News | Neurological conditions

Headache: a visual guide

Headache is among the most common neurological reasons for A&E attendance, but most cases can be treated in primary care. This infographic provides a visual overview of the main types of headache.…

Cannabis on the NHS: a missed opportunity? (audio)

It may have disappeared from newspaper front pages, but medical cannabis is still causing controversy.…

Pharmacy needs to do much better on valproate

Even after licensing changes, pregnant women are still being prescribed sodium valproate, meaning that foetuses are being needlessly exposed to the risks of birth defects and developmental damage. Community pharmacy needs to take the lead in preventing this.…

Pharmacist-led atrial fibrillation case finding programme prevents an estimated 90 strokes

A pharmacist-led programme to identify patients with atrial fibrillation may have prevented up to 90 AF-related strokes across 23 clinical commissioning group areas, NHS England has said.…

One in ten hospital trusts have been asked to approve unlicensed cannabis-based medicinal prescriptions

Around 10% of hospital trusts have received requests for prescriptions of unlicensed cannabis-based medical products.…

Siponimod now recommended for patients with secondary progressive MS

Updated draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recommended siponimod for the treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.…

Cannabis-based Epidyolex approved for NHS use in Scotland

Epidyolex, a cannabidiol medicine for severe epilepsy in children, has been approved for use on the NHS in Scotland.…

Anticholinergic medications increase risk of mild cognitive impairment, study suggests

Anticholinergic medicines more than double the risk of mild cognitive impairment and accelerated memory and language decline in those predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease, a study in Neurology has suggested.…

Half of pharmacists are not discussing risks of valproate with patients

Just under half of pharmacists are not discussing the risks of taking sodium valproate when dispensing the drug to women, and just over half of pharmacists are not providing a patient card warning of the risks, a survey by three epilepsy charities has found.…

Restrictions on Epidyolex prescribing reduced, as it is rescheduled

The cannabis-based medicine Epidyolex will be easier to prescribe and dispense, following its move from Schedule 2 to Schedule 5 under the Misuse of Drugs Act, Gino Martini, chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has said.…