Internal Medicine

Adverse drug events involving psychiatric medications are not uncommon in emergency departments, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) reported that proactive monitoring of dose adjustments of infliximab (IFX), one of the 4 anti-TNF-alpha proteins used to treat inflammatory diseases like Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), could prolong the effectiveness of treatment.

The outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa is showing no signs of slowing down. As a result, President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that the United States would be getting even more directly involved in the effort to contain the outbreak and prevent it from spreading any further.

The results of a recently released study have once again shown the impact gut microbes can have on the health of patients with diabetes.

Fumaric acid esters (FAEs) are a known component of a centuries-old herbal medicine, have been used for over 50 years as a topical treatment for psoriasis, and most recently, have demonstrated efficacy in treating relapsing- remitting multiple sclerosis.

As Gilead's Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) hit the market in December 2013, its price of $84,000 for a 12-week treatment course caused many insurers to balk, including ExpressScripts, Catamaran Corp, Aetna, and CVS/Caremark.1 Their concerns were not unfounded: Recently, UnitedHealth reported an 8% dip in profits in the first quarter of 2014 due, in part, to $100 million in additional medical costs resulting from rapid uptake of Sovaldi.

The Fair Pricing Coalition (FPC) works closely with the pharmaceutical industry to ensure patient access to copay and patient assistant programs (PAPs) for people with HCV. Most pharmaceutical companies have collaborated with the FPC to coordinate programs that are typically based on income adjusted for family and/or household size.

Review by a German commission also found major benefits in patients who had not responded to prior treatment with other medications.

Paul Wicks, PhD, comments on physicians' acceptance of technological evolution in data collection at the 2014 Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting in Boston.

Movantik (naloxegol), an oral peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist, has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in adults with chronic non-cancer pain.

Paul Wicks, PhD, discusses the surge in Internet-savvy patients at the 2014 Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting in Boston.

Researchers have identified several combinations of drugs that outperform metformin monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

As any athlete or active person knows, the health of the cartilage in the knee can make the difference between comfortably moving around and pain that can stop you in your tracks. Researchers in Australia have recently discovered a stronger than expected link between knee cartilage and rheumatoid arthritis.

The FDA has approved Baxter's Rixubis [Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant)], an intravenous prophylactic treatment intended to control and prevent bleeding episodes and assist with perioperative management for children 12 years and younger with hemophilia B.

Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, shares how cognitive function impacts patients with progressive multiple sclerosis at the 2014 Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting in Boston.

A new set of guidelines from the American College of Physicians (ACP) advises physicians to prescribe exercises and behavioral therapy-not drugs-as first-line treatment for many patients with urinary incontinence (UI).

As reported in the EMBO Molecular Medicine journal, researchers have discovered there are several types of dendritic cells within human skin that play a role in both the earlier and more advances stages of psoriasis.

Don Mahad, MD, PhD, discusses his research's focus of protecting nerve cells at the 2014 Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting in Boston.

Alasdair Coles, MD, University of Cambridge, shares his thoughts on the efficacy of alemtuzumab for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) at the 2014 Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting in Boston.

Assessment of long-term data on treatment utility demonstrates the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interferon-beta and glatiramer acetate for multiple sclerosis.

Treatment with Sativex oromucosal spray produces significant reductions in spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with placebo, but researchers reported no significant difference between the two in neurophysiologic measures.

Results from the RADIANCE study show that treatment with the selective S1P1 receptor modulator RPC1063 is associated with significant reductions in GD-enhancing lesions on MRI, as well as new or enlarging T2 lesions, compared with placebo.

Patients treated for two years with a combination of glatiramer acetate and estriol experienced a one-third reduction in relapse rate compared with patients who received glatiramer acetate and placebo.

Patients with multiple sclerosis who received thrice-weekly injections of glatiramer acetate 40 mg/ml reported increased satisfaction with their treatment and experienced lower rates of moderate and severe injections site reactions and other adverse events.

Five-year data from the ENDORSE study shows that patients with multiple sclerosis who continued treatment, or who switched from another medication, experienced improved NEDA outcomes.

Mikkel Anthonisan, MD, highlights his experience as the founder of Oceans of Hope, a global voyage to change the perception of multiple sclerosis, at the 2014 Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting.

Treatment with alemtuzumab was associated with reduced relapse rates and improved MRI outcomes compared to treatment with subcutaneous interferon beta-1a.

Novel drug shown to be more effective than interferon beta-1a in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, but concerns remain over hepatotoxicity, cutaneous reactions, and other adverse events associated with treatment.

A series of nurse-led interventions and patient education, along with titrated drug initiation, were the key components of a successful initiation protocol for patients with multiple sclerosis starting therapy on dimethyl fumarate. The new protocol resulted in fewer discontinuations than the standard initiation protocol.

Medication commonly used to reduce cholesterol could also be used to help patients with diabetes reduce their risk of serious complications like blindness and amputations.