Internal Medicine Alert – November 15, 2002
November 15, 2002
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For Better or Worse
Expanding upon their earlier study that demonstrated that spouses of hypertensive patients are more likely to be hypertensive themselves, these British researchers studied couples to determine whether other illnesses exhibited the same association. -
Melatonin for Jet Lag
This study assessed the effectiveness of oral melatonin taken in different dosage regimens for alleviating jet-lag after air travel across several time zones. -
Don’t Turn Your Head and Cough: It’s a Woman Thing
Among patients being evaluated for chronic cough, women are more sensitive than men to inhalation of tussive agents. -
Pharmacology Update: Dutasteride Capsules (Avodart — GlaxoSmithKline)
GlaxoSmithKline is expected to launch a new drug for benign prostatic hypertrophy in December. Dutasteride is a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, which was previously approved in November 2001 but not launched. -
Clinical Briefs
Efficacy of Handrubbing with Alcohol-Based Solution vs. Standard Handwashing with Antiseptic Soap: Randomized Clinical Trial; A Program To Prevent Functional Decline in Physically Frail, Elderly Persons Who Live at Home; Treatment of Chronic Painful Diabetic Neuropathy with Isosorbide Dinitrate Spray -
ECG Review: What’s Going On?
The 12-lead ECG and accompanying rhythm strip in the Figure were obtained from an 84-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department with acute dyspnea from pneumonia and heart failure. Whats going on? -
Pharmacology Watch: High-Dose Rofecoxib Confirmed Prothrombotic, Study Shows
Debate over the cardiovascular effects of COX-2 inhibitors has raged for more than a year since a special communication was published in JAMA last August suggesting an increase in cardiovascular events with rofecoxib (Vioxx). Now a large retrospect, the cohort study from the Tennessee Medicaid program seems to confirm the prothrombotic effects of rofecoxib, at least in high dose.