english.prescrire.org > Prescrire International > N°71 - June 2004

n°71

June 2004

Issue Contents
Editorial

Free  Oncology: time to get to work

p.82

Marketing Authorisations

Parecoxib (new preparation)

p.83-85
A NSAID for postoperative pain: no proven advantage

Tacrolimus ointment (new preparation)

p.86-89
Too many unknowns for use in atopic eczema

Liposomal pegylated doxorubicin (new preparation)

p.90-91
Breast cancer: not just a question of short-term cardiac effects

Olanzapine for injection (new formulation)

p.92-93
No advantage in agitated patients

Bexarotene (new preparation)

p.94-97
Cutaneous lymphoma: too many adverse effects

Vardenafil

p.98
A minimally assessed me-too for erectile dysfunction

Metoprolol in heart failure

p.98
Reduces mortality, but probably less effective than carvedilol

Alitretinoin topical gel

p.98
Highly irritant and poorly effective in Kaposi

Bimatoprost

p.98
Me-too: inferior to latanoprost in glaucoma

Adverse Effects

Avoiding drug interactions

p.99-102
Keep in mind risky drugs and risky situations

Some manifestations of drug interactions

p.100

10 quality criteria for interactions databases

p.101

Neonatal complications after intrauterine exposure to SSRI antidepressants

p.103-104
Agitation, sucking problems, breathing difficulties

Monitoring anticancer drugs

p.104

Drug-induced esophageal ulceration

p.104-105

Methotrexate and pneumonitis

p.105

Diethylene glycol: Urosiphon

p.105

Reviews

Post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy (continued)

p.106-109
Risk-benefit balance in the hot seat
WHI trial results: the risk of dementia emerges and the lack of cardiovascular benefit is confirmed. Other large cohort studies provide interesting data.

HIV: postponing initial treatment?

p.110
Keep a close check on CD4+ cell count and viral load

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

p.111
Stopping smoking slows disease progression
Long-term medical treatments do not improve outcome but offer only symptom relief, notably inhaled bronchodilators. Inhaled steroids reduces the frequency of exacerbations by 30%.

Treating neuropathic pain in diabetic patients

p.111
Glycaemic control first; simple analgesics, and tricyclics if needed
Second-line alternatives are poorly assessed: carbamazepine, gabapentin, etc. Patients should be informed that these drugs are only partly effective.

Outlook

Free  Drug packaging: still too many problems in 2003

p.112-113
Any problem compromising rational drug use should be reported.

Free  Prescrire International translation procedures

p.113-114
Team work and strict quality control procedures

2003 Prescrire financial report

p.114-115

Free  Sales reps: footsoldiers in drug company wars

p.116

Free  A drug company sues an ISDB member bulletin, and loses

p.117
A victory for independent information sources.

Free  Clinical trials - Participants' right to know

p.118

Forum

Acute mania: is olanzapine really advantageous?

p.118-119

The complete contents of 
this issue of Prescrire International
are available for download by
Prescrire International subscribers.
Certain texts are also available to
non-subscribers for free download,
as indicated. 

 

Subscribe