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The article discusses several studies on clinical pharmacology and drug approvals in 2013. A study from Taiwan found that fluoroquinolones broad-spectrum antibiotics increase dysglycemia risk among diabetic patients. A study found that probiotics may not be effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) including Clostridium difficile infections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reportedly approved dolutegravir, a once-daily HIV integrase inhibitor.

The article offers information related to pharmacology. It says that the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARI) finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart) are used for treating men with lower urinary tract symptoms. A study from China showed that the addition of clopidogrel to aspirin in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke could help reduce stroke within the next 90 days. Moreover, the use of caution for prescribing clarithromycin or erythromycin is discussed.

The article reports that the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institute of Health, conducted a study on chelation therapy in patients with cardiovascular disease. More than 1,700 patients, around 50 years old with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) were enrolled at least 6 weeks prior. The study found that chelation therapy reduced the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

The article reports that diabetes treatment inhibitors glucagonlike peptide 1 and dipeptidyl peptidase could boost chances of contracting pancreatitis, referencing a case-control study published in the February 25, 2013 issue of "Journal of American Medical Association Internal Medicine."

The article discusses a study published online on December 8, 2012 which suggested that an additional year of the factor Xa inhibitor apixaban may be beneficial for patients who have undergone the prescribed 3-6 months of anticoagulation therapy for unprovoked venous thromboembolism.

The article focuses on a research related to the role of benzodiazepines in causing dementia in elderly people. It mentions that the use of benzodiazepines increases the risk of Dementia by approximately 50 percent in elderly people. Further, it discusses the therapeutic benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids and Ginkgo biloba.

The article offers information on a study published in the periodical "Annals of Internal Medicine" that found no significant differences among antidepressants regarding their effectiveness in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

The article announces the release of an updated guideline for the treatment of essential tumor by the American Academy of Neurology in December 2011.

The article discusses the Study of Coronary Atheroma by Intravascular Ultrasound: Effect of Rosuvastatin vs Atorvastatin (SATURN) trial which revealed that the drug rosuvastatin showed no significant improvement than that of atrovastatin, thus affecting the marketing of rosuvastatin.

The article discusses the results of the ARISTOTLE trial which demonstrate the efficacy of apixaban, an oral factor Xa inhibitor, as an alternative to warfarin for preventing stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). It mentions that the study was published in the August 28, 2011 issue of the "New England Journal of Medicine." Apixaban was found to be superior to warfarin in preventing stroke, and reducing bleeding and mortality.

The article reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that 5-alfa reductase inhibitors finasteride and dutasteride may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Data was gathered from studies which aimed to evaluate whether these drugs offer protection against prostate cancer. The FDA reviewed the results of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) which found that prostate cancer reduction was limited to low-grade prostate cancers.

The article reports that pioglitazone is more effective in preventing the conversion of prediabetes to diabetes based on the results of a new study.

The article presents an update on rivaroxaban, an oral, direct factor Xa inhibitor for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after orthopedic surgery. It relates that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently evaluating the medication. Aside from VTE, the drug is also effective for the treatment of acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT), according to the findings of the EINSTEIN study. The ROCKET AF study is also investigating rivaroxaban for the prevention of stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

The article looks at some recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Committee. These recommendations include approval of dabigatran, safety of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin. Dabigatran is indicated for the prevention of stroke, as well a systemic clots in patients with atrial fibrillation. A Danish study found that PPIs may be associated with the increased risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Also included are information on some FDA actions.

The article highlights two studies that appeared in the April 12, 2010 issue of "Archives of Internal Medicine," which looked at the risk of two medications namely influenza vaccine and the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. It says that although the effect is not clear, patients on warfarin have been warned that after the influenza vaccine, they need careful monitoring. According to some guidelines, flu shots prolonged international normalized ratios (INRs), while others believe that the vaccine reverses the anticoagulation effect.

The article examines the three aspects of the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetics (ACCORD) trial in the management of type 2 diabetes. It presents details related to the study and mentions the study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The three facets of type 2 diabetes care, including the effect of intensive glucose lowering; blood pressure control; and the effect of combination lipid therapy, are discussed.

The article highlights the results of a study showing the effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine in reducing the adverse effect of tamoxifen in women with breast cancer.

The article highlights the follow-up analysis of the trials Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 22 (PROVE IT-TIMI 22) and Incremental Decrease in End Points Through Aggressive Lipid Lowering (IDEAL), in which researchers have continued to emphasize the benefits of a long-term intensive lipid-lowering therapy for cardiovascular disease patients.

The article outlines the new vaccine recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. A booster with the quadravalent meningococcal conjugate is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for individuals with increased susceptibility to meningococcal disease. Hepatitis A vaccine is suggested for all close household contacts and international adoptees when children are from intermediate-risk or high-risk areas. Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) is cited for children age 15 months to 4 years.

The article discusses research being done on the duration of androgen-deprivation therapy. It references a study published in the 2009 issue of the "New England Journal Medicine." The study found that men with locally invasive prostate cancer who have undergone external beam radiation, do better with three years of androgen-deprivation therapy compared to six months therapy. Study authors concluded that combined radiotherapy and six months of androgen suppression offers inferior survival.

The article reports on a study which suggests the benefits of naltrexone in patients with fibromyalgia. The drug is considered an opioid receptor antagonist and is used primarily in treating alcohol and opioid dependence. Patients in the study who were on active treatment reported a 32.%% reduction in symptoms of fibromyalgia compared to a 2.3% reduction for placebo. Researchers also hypothesized that low-dose naltrexone may inhibit microglia activity, thus reducing symptoms of fibromyalgia.

The article discusses research on aspirin dose in patients with cardiovascular disease or multiple risk factors. It references a study published in a 209 issue of "Annals of Internal Medicine." According to the study involving 15,595 patients, 75-81 milligrams of aspirin is safe in patients undergoing dual therapy with clopidogrel.

The article discusses ways to control hypertension, with a focus on various drug combinations. It is claimed that one of the best combination for the treatment of hypertension patients at risk for cardiovascular disease is an ACE inhibitor/diuretic combination product. However, some studies reveal calcium channel antagonist as a better one. In this case, researchers randomized patients with hypertension and were given benazepril/amlodipine or benazepril/hydrochlorothiazide. The study concluded that benazepril/amlodipine is more effective.

This section offers news briefs related to pharmacology around the world. A JUPITER trial reveals that elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein may help identify healthy patients with normal cholesterol levels who will benefit from statin therapy. A practice guideline has been issued by the American College of Physicians for the use of antidepressants for the treatment of depressive disorders. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug, fesoterodine fumarate, by Schwartz Pharma for the treatment of overactive bladder.

The article reports on a systematic review of nonsurgical treatments for urinary incontinence in women that has been published by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). According to it, pelvic floor muscle training and bladder training are effective interventions for women with incontinence. Meanwhile, duloxetine improved but did not resolve the disorder.

The article offers information on the results of U.S. study on the value of aggressive lipid lowering with high-dose therapy in older adults with stable coronary heart disease (CHD). It says that the therapy does not increase creatine kinase levels. It mentions that reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels among the patients gives additional clinical benefit.

The article reports that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released recommendations for the treatment of gonococcal infections and associated conditions caused by increased level of resistance of gonorrhea to fluoroquinolones. It cites the dosage for ceftriaxone and cefixime in patients with gonococcal infections of the cervix, urethra and rectum. It states that parenteral and oral therapy are recommended for pelvic inflammatory disease.