Pharmacy

A overview of the main groups of drugs used in diabetes with some side effects  

The price of NHS prescriptions is to rise by 20 pence in April and again next year.  

Medical Protection Society Website  

Anti-Cholinergics Anti-Histamines Beta-Agonists Cromones  

 

ANALGESICS: THEIR PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS Pain is a common problem, and it is essential that doctors know how to treat it. It is recognised that many psychosocial factors affect people’s perception of pain, in particular of chronic pain. This revision article describes the pain ladder and the pharmacology and uses of the drugs it recommends.   THE W.H.O. PAIN LADDER1  

Mechanism and unwanted effects.  

Drug Antidote  

Drs Adam Kay and Suman Biswas (aka the Amateur Transplants) have created a parody of Tom Lehrer's comic song "The Elements".  

Fantastic hand-drawn tutorial local anaesthetic.  

This is a tutorial/lecture on General Anesthetics. We cover some topics important for classes such as Pharmacology and Biochemistry.  

Objectives To determine whether the use of incretin based drugs, compared with sulfonylureas, is associated with an increased risk of acute pancreatitis. - currently located behind a paywall. Your institution may have access through Athens/Elservier or similar.  

Important concerns have been raised about the impact of incretin based drugs on the risk of acute pancreatitis in patients with type 2 diabetes. Two linked papers by Li and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.g2366) and Faillie and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.g2780) could help us decide whether patients and clinicians should consider these concerns when choosing an antihyperglycemic drug. - currently located behind a paywall. Your institution may have access through Athens/Elservier or similar.  

Objectives To determine whether the use of incretin based drugs, compared with sulfonylureas, is associated with an increased risk of acute pancreatitis.  

Important concerns have been raised about the impact of incretin based drugs on the risk of acute pancreatitis in patients with type 2 diabetes. Two linked papers by Li and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.g2366) and Faillie and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.g2780) could help us decide whether patients and clinicians should consider these concerns when choosing an antihyperglycemic drug.1 2  

Last year the Cochrane team, with the help of the BMJ’s open data campaign, finally got access to full clinical study reports on neuraminidase inhibitors. Tom Jefferson and Peter Doshi explain what the new systematic review found and how a series of failures meant that decisions about these drugs were made without the full evidence  

The patient is a 63 year old freelance editor with type 2 diabetes diagnosed about five years ago that is relatively well controlled with insulin. He has early signs of retinopathy, with normal kidney function and electrocardiogram. Lipid values are normal with diet and atorvastatin 20 mg/day. He developed autonomic and peripheral neuropathy a few months ago, and now experiences postural hypotension and burning pain and clumsiness in his feet. His pain makes concentration and falling asleep difficult. He asks his general practitioner for painkillers to help him continue working.  

Last year the Cochrane team, with the help of the BMJ’s open data campaign, finally got access to full clinical study reports on neuraminidase inhibitors. Tom Jefferson and Peter Doshi explain what the new systematic review found and how a series of failures meant that decisions about these drugs were made without the full evidence  

Pfizer, the US pharmaceutical giant whose drugs include atorvastatin (Lipitor) and sildenafil (Viagra), is seeking to buy the UK drug firm AstraZeneca for £52bn (€63bn; $90bn), which would be one of the largest acquisitions in the drug sector in recent years.  

One staff member is sacked and seven suspended from an Essex care home after an undercover Panorama investigation finds poor care.