Drugs

Chisholm, Marie

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00002pmid: 11893226

Nonadherence to immunosuppressant therapy constitutes a major barrier to post-transplant care. Failure of transplant recipients to take prescribed drugs properly may not only be a significant obstacle to optimal graft function but it may also result in decreased quality of life and productivity, increased morbidity and healthcare cost, and death. Despite the obvious importance of adherence to immunosuppressant therapy, nonadherence is frequent among transplant recipients, with rates ranging from 2 to 68%.

Sefton, Armine

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00001pmid: 11893225

Antimicrobials show selective toxicity. Suitable targets for antimicrobials to act at include the bacterial cell wall, bacterial protein and folic acid synthesis, nucleic acid metabolism in bacteria and the bacterial cell membrane. Acquired antimicrobial resistance generally can be ascribed to one of five mechanisms. These are production of drug-inactivating enzymes, modification of an existing target, acquisition of a target by-pass system, reduced cell permeability and drug removal from the cell.

Forseth, Karin; Gran, Jan

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00003pmid: 11893227

Fibromyalgia still represents an enigma to modern medicine and the aetiopathogenesis is far from explored. The management of patients with fibromyalgia is thus mostly based on empirical research, and only a few controlled studies have been performed. Basic drug therapy rests on the administration of amitriptyline and conventional analgesics. Such therapy should be initiated only after careful patient information and delineation of therapeutic goals are provided. Any drug therapy should be administered in combination with physical treatment and cognitive behavioural therapy. Because of the appearing contours of pathogenic mechanisms, hopefully a number of new drugs will be available to the patients with this complex pain syndrome in the near future.

Brunbech, Lars; Sabers, Anne

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00004pmid: 11893228

Several ‘new’ antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), i.e. oxcarbazepine, vigabatrin, lamotrigine, zonisamide, gabapentin, tiagabine, topiramate and levetiracetam have been introduced into clinical practice within the last decade. Most of these new drugs are at least as effective as the ‘old’ AEDs [phenytoin, phenobarbital (phenobarbitone), valproic acid (sodium valproate) and carbamazepine] and, in general, they seem to be better tolerated than the old drugs. The new AEDs might have less influence on cognitive functions but the aspect has not been systematically studied.

Figgitt, David; Noble, Stuart

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00011pmid: 11893235

Angus, Derek

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00008pmid: N/A

McKeage, Kate; Plosker, Greg

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00009pmid: 11893233

Levi, Marcel

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00007pmid: N/A

Desouza, Cyrus; Keebler, Maty; McNamara, Dennis; Fonseca, Vivian

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00005pmid: 11893229

Elevated total plasma homocysteine has been established as an independent risk factor for thrombosis and cardiovascular disease. A strong relationship between plasma homocysteine levels and mortality has been reported in patients with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease.

Wagstaff, Antona; Cheer, Susan; Matheson, Anna; Ormrod, Douglas; Goa, Karen

doi: 10.2165/00003495-200262040-00010pmid: 11893234