CP June 2017 online

Non-selective beta-blockers increase fall risk in older adults

The association between beta-blockers and falls in patients aged 55 years and over may be related to the type prescribed, data analysis finds.…

Protein can assess and predict progression of Huntington’s disease

Researchers identify biomarker that offers a means of predicting and tracking neuronal damage in patients with Huntington’s disease.…

SGLT2 inhibitors linked to increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis

In a study comparing treatments for type 2 diabetes, SGLT2 inhibitors show double the risk of ketoacidosis versus gliptins.…

Taking vitamin D during pregnancy boosts neonatal immune system

Analysis of the umbilical cords of newborns suggests that maternal vitamin D supplementation may help to reduce the risk of allergic conditions in early life.…

Paediatric epilepsy drug response linked to common genetic variants

Recent research has shown that patients with childhood absence epilepsy, the most common form of paediatric epilepsy, have highly variable responses to antiepileptic medications.…

Treatment-resistant epilepsy in children: new hope from cannabidiol

A large clinical trial conducted on a drug derived from cannabis has demonstrated reduction of convulsive seizures experienced by children with a severe form of epilepsy by nearly 50%[1] . The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (online, 25 May 2017), has generate…

Excellence should be the norm

22 May 2017: Aileen Bryson, acting director of RPS Scotland, wrote an opinion piece for Scotland on Sunday outlining how pharmacists could contribute to relieving the pressure on GP services. In her piece, Bryson said: “There are many areas of excellence in practice and innovation across Scotl…