DrugClass

Misuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs to obtain illicit highs: how pharmacists can prevent abuse

An overview of the range of medicines that are being misused, diverted, or recorded on websites reporting new trends and experimentations of drug abuse for recreational purposes and how pharmacists can detect, understand and prevent drug diversion activities and drug-misuse adverse ef…

Provision of progestogen-only pill with emergency contraception in community pharmacy improves ongoing contraception use

Community pharmacy provision of the progestogen-only pill, and the offer of rapid access to a sexual and reproductive health clinic along with emergency contraception, was associated with a 20% increase in use of effective contraception.…

Routine NSAID use not associated with poorer outcomes in patients hospitalised with COVID-19

Routine use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs might confer “modest” survival benefit for patients hospitalised with COVID-19 and is not associated with poorer outcomes, the results of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine have suggested.…

Charity expresses patient safety concerns over draft atrial fibrillation guidance from NICE

A UK charity has expressed patient safety concerns over draft guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the management of atrial fibrillation.…

Aspirin added to RECOVERY COVID-19 trial, MPs told

Aspirin is the latest drug to be added to the Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy trial, the chair of the trial has told MPs.…

Cefiderocol effective for carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative infections

The clinical and microbiological outcomes of cefiderocol, a new antibiotic, were similar to the best available therapy for patients with life-threatening carbapenem-resistant infections, a phase III study has suggested.…

Increased anticoagulation is reducing the rate of stroke and saving nearly £300 per patient treated, study suggests

The NHS is saving nearly £300 per patient on oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation, despite rising prescription costs for the medicine, owing to a decline in AF-related strokes.…

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: diagnosis and management

Early diagnosis and medicines optimisation are fundamental to ensure timely and appropriate treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and improve a patient’s quality of life.…

Presenting the GI evidence of ibuprofen

Concerns about OTC ibuprofen could come from some of the guidance seen for prescription doses of the drug, but is this caution supported by the evidence?…

Supported content

Antivirals have little effect on mortality in patients hospitalised with COVID-19, suggest WHO trial interim results

Four repurposed antiviral treatments for COVID-19 have little or no effect on mortality in patients who are hospitalised, interim results from the World Health Organization’s Solidarity trial have suggested.…