people in the UK are prescribed sleeping pills such as benzodiazepine.

14 Nov 2005

Fruits and vegetables can increase or decrease the activity and toxicity of orally-administered drugs

Eating fruits and vegetables is essential to living a long and healthy life, yet research has shown they can cause dangerous interactions with medicines.

5 Oct 2005

First trial of pramipexole for the treatment of fibromyalgia

The mechanism of fibromyalgia, a chronic illness characterized by muscle pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, is unknown and medications used to treat it (such as antidepressants, antiepileptics, muscle relaxants, antiinflammatories, sedative hypnotics, pain relievers and nutriceuticals) have had limited success.

28 Jul 2005

Opiates themselves are superior to sedatives for treating infants born to women who used heroin or methadone while pregnant

Opiates appear to better "ameliorate the withdrawal, facilitate feeding and potentially reduce the likelihood of seizures," according to two new systematic reviews done by David Osborn, a neonatologist at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues.

26 Jul 2005