Authors: Campbell G et al; Pain Med, 2015 May 22 OBJECTIVE: There is increasing concern about the appropriateness of prescribing pharmaceutical opioids for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), given the risks of problematic use and dependence. This article examines pharmaceutical opioid dose and dependence and examines the correlates of each. DESIGN: Baseline data were obtained from a […]
Read MoreThe US Food and Drug Administration has approved fentanyl iontophoretic transdermal system (Ionsys, The Medicines Co), the first needle-free, patient-controlled, preprogrammed fentanyl delivery system for management of acute postoperative pain in adults requiring opioid analgesia in the hospital, according to a company news release. Ionsys is a “novel alternative” to traditional intravenous patient-controlled analgesia that uses […]
Read MoreEur J Clin Pharmacol 2015 Jun;71(6):723-32 Authors: Ilomaki J et al PURPOSE: Due to potential drug-drug interactions and subsequent bleeding risk, analgesic use should be reviewed when an oral anticoagulant is initiated. The aim of this study was to compare use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other analgesics before and after oral anticoagulant initiation. METHODS: All […]
Read MoreAuthors: Liu FL et al; Can J Anaesth. 2015 May PURPOSE: Obese patients present a challenge to safe general anesthesia because of impaired cardiopulmonary physiology and increased risks of aspiration and acute upper airway obstruction. Since studies are lacking regarding the postoperative effects on recovery from general anesthesia in morbidly obese patients, we conducted a systematic […]
Read MoreTroubled Maquet’s woes continue. On the heels of a permanent injunction from the Department of Justice that resulted in the halt of manufacturing at one of its facilities, the suspension of 5 of its devices from the market and a $6 million fine, the FDA just warned practitioners that the company’s Flow-i Anesthesia Systems have a problem that […]
Read More