Future Prescriber最新文献

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and its prevalence is set to double by 2050. Of the possible treatments for the condition, only antithrombotic therapy has demonstrated a mortality benefit. Until recently, the gold-standard treatment was warfarin; in those patients for whom this was contraindicated, aspirin was used. However, over the last two years, several new agents have been developed, the most recent of which is the factor Xa inhibitor apixaban [Eliquis]. Two large randomised controlled trials comparing apixaban with aspirin and warfarin were recently reported. This Drug profile outlines the significant benefits of apixaban in reducing mortality, stroke risk and major bleeding events in atrial fibrillation.

We make two important assumptions when appraising the evidence behind an intervention: that the data are genuine and that they represent the total body of relevant knowledge. Doubts have been growing about both. Research misconduct and selective reporting of clinical trials are undermining confidence in scientific data, and the response of the research establishment has been mixed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Asenapine is a new antipsychotic agent with activity for multiple receptors. It is administered sublingually for the treatment of moderate to severe manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults. In this Drug profile the authors review the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of asenapine, and discuss its efficacy in bipolar I disorder and its likely positioning in clinical practice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dapagliflozin is a new sodium-glucose transporter protein inhibitor under development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this Drug profile, Professor Stephen Bain outlines why new treatments are needed, and considers the drug's efficacy and tolerability in clinical trials, to date, as well as its potential place in management. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The latest developments in the treatment of cancer were presented in September at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress in Stockholm, Sweden Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Up to 30% of affected men will experience disease recurrence at some point, most of whom will be treated with hormone ablative therapy, which is effective for up to 90%. However, the effect is transient with the emergence of the castration-resistant phenotype. While secondary hormonal manipulations may result in temporary inhibition of disease progression, ultimately this is a fatal phenotype. This article looks at the emergence of two therapies that immunise against tissue-specific antigens in metastatic castrationresistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) to enhance survival. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bipolar I disorder affects around one in every 100 adults and is a major public health issue. It is usually characterised by a combination of manic and depressive symptoms, with severe episodes of mood disturbance that can last for weeks or even months. Both men and women are affected, and the condition is a debilitating one that can adversely influence all areas of a person's life and his/her normal functioning. In this article, the authors look at the disease and its causes, and discuss both current and promising future treatment options. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Positive news on the development of second-generation inotropes for treating heart failure was reported at the annual British Cardiovascular Society conference in June. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lung cancer remains a major healthcare challenge despite the recent reduction in incidence in the Western world and introduction of the public smoking ban in some countries. However, the complexity of tumour biology is being unravelled along with a greater understanding of molecular signalling pathways, opening up a new field of research into targeted therapies. Here the authors focus on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), discussing its current management and some of the promising targeted therapies currently being investigated. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Current treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) is effective in less than 50% of patients. Retreatment with the same regimen is poorly effective. The advent of direct-acting antiviral agents that target replication of HCV promises to improve therapy for the disease. Telaprevir is a new protease inhibitor that specifically targets the NS3/4A serine protease, rapidly reducing HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) levels. Several phase 2 and phase 3 studies have assessed the efficacy and safety of telaprevir. The author discusses the results of these studies, which suggest that the addition of this specific protease inhibitor to PEG-IFN-alpha2 and RBV can signifi cantly improve the results of treatment in patients affected with chronic HCV infection with genotype 1, compared with the standard treatment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.