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Niacin superior to ezetimibe in decreasing CIMT
Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) or CHD equivalent on stable statin monotherapy treated with the addition of extended-release niacin have significant decreases in carotid intima-media thickness compared with those who had ezetimibe added to their stable statin treatment, according to a study published online April 14 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, as reported by HealthDay News.
Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) or CHD equivalent on stable statin monotherapy treated with the addition of extended-release niacin have significant decreases in carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) compared with those who had ezetimibe added to their stable statin treatment, according to a study published online April 14 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, as reported by HealthDay News.
Todd C. Villines, MD, of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., and colleagues conducted the Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol 6–HDL and LDL Treatment Strategies in Atherosclerosis (ARBITER6-HALTS) trial, which was terminated early because of the results of an interim analysis that found niacin superior to ezetimibe in CIMT change.
The study included results from 315 patients-208 patients who completed 14 months of follow-up and 107 patients who completed a close-out assessment after the trial was terminated (mean treatment of 7 months ±3 months).
The researchers found that niacin at a target dose of 2,000 mg/d resulted in significant decreases in both mean and maximal CIMT. Ezetimibe given at 10 mg/day dose did not result in either mean or maximal CIMT regression.
Increased cumulative drug exposure, calculated by factoring in drug adherence, dosage, and treatment duration for each patient, was associated with regression of CIMT for those on niacin and progression of CIMT for those on ezetimibe.
“These results strengthen the findings from the interim analysis through the inclusion of patients treated for shorter times (last observation carried forward analysis), which might have been expected to reduce the magnitude of effect between the two treatment strategies originally observed,” the authors write.
Abbott Pharmaceuticals funded the study, and several of the study authors disclosed financial relationships with Abbott or other pharmaceutical companies.
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.
