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News Dravet Syndrome – Get to Know It
Dravet syndrome is a severe myoclonic epilepsy occurring in early childhood. It is classified as a rare progressive epileptic encephalopathy, characterized by generalized or lateralized clonic seizures often prolonged and linked to febrile infections. Other forms of seizures later appear, leading to deterioration in psychomotor development and the onset of mental retardation. Early diagnosis and treatment are desirable.
News Updated Recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology for the Treatment of HCM
Newly published guidelines by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) bring several updates in the care of patients with cardiomyopathies. In the following excerpt, we focus on new recommendations for the pharmacotherapy of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in the case of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO).
News Kadcyla in a New Indication – Adjuvant Therapy for Early HER2+ Breast Cancer
In December, the European Commission approved the expansion of the indication for Roche's medicinal product Kadcyla, which contains the active substance trastuzumab emtansine. This expansion makes adjuvant treatment accessible to a much larger number of patients with early HER2-positive breast cancer and reduces the likelihood of disease recurrence or progression.
News Cardiovascular System Affection in Children with Noonan Syndrome
Noonan syndrome is a genetically conditioned disease classified among the so-called RASopathies, caused by a germline mutation in the genes of the RAS/MAPK signaling pathway. Among other things, children with this disease typically present with cardiovascular system involvement.
News Micronized Diosmin Obtained Reimbursement, Based on Its Therapeutic Interchangeability with MPFF
On January 11, 2022, the State Institute for Drug Control (SÚKL) issued a decision on the determination of the amount and conditions of reimbursement from health insurance for a drug containing micronized diosmin. The reimbursement is valid from March 1, 2022.
News Prevention and Treatment of Thromboembolism in the Elderly
Despite advances in the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism, morbidity and mortality associated with this condition remain high in certain risk groups. An international expert group focused on the elderly in its analysis published in the Thrombosis Journal.
News Interstitial Lung Processes and Their Fibrotic Progression
Interstitial lung processes (ILPs) include more than 200 clinical units that share diffuse involvement of lung tissue and thus have similar clinical, radiological, and functional findings. However, their broad differential diagnosis is particularly problematic.
News Anabolic Antiosteoporotic Treatment as a First Step in Patients with Very High Fracture Risk
According to the 2022 opinion of the ESCEO (European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases) working group, it is advisable to identify patients with osteoporosis who have a very high risk of fracture and to use an anabolic antiosteoporotic drug as the initial pharmacotherapeutic intervention, followed by necessary antiresorptive treatment to be addressed over the entire expected length of life.
News Rebound effect after denosumab discontinuation in a patient with lung cancer
The case study of a patient with metastatic lung cancer describes the emergence of vertebral fractures following the discontinuation of denosumab. This antiresorptive treatment was halted prophylactically to reduce the risk of osteonecrosis in connection with a planned dental procedure. Fifteen months after receiving the last dose of denosumab, the patient experienced atraumatic compression fractures of the spine requiring kyphoplasty to alleviate symptoms. Other causes of the fractures were ruled out.
News New Natural Method for Prevention and Treatment of House Dust Mite Allergy
House dust mites are among the most common triggers of respiratory allergies. Until now, therapy has primarily focused on alleviating allergy symptoms. The aim of the new natural-based method is to eliminate the etiology of the issues, specifically the house dust mites themselves.
News Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Unsaponifiable Soy and Avocado Oil and Chondroitin Sulfate in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease in adult patients, with its prevalence increasing with age, and these issues most frequently affect the knee joint. In the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (gonarthrosis), the so-called symptomatically slow-acting drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis (SYSADOA) are used, among which unsaponifiable soy and avocado oil or chondroitin sulfate are included. The study compared the efficacy and safety of these two drugs in a 6-month therapy of gonarthrosis.
News MUDr. Jana Zárubová: Experiences with buccal midazolam in real practice are positive and we can significantly improve patients' quality of life
Recently, it has emerged as an alternative to traditionally rectally administered diazepam for stopping prolonged convulsive seizures in patients with epilepsy. What can buccal midazolam offer them and how has it proven itself in real practice? MUDr. Jana Zárubová from the Neurological Clinic of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital in Prague describes.
News Genuair®/Pressair® Inhaler in the Treatment of COPD – Minimum Errors During Inhalation and High Patient Satisfaction
The article by German authors summarizes the results achieved with the Genuair® inhaler (marketed in the USA under the name Pressair®), highlighting its ease of use, simple patient training, low error rates during inhalation compared to other inhalers, and high patient satisfaction and willingness to continue treatment.
News Venous Insufficiency of the Lower Extremities – A Diverse Range of Risks, Manifestations, and Complications
Although initially often asymptomatic, chronic venous insufficiency includes a variety of symptoms. Some of its manifestations can be irreversible, increasing the socio-economic burden that this disease, especially in its advanced stages, represents. German authors have summarized the latest findings on the epidemiology, risks, pathogenesis, manifestations, and complications of CVI in their review.
News Comparison of Duloxetine, Gabapentin, and Pregabalin in the Treatment of Diabetic Neuropathic Pain
Painful diabetic neuropathy represents an unpleasant complication of diabetes, in which several groups of drugs are used in therapy. Among their representatives are duloxetine, gabapentin, and pregabalin. The meta-analysis, whose conclusions we summarize below, focused on comparing their effectiveness and tolerability.
News Treatment of Glaucoma: Without Preservatives for Everyone?
A comprehensive report by Professor John Thygesen from the University Hospital in Copenhagen analyzes patient groups for whom preservative-free antiglaucoma medications are particularly suitable. In conclusion, he suggests that if there are no price differences, widespread treatment with preservative-free preparations is preferable.
News Prim. Václava Adámková: People mistakenly believe that there are enough antibiotics and that they will always handle infections
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2050, infections untreatable with antibiotics could become the leading cause of death, surpassing cardiovascular and oncological diseases. Rising antimicrobial resistance was one of the main topics at the VIII Congress of Clinical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Epidemiology (KMINE 2022), held in September in Prague. The topic was also the focus of the expert block ‘ATB stewardship,’ where epidemiologist Petr Smejkal, infectologist Aleš Chrdle, and microbiologist Václava Adámková discussed possible solutions to this global problem. We asked Adámková to summarize insights into the presented issues for us.
News Safety of Metamizole in Adult Patients – Meta-analysis of 79 Studies
Metamizole is a non-opioid analgesic with antipyretic and spasmolytic effects that has been used for over 100 years. It is approved for the treatment of children and adults in various dosage forms. German authors conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of clinical studies to evaluate its safety compared to placebo and other analgesics in adult patients.
News TTR amyloidosis – at the crossroads of cardiology and orthopedics
In wild-type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, extra-cardiac symptoms occur in addition to cardiac symptoms. Common and characteristic orthopedic manifestations include bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, spinal canal stenosis in the lumbar region, or atraumatic rupture of the m. biceps brachii tendon. These extra-cardiac symptoms often precede the actual heart involvement. Recognizing them can thus increase diagnostic suspicion for cardiac amyloidosis and help in the timely establishment of the correct diagnosis and initiation of specific treatment. For example, even a rheumatologist or orthopedist can direct an elderly patient with an otherwise unexplained constellation of musculoskeletal symptoms to cardiology examination early, thereby significantly improving the patient's prognosis.