Much of the content of this article is taken from a talk given by Dr Paul Farquhar-Smith (Consultant in Pain Management and Anaesthetics, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust) at the ASPCP annual conference in November 2018. Cannabis has been used as pain relief in many ancient cultures including China…
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This relatively new approach to the treatment of cancer makes use of the body’s immune system to destroy cancer cells. There are four main mechanisms used for immunotherapy treatments:
Boosting the immune system. Making use of antibodies that attach to cancer cell surface proteins. Drugs are called monoclonal antibodies and…
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society set up a Medicines Safety Debate entitled ‘Lessons from Gosport’ in December 2018 to share learning from the Inquiry. It brought together key people responsible for the safe and appropriate use of opioids. The panel comprised the Head of Medicines Optimisation at the CQC, a national…
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This NICE guideline was published in October 2018 and although it is not aimed at palliative care patients it is worth noting that the use of nitrofurantoin MR 100mg BD is now regarded as preferable to trimethoprim as first line treatment. Trimethoprim resistance is more likely when used in the…
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The SPC for tapentadol has been revised to include the additional warning that concomitant use of other sedating medicinal products may result in sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. Prescribers are advised to consider reducing the dose of one or both agents, if tapentadol is required in addition to one…
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A new document from the UK Medicine Information Service alerts us to the fact that THC and cannabidiol act as enzyme inhibitors at the CYP2C and CYP3A4 isoenzymes. Although cannabinoids are unlikely to be prescribed widely, prescribers and healthcare professionals should be aware that this action may potentiate the effects…
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In 194 head-to-head RCTs, agomelatine, amitriptyline, escitalopram, mirtazapine, paroxetine, venlafaxine and vortioxetine were more effective than other antidepressants, whereas fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, reboxetine, and trazodone were the least effective. Agomelatine, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, sertraline and vortioxetine were better tolerated than others. Amitriptyline, clomipramine, duloxetine, fluvoxamine, reboxetine, trazodone and venlafaxine were associated…
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