- Safety & Recalls
- Regulatory Updates
- Drug Coverage
- COPD
- Cardiovascular
- Obstetrics-Gynecology & Women's Health
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Pediatrics
- Urology
- Pharmacy
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Diabetes and Endocrinology
- Allergy, Immunology, and ENT
- Musculoskeletal/Rheumatology
- Respiratory
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
- Dermatology
- Oncology
SSRIs during first trimester increase risk of congenital anomalies
Exposure to fluoxetine and paroxetine in early pregnancy is associated with a small but established risk of specific cardiac anomalies, according to a study published in the July issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Exposure to fluoxetine and paroxetine in early pregnancy is associated with a small but established risk of specific cardiac anomalies, according to a study published in the July issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The retrospective study analyzed a cohort of 635,583 offspring, of whom 6,976 had first trimester exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Researchers gathered information from National Institute for Health and Welfare (years 1996 to 2006) of births, congenital anomalies, and terminations of pregnancy because of severe fetal anomalies, and from the Social Insurance Institution on drug reimbursements linked by a personal identification number.
The study demonstrated that fluoxetine in early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for isolated ventricular septal defects (adjusted OR=2.03; 95% CI, 1.28 –3.21) and paroxetine was associated with an increased risk of right ventricular outflow tract defects (adjusted OR=4.68; 95% CI, 1.48–14.74). Citalopram use was associated with neural tube defects (adjusted OR=2.46; 95% CI, 1.20–5.07). And, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders were 10 times more common in the SSRI-exposed offspring than in unexposed referent offspring.
“These findings should guide clinicians to not consider fluoxetine or paroxetine as the first options when prescribing these drugs to women planning pregnancy. Special attention should be given to alcohol use, smoking, and use of other psychiatric drugs in pregnant women using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors,” the authors wrote and noted that their findings need to be confirmed in future studies.
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.
