Quick Takes
The latest study to examine concurrent administration of clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) found 50% fewer hospitalizations for gastroduodenal bleeding among patients who received both drugs, compared with patients who received clopidogrel alone.
In one of the largest crossover studies of its kind to date, nonprescription omeprazole (omeprazole magnesium 20.6 mg) was found to be significantly better than nonprescription lansoprazole (lansoprazole 15 mg) with respect to 24-hour gastric acid suppression.
Data from a small study of postmenopausal women indicate that isoflavones derived from red clover extracts (MF11RCE) may be effective for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Pharmacists who struggle to defend the benefits of immunization to parents fearful of adverse vaccine effects may be particularly interested in an article in the April 2010 issue of Pediatrics.
Data from the Aspirin for Asymptomatic Atherosclerosis trial have cast additional doubt on the value of aspirin therapy for people without clinical cardiovascular disease. In that trial, the administration of aspirin (compared with placebo) did not result in a significant reduction in vascular events among healthy people deemed to be at increased risk because of a low ankle brachial index (ABI).
Targeting a normal systolic blood pressure (i.e., <120 mm Hg) in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes does not reduce major cardiovascular events and may even be harmful, based on results from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) blood pressure trial (ACCORD BP).
Citing consumer protection and the widespread availability of second-generation antihistamines with superior risk/benefit ratios, a task force convened by the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA2LEN) has recommended that first-generation antihistamines should no longer be available on a nonprescription basis.
Among the conclusions of a recent National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on lactose intolerance and health is the observation that in most cases, individuals with real or perceived lactose intolerance do not need to eliminate dairy consumption completely.
• At its February 2010 meeting, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to expand the recommendation for annual influenza vaccination to include all people ages 6 months and older. The expanded recommendation is expected to take effect for the 2010–2011 U.S. influenza season.