english.prescrire.org > Prescrire International > N°97 - October 2008

n°97

October 2008

Issue Contents
Editorial

Free  Thanks, but no thanks

p.178
Regulators encourage overmedication

Marketing Authorisations

Ziconotide (severe pain) (New Drug)

p.179-182
Limited analgesic efficacy, too many adverse effects

Ramelteon (insomnia) (New Drug)

p.183-186
No role for risky placebos

Melatonin: licensed, but still no proof of efficacy

p.184

Fluoxetine (depression in children) (New Indication)

p.186-187
Too many uncertainties

Antidepressants and “depression” in children and adolescents: disappointing results

p.187

Vildagliptin and vildagliptin/metformin(type 2 diabetes) (New Drug)

p.188
Same limited efficacy as sitagliptin

Free  Pioglitazone (type 2 diabetes) (New Indication)

p.189
No glitazones with or without insulin

Editors’ opinion: Do not use glitazones either alone or in combination for treatment of diabetes

p.189

Miconazole mucoadhesive gingival tablet (oropharyngeal candidiasis) (New Drug)

p.190
New form of tablet, no proven advantages

Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (symptomatic anaemia) (New Drug)

p.191
Risk of cardiovascular disorders

Risedronic acid (osteoporosis in men) (New Indication)

p.192
No fewer symptomatic fractures

Verteporfin (neovascular forms of ARMD) (Labelling Change)

p.192
A welcome restriction of indications

Piroxicam (restriction of indications) (Labelling Change)

p.193
Only half-measures

Common stems - INN: -vudine

p.193

Common stems - INN:- taxel

p.193

Teriparatide (osteoporosis in men) (New Indication)

p.194
No evidence of efficacy, frequent adverse effects

Dexrazoxane (A Second Look)

p.195
Possibly helpful for preventing anthracycline cardiotoxicity

Timothy pollen oral lyophilisate (hay fever) (New Drug)

p.196
Not acceptable

Rotarix° packaging (Labelling and Package Change)

p.196
More improvement needed

Adverse Effects

Drug-induced taste disorders

p.197-199
Taste disorders can be due to a variety of causes, including a vast number of drugs.

Varenicline: a British review

p.199
Unfavourable risk-benefit balance.

Dopamine agonists: pathological gambling and hypersexuality

p.200-201
Patients and their relatives should be informed of the risks.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw due to bisphosphonates

p.202-203
Can affect eating, interpersonal relations, and physical appearance.

Ischaemic colitis and neuroleptics

p.204
A rare but potentially serious adverse effect.

Hypertrichosis in children treated with steroids

p.204
Another systemic effect of local administration.

Acute adrenal failure: inhaled steroids too

p.204
Adrenal failure with high-dose inhaled steroids, especially fluticasone, in France too.

Oseltamivir: gastrointestinal bleeding

p.205
Unfavourable risk-benefit balance.

Renal failure and gadolinium

p.205
The number of documented cases is rising.

Levofloxacin and glycaemic disorders

p.205
Diabetic patients: beware.

Vertebroplasty and adverse effects of cement

p.205
Cement used for vertebroplasty can be harmful if it leaks outside treated vertebrae.

Reviews

Sleep complaints

p.206-212
Avoid the use of sleeping pills

Sleep hygiene and stimulus control

p.207

Successful benzodiazepine withdrawal: helpful interventions

p.209

Prescrire's advice: How to help a patient who complains of poor-quality sleep and who has not yet been treated

p.211

Agitation in Alzheimer's disease: no to donepezil

p.212
Social and behaviour management is best

Higher type 2 diabetes-related mortality when HbA1c levels are too low

p.213
HbA1c of 7% is best

Do not use bisphosphonate therapy indefinitely for fracture prevention

p.214
No longer than 5 years

Surgery in asymptomatic carotid stenosis: no advantage

p.214
A meta-analysis of about 5000 patients

Outlook

Free  Editorial: Human guinea pigs

p.215

Free  Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs: harmful and difficult to regulate

p.216-217

Free  Standing up to salt industry lobbies

p.217

Join the campaign to prevent the adoption of dangerous European Commission proposals

p.220

Forum

Free  Forum - Kept in the dark about dangerous medicines

p.218

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