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Antibiotic amoxicillin no help in treating acute rhinosinusitis
No significant difference was found in treating patients experiencing clinically diagnosed uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis with antibiotic amoxicillin compared with patients who received placebo, according to a study in the February 15 issue of JAMA.
No significant difference was found in treating patients experiencing clinically diagnosed uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis with antibiotic amoxicillin compared with patients who received placebo, according to a study in the February 15 issue of JAMA.
A total of 166 adults (36% male) were randomized to receive a 10-day course of amoxicillin (1,500 mg/d) or placebo, administered in 3 doses per day. Patients in both groups received a 5- to 7-day supply of symptomatic treatments for pain, fever, cough, and nasal congestion to be used as needed.
According to the study performed at the Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, patients with acute rhinosinusitis reported no statistically significant differences in symptom improvement at day 3 (37% for amoxicillin group vs 34% for control group) or at day 10 (78% for amoxicillin group vs 80% for control group). At day 7, more participants treated with amoxicillin reported symptom improvement (74% for amoxicillin group vs 56% for control group).
The study findings support recommendations to avoid routine antibiotic treatment for patients with uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis, according to the authors. Yet, antibiotic treatment for upper respiratory tract infections is often both expected by patients and prescribed by physicians.
The authors noted that patients with symptoms indicative of serious complications were excluded from this trial and would likely need a different management strategy.
Coalition promotes important acetaminophen dosing reminders
November 18th 2014It may come as a surprise that each year Americans catch approximately 1 billion colds, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 20% get the flu. This cold and flu season, 7 in 10 patients will reach for an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine to treat their coughs, stuffy noses, and sniffles. It’s an important time of the year to remind patients to double check their medicine labels so they don’t double up on medicines containing acetaminophen.
Support consumer access to specialty medications through value-based insurance design
June 30th 2014The driving force behind consumer cost-sharing provisions for specialty medications is the acquisition cost and not clinical value. This appears to be true for almost all public and private health plans, says a new report from researchers at the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID Center) and the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC).
Management of antipsychotic medication polypharmacy
June 13th 2013Within our healthcare-driven society, the increase in the identification and diagnosis of mental illnesses has led to a proportional increase in the prescribing of psychotropic medications. The prevalence of mental illnesses and subsequent treatment approaches may employ monotherapy as first-line treatment, but in many cases the use of combination of therapy can occur, leading to polypharmacy.1 Polypharmacy can be defined in several ways but it generally recognized as the use of multiple medications by one patient and the most common definition is the concurrent use of five more medications. The presence of polyharmacy has the potential to contribute to non-compliance, drug-drug interactions, medication errors, adverse events, or poor quality of life.
Medical innovation improves outcomes
June 12th 2013I have been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the pancreas, a disease that’s long been considered not just incurable, but almost impossible to treat-a recalcitrant disease that some practitioners feel has given oncology a bad name. I was told my life would be measured in weeks.
