Benzodiazepines appear to pose miscarriage risk

Researchers from a Taiwanese study report that an increase in the risk of miscarriage is associated with benzodiazepine use during pregnancy, after adjustments for cofounders. The findings appeared on Dec. 27, 2023 in JAMA Psychiatry. “These findings underscore the necessity for health care professionals to meticulously balance the risk-benefit ratio when considering the use of benzodiazepines to treat psychiatric and […]

Study shows nearly 300% increase in ADHD medication errors

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most common pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders. In 2019, nearly 10% of United States (U.S.) children had a diagnosis of ADHD. Approximately 3.3 million children, or roughly 5 out of every 100 children in the U.S., are currently prescribed medication for ADHD. In a new study, published today in Pediatrics, researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy and Central […]

Are antipsychotic drugs being appropriately prescribed to homebound patients with dementia?

New research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society indicates that antipsychotics are likely overprescribed and used inappropriately among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) receiving home health care, and such use is linked to worse patient outcomes. Antipsychotic drugs are not approved for the treatment of dementia—they are mostly used off-label to manage the symptoms that many […]

Statin therapy appears to lower the risk another stroke after a bleeding stroke

Patients who have suffered an intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding stroke) who subsequently take statins appear to have a lower risk of having another stroke, especially an ischemic stroke, when compared to similar patients who did not take statins. Researchers reported these findings in Neurology on August 30, 2023. “Previous research has had mixed results on the risk of stroke in people […]

Melatonin and its derivatives enhance long-term object recognition memory

Multiple studies have demonstrated the memory-enhancing effects of melatonin and its derivatives in animal models. It is also known that the formation of both short- and long-term memories require the phosphorylation of certain memory-related proteins. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying melatonin-induced memory enhancement have remained elusive. Now, medical researchers from Sophia University, Japan, have made important findings that contribute significantly […]

Well-designed digital health platforms can improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers

There is a need to better deliver information on medical nutrition therapy for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Findings of a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, show digital health serves as an additional health service resource, which increases the healthcare provider’s abilities to collect current visual and objective data, thereby decreasing patient and caregiver burden […]

Vyalev a continuous subcutaneousinfusion for Parkinson’s disease is now launched in Japan – AbbVie

AbbVie has launched Vyalev (foslevodopa + foscarbidopa), a continuous subcutaneous infusion for Parkinson’s disease, in Japan on July 26. This is the first Parkinson’s drug in the country that can be continuously infused for 24 hours without requiring surgery. In Japan, Vyalev was approved in December 2022 for the improvement of wearing-off symptoms in Parkinson’s inadequately controlled with existing pharmacotherapies […]

Positive CHMP opinion for atogepant for the preventive treatment of adults with migraine – AbbVie

AbbVie announced that the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion recommending the approval of atogepant for the prophylaxis of migraine in adults who have four or more migraine days per month. If approved, AbbVie will be the only company to offer a once daily oral calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) […]

Health Canada approves Xcopri to treat partial offset seizures – Paladin Labs

SK Biopharmaceuticals said that Health Canada granted a Notice of Compliance for Xcopri (ingredient: cenobamate), its epilepsy drug, approving its application for marketing authorization in Canada. Paladin Labs, a local pharmaceutical company, will be in charge of commercializing the product in Canada. Xcopri is the first locally-developed epilepsy drug to score FDA approval, with the entire drug development process from […]

First-of-its-kind head-to-head clinical trial reaffirms the efficacy of Emgality in episodic migraine prevention – Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly and Company announced results of the CHALLENGE-MIG clinical trial of Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm) and Nurtec ODT (rimegepant orally disintegrating tablet), the first and only trial of its kind comparing two calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonist therapies. Emgality did not meet the study’s primary endpoint, defined as statistical superiority to Nurtec ODT on the percentage of participants achieving a 50% […]