Current Clinical Pharmacology - Volume 9, Issue 1, 2014

The Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) is recognized as the main biological system involved in cardiovascular and hydroelectrolyte homeostasis. It is well established in literature that RAS blockers retard the progression of renal failure in type 1 [angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors] and in type 2 [angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1) antagonists] diabetes mellitus and in non-diabetic chronic kidney diseases. More recently, it Read More

The out-patient pharmacies in Ramallah and Bethlehem, central Palestine, were evaluated for NSAIDs utilization and pattern of prescribing and dispensing of these commonly used medications across the whole country. In our study for this area that accounts for almost 25% of the inhabitants of all Palestine (459, 761 inhabitants according to 2011 census), we analyzed the use of NSAIDs whether were prescribed for Read More

This paper evaluates the current literature on non-pharmacological early interventions (behavior behavioral, developmental and educational approaches) for pre-schoolers (aged 24-71 months) with autism spectrum disorders. Although there lies a significant heterogeneity among the available studies, the present review emphasizes the importance of considering the wide range of interventions through behavioral (beh Read More

Paralleling the developments in Gram-positive bacteria, infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gramnegative bacilli have become a growing challenge. The most important resistance problems are encountered in Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp., with increasing trends observed for all major anti- Gram-negative agents (beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides). A Read More

Despite their widespread use, long acting antipsychotics, are often regarded with prejudice, due to fears of punishment, control and insufficient evolution towards psychosocial development of psychotic patients raised by their improper utilization. Another major shortcoming of long-acting antipsychotics is the impossibility of altering their dosage if side-effects appear. However, long-acting antipsychotics proved effective in s Read More

The widespread use of biologics has paved way for newer options in therapeutics for once incurable illnesses. Their large and complex protein structure, post-translational modifications, elaborate manufacturing/production process and risk for immunogenicity adds to the uniqueness of a biologic product. Patent expiration of innovator biologics has led to the development of biosimilars; biologics similar/comparable to the r Read More

Multiple blood samples are generally required for measurement of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. D-optimal design is a popular and frequently used approach for determination of sampling time points in order to minimize the number of samples, while optimizing the estimation of PK parameters. Optimal design utilizing ADAPT (v5, BSR, University of Southern California, Los Angeles) developed a sparse sampling strate Read More

The essential characteristic of impulse disorders is the failure to resist an impulse, drive or temptation to perform an act that is harmful to the person or to others. Clearly, impulse control disorders can occur without an induction of any drugs, and they may lead to very problematic situations that affect the adjustment of the patient and need to be treated immediately. However, the subject of the present review is im Read More

Anticoagulants have a key role in the management of venous and arterial thromboembolic disorders. Traditional anticoagulants, such as unfractionated heparin, low-molecular-weight heparins, fondaparinux, and vitamin K antagonists are effective but have limitations that make the management of thromboembolic disorders difficult. There is a clear need for new anticoagulants that are at least as effective as traditio Read More

Even though the exact amount of the increased risk is not known, patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are more likely to develop colonic malignancy compared with the general population. 5-aminosalicilic acid (5-ASA) compounds are the mainstay therapy for mild-moderate UC, and their use for chemoprevention of colorectal cancer has been proposed, but the evidences are not univocal. Aim of the present work is to critically rev Read More