Study: Nicotine Patch Works as Well as Chantix to Help Quit Smoking
This study confirms that FDA-approved medications are effective in helping smokers quit,” said Lee Westmaas, PhD, American Cancer Society director of tobacco control research. “Smokers should seriously consider using medications if they are finding it difficult to quit without any help. The most effective approach to quitting is using medications in combination with counseling such as from a quit-line.”RESOURCES: How to Quit Smoking Quit-smoking medicationsResearch shows that using a medication to help you quit smoking can double your chances of being successful.The US Food and Drug Administr...
Source: American Cancer Society :: News and Features - February 2, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: Smoking/Tobacco Source Type: news
Effects of Varenicline on alcohol enjoyment and consumption
Conclusion
Varenicline may affect enjoyment of drinking, but its potential to alter drinking behaviour is likely to be small.
Further Information
Conflicts of interest
PH and HM have received research funds and/or consultancy fees from manufacturers of smoking cessation medications. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
References
Childs, E., Roche, D. J. O., King, A. C. & De Wit, H. (2012). Varenicline Potentiates Alcohol-Induced Negative Subjective Responses and Offsets Impaired Eye Movements. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 36, 906-914.
Davis, T. J. & De Fiebre, C. M. (...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - December 16, 2015 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Alcohol Insights Source Type: news
Low-nicotine cigarettes may help determined smokers cut back
This study lasted only six weeks, so we’ll need longer trials to help us really understand whether low-nicotine cigarettes are a “safer” option for people who are determined to smoke (as many as one in five Americans is a current smoker). However, these findings do suggest that if the nicotine content in commercial cigarettes could be lowered, users would smoke less and be less likely to get “hooked,” which could mitigate the health risks associated with smoking.
For those who do want to cut out nicotine, there are good options that can help them meet the challenge. They come in many forms, from nicotine patches ...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - October 1, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Mallika Marshall, MD Tags: Smoking cessation cigarettes low-nicotine cigarettes quit smoking Source Type: news
Case report: veno-venous ECMO as a bridge to lung transplantation in paraquat poisoning
3 out of 5 stars
Successful extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy as a bridge to sequential bilateral lung transplantation for a patient after severe paraquat poisoning. Tang X et al. Clin Toxicol 2015 Aug 28 [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
Conceptually, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) seems a perfect technique for treating some of the sickest toxicology patients, buying time until failing vital functions can recover.
With severe cardiotoxins — for example, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers or bupropion — veno-arterial ECMO can provide complete cardiopulmonary bypass, replacing both cardiac a...
Source: The Poison Review - September 9, 2015 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical ECMO extracorporeal membrane oxygenation lung transplantation paraquat poisoning Source Type: news
Is ED use of flumazenil safe?
2 out of 5 stars
Lack of adverse effects from flumazenil administration: an ED observational study. Nguyen TT et al. Am J Emerg Med 2015 Jul 21 [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
The use of the antidote flumazenil in patients with suspected benzodiazepine poisoning is controversial. The major concern is for inducing seizures in a patient who has a proconvulsant medication on board, is tolerant to benzodiazepines, or has an underlying seizure disorder.
The goal of this single-hospital retrospective observational study was to “assess adverse events and clinical outcomes of flumazenil administration in known and suspected...
Source: The Poison Review - September 4, 2015 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical antagonist antidote benzodiazepine overdose flumazenil Source Type: news
Sun Pharma, Wockhardt recall drugs from US market
Sun Pharma initiated voluntary recall of Bupropion Hydrochloride Extended-¬release Tablets USP (SR), while Wockhardt started recalling its Lisinopril Tablets USP. (Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News)
Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News - August 30, 2015 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
Venlafaxine abuse
2.5 out of 5 stars
Venlafaxine as the ‘baby ecstasy’? Literature overview and analysis of web-based misusers’ experiences. Francesconi G et al. Hum Psychopharmacol Clin Exp 2015 Jul;30:255-261.
Abstract
In 2003, Sattar et al published a case report of venlafaxine abuse in a 38-year-old man. The patient had been prescribed 225-mg extended-release venlafaxine daily. He found that increasing his dose by 50% — to 337.5-mg per day — initially produced a “sudden, amphetamine-like ‘high'” that he did not re-experience even after increasing the dose to 450-mg.
He subsequently discovered ...
Source: The Poison Review - July 30, 2015 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical abuse effexor overdose venlafaxine Source Type: news
What Are Common Drug Eruptions in Children?
Discussion
Drug reactions unfortunately are common in children and adults. These reactions have different but often overlapping appearances. Viral exanthams also often cloud the picture as these rashes can be because of the drug, the virus or both.
Patients with urticaria multiforme present with an acute rash that appears as urticaria plaques that have a hemorrhagic or dusky discoloration. It occurs 1-3 days after viral symptoms (including cough, rhinorrhea, diarrhea) and may also present with fever.
Morbilliform drug eruptions one of the most common drug reactions in children and usually occur 7-14 days after the onset ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - July 27, 2015 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Bupropion Abuse on the Rise, Study SuggestsBupropion Abuse on the Rise, Study Suggests
A study has shown an increasing number of questionable bupropion prescriptions in Ontario, Canada, suggesting abuse may be on the rise. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Emergency Medicine Headlines)
Source: Medscape Emergency Medicine Headlines - July 24, 2015 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Family Medicine/Primary Care News Source Type: news
Look The Way Nature Intended
Since the ’70s, at least a half-dozen Big Pharma drugs have been approved only to get shelved, because they ended up causing serious health problems.
These problems have ranged from psychiatric and neurologic disorders to increased risks of heart attacks and strokes. The side effects have also included depression, vomiting, fainting, headaches, high blood pressure and liver damage.
The truth is, reliable weight loss shouldn’t involve risking your life.
I have successfully helped thousands of people lose weight with safe and natural herbs and supplements for decades – and I still do.
Today, I’m going to show you how...
Source: Al Sears, MD Natural Remedies - June 22, 2015 Category: Complementary Medicine Authors: Dr. Al Sears Tags: Nutrition Weight Loss diet FDA nutrients Source Type: news
Toxicology Rounds: Drug-Induced Seizures? Think Bupropion
No abstract available (Source: Emergency Medicine News)
Source: Emergency Medicine News - June 1, 2015 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Toxicology Rounds Source Type: news
Diet Drug Study Stopped in the Wake of Leaked Results (FREE)
By Larry Husten
Edited by Lorenzo Di Francesco, MD, FACP, FHM
A trial intended to examine the cardiovascular outcomes of the weight loss drug Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion) was stopped early Tuesday following controversy over leaked results.The FDA approved Contrave in 2014 partly on the basis of a prespecified interim analysis of the 9000-patient Light trial, which ruled out a significant doubling of … (Source: Physician's First Watch current issue)
Source: Physician's First Watch current issue - May 13, 2015 Category: Primary Care Source Type: news
Diet Drug Study Crashes And Burns In The Wake Of Leaked Results
The ill-fated Light trial, which was supposed to examine the cardiovascular outcomes of the weight loss drug Contrave, a combination of naltrexone and bupropion marketed by Orexigen and Takeda, came to a spectacular halt today. The action was probably inevitable given the extreme controversy generated earlier this year when it became known that Orexigen had widely disseminated results from an early interim analysis of the study. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - May 12, 2015 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Larry Husten Source Type: news
The Mindful Geek: A Radically New Way to Quit Smoking
Smoking kills. We all know it.
The last 50 years have seen an explosion of anti-smoking campaigns as public health officials realize that smoking is a chief cause of cancer, cardiovascular illness and a host of other diseases.
To some extent these campaigns have worked: We are seeing a dramatic reduction in smoking among younger generations. In 2013 the smoking rate among young people (about 19 percent)1 was nearly 25 percent lower than in 20051 and approaching 50 percent lower than in 1995.2 That is great progress, but frankly it isn't enough. Smoking remains the No. 1 cause of preventable disease and death in the Unite...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - May 1, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Risk of completed suicide after initial hospitalization for deliberate overdose
3.5 out of 5 stars
Risk of Suicide Following Deliberate Self-poisoning. Finkelstein Y et al. JAMA Psychiatry 2015 Apr 1 [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
The authors primary objective was to determine the risk of subsequent successful suicide in patients discharged from hospital after a first suicide attempt. They used multiple healthcare databases to identify patients hospitalized for first suicide attempt in Ontario, Canada from April 2002 through December 2010. Subjects identified were followed through the end of 2011. For each subject a control patient without history of self-poisoningt was selected, matched for age, gend...
Source: The Poison Review - April 11, 2015 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical overdose risk self-poisoning suicide Source Type: news
