May 2013 Update on Medical Innovation
As the weeks go by, we try to collect stories and news coverage regarding physician-industry collaboration and the breakthroughs and successes that come from such relationships. Below is a short summary of some recent physician-industry-academic-government collaborations and the impact they have had on individual patients, the U.S. healthcare system, and beyond.
In light of the recently proposed budgets for FY 2014, numerous scientific and medical groups have urged Congress and the Obama Administration to increase funding for research. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Researchers of America (PhRMA) recently note...
Source: Policy and Medicine - May 6, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Thomas Sullivan Source Type: blogs
Watching Pain Become Chronic | Pain Research Forum
How do acute painful bouts of inflammation progress to chronic, intractable pain? Identifying the molecular basis of that transition—and how to stop the process—is critical to understanding, and treating, many chronic pain conditions.A new study from Erica Schwartz, Gerald Gebhart, and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, US, shows that in a mouse model of recurrent pancreatic inflammation, the transition from acute inflammation to chronic organ damage and pain involves a switch from transient neuroinflammation driven by TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels on sensory neurons to a later, las...
Source: Psychology of Pain - April 13, 2013 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs
First-in-Class Drug for Type 2
By Diane Fennell
On March 29, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the diabetes drug Invokana (generic name canagliflozin) for use, in conjunction with a healthful diet and physical activity, in adults with Type 2 diabetes. It is the first drug in a new class of medicines known as sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors.
In the process of filtering the blood, the kidneys typically reabsorb all the filtered glucose and return it to the bloodstream. One of the main proteins responsible for this reabsorption is SGLT2. By inhibiting the action of SGLT2, Invokana blocks the reabsorption of glucose by ...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - April 5, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Diane Fennell Source Type: blogs
Disturbing Study: Both Families of Incretin Drugs Appear to Cause Potentially Cancerous Changes in the Pancreas
Researchers just published a study in the journal Diabetes in which they autopsied the pancreases of 20 people with diabetes, 12 of whom were taking incretin drugs as well as those of 14 people without diabetes. Most had died of stroke or head injuries, leaving their pancreases in excellent condition. The researchers wanted to see if, in fact, as claimed, the incretin drugs--the drugs that raise the concentration of GLP-1 or mimic GLP-1--cause an increase in the beta cell mass. These drugs have been promoted with the promise that they do, that they regenerate the pancreas. This is one major reason doctors prescribe them ev...
Source: Diabetes Update - March 25, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Jenny Source Type: blogs
Victoza, Januvia, and Other Diabetes Drugs Under FDA Scrutiny: Marketing's "Ethical Concerns"
"Facing growing evidence that some of America's top-selling diabetes medicines could lead to pancreatic disease, federal regulators [see FDA notice here] on Thursday opened an unusual review of drugs from Merck & Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and other pharmaceutical makers," reports the Wall Street Journal (here).Some of the "evidence" may have come from Public Citizen in a petition it filed in 2010 with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That petition called on the agency to "immediately remove from the market the increasingly prescribed diabetes drug Victoza because it puts patients at higher risk of thyroid ca...
Source: Pharma Marketing Blog - March 15, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Tags: Drug Safety Victoza FDA Avandia Januvia Paula Deen Ethics diabetes Source Type: blogs
March Diabetes News Snippet Post
Here are all the news items posted in March: Jennysaid... People taking Byetta, Victoza, Januvia, and Onglyza had less heart failure than those not on these drugs. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130310164109.htmHowever, it is likely this is because Avandia and Actos CAUSE heart failure, rather than that these other drugs prevent it. People are rarely put on both families of drugs at once. It may also be because these GLP-1 related drugs are mostly prescribed to affluent, younger people with diabetes and good health insurance, while poorer people are put on the cheap sulfonylurea drugs which are now known to ...
Source: Diabetes Update - March 11, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Jenny Source Type: blogs
Pancreatitis Risks And A Pair Of Diabetes Drug
Yet another potentially worrisome sign for a pair of widely used diabetes drugs. A new study indicates that Merck’ Januvia and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s as Byetta can double the risk of developing pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas that is linked to cancer and kidney failure. This is the same issue that has plagued both drugs over the past few years.
The study, which examined insurance records for more than 2,500 diabetics between February 2005 and December 2008, found that patients hospitalized with pancreatitis were twice as likely to be taking either of the drugs than a control group of Type...
Source: Pharmalot - February 26, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Ed Silverman Tags: Uncategorized Bristol Myers Squibb Byetta Diabetes Eli Lilly Januvia Merck Novo Nordisk Victoza Source Type: blogs
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Pathophysiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease
1) peptic ulcer disease is marked by a break in mucosal lining of stomach and duodenum
2) main causes are infection with Helicobacter pylori and use of NSAIDs
Signs and Symptoms
1) burning epigastric pain relieved by antacids and eating
2) epigastric pain causing patient to wake up in the middle of the night
3) chest pain mimicking angina
4) epigastric tenderness
5) gastrointestinal bleeding (15%) with coffee-ground emesis or vomiting bright red blood or lower gastrointestinal bleeding
6) perforation (8%) with peritonitis and rigid abdomen
7) duodenal obstruction (3%) with nausea and...
Source: Inside Surgery - February 24, 2013 Category: Surgeons Authors: Editor Tags: Gastroenterology Source Type: blogs
Three New Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes Approved
By Diane Fennell
On January 26, pharmaceutical manufacturer Takeda announced the approval of its Type 2 diabetes drug, Nesina (generic name alogliptin) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is the fourth drug in a class of medicines known as DPP-4 inhibitors, joining Januvia (saxagliptin), Onglyza (sitagliptin), and Tradjenta (linagliptin). Approved simultaneously with Nesina were the drugs Kazano (alogliptin and metformin) and Oseni (alogliptin and pioglitazone [brand name Actos]).
DPP-4 inhibitors work to lower blood glucose by blocking the action of an enzyme known as dipeptidyl peptidase 4, or DPP-4. DPP-...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - February 8, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Diane Fennell Source Type: blogs
USMLE Questions – Characteristic Disease Findings
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is designed to emphasize knowledge of clinical scenarios and clinical pearls, even on Step I. Listed below are some commonly encountered disease findings and characteristics.
Feature
Disease
45, X chromosome
Turner’s syndrome
5-HIAA increased in urine
Carcinoid syndrome
Aganglionic rectum
Hirschsrpung’s disease
Apple-core sign on barium enema
Colon cancer
Arched back (opisthotonos)
Tetanus
Argyll-Robertson pupil
Syphilis
Ash leaf on forehead
Tuberous sclerosis
Auer rods
Acute myelogenous leukemia
Austin Flint murmur
Aortic regurgitation...
Source: Inside Surgery - January 18, 2013 Category: Surgeons Authors: Editor Tags: Surgpedia USMLE diseases findings VMA water hammer pulse Source Type: blogs
Minimal Reporting Guidelines for the Treatment of Cancer Patients
Minimal Reporting Guidelines for the Treatment of Cancer Patients As laboratory physicians, our contribution to patient care is knowledge: this is the starting point from which all informed therapeutic intervention proceeds. How that knowledge is obtained and communicated is the art and science of our profession. These minimal diagnostic guidelines are designed to be used as an aid, not a constraint, in that process. The guidelines are presented in a specific format out of necessity, but any format that effectively communicates the necessary information in a given patho...
Source: Oncopathology - September 5, 2011 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: blogs
NewsFlash: FDA Issues Warning on Victoza
Health professionals reportedly are receiving letters this week alerting them to an FDA warning just issued about risks of thyroid cancer and pancreatitis associated with the popular type 2 diabetes drug liraglutide (Victoza). Yikes!According to M... (Source: Diabetes Mine)
Source: Diabetes Mine - June 15, 2011 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Amy Tenderich Source Type: blogs
New drugs: Exenatide – an injectable diabetic agent and Denosumab – a monoclonal antibody for postmenopausal osteoporosis
Exanatide (Byetta):
the first injectable synthetic analogue of the incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
note that the glyptins inhibit incretin breakdown and are thus incretin “enhancers” not “mimics”
PBS approved for type 2 diabetics as an addition to the combination of metformin and sulphonylurea to help lower HbA1c below 7% or as dual Rx for those who cannot tolerate metformin or a sulphonylurea.
dose:
is given bd s/c within 1 hour BEFORE meals starting at 5 mcg per dose which should be at least 6 hours apart
after 1 month, dose can be increased to 10mcg bd
main adverse effect...
Source: Oz E Medicine - emergency medicine in Australia - December 11, 2010 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Gary Tags: new drugs Source Type: blogs
