GLG News by Rheumatologists

Patient autonomy is one of the key principles of bioethics.  It follows that patients have the right to maintain their own health record as this provides them with knowledge to make educated decisions and facilitates encounters with multiple physicians. Physicians can still maintain their own...

We first reported NSAID gastropathy over a quarter century ago when naproxen was first being introduced. At that distant time the FDA did not accept endoscopic lesions as a surrogate endpoint for the silent clinical ulcers and bleeds associated with about 2 per cent of those on sustainded NSAID...

In the era of pharmacogenomics and specific disease outcome surrogate markers a new opportunity exists to greatly shorten the drug approval process and provide advanced positioning of the newly approved agent based upon specificity of target. However, it will still take time to sort out serious adverse...

Whether an NSAID or Avantis, if you dose the sick elderly long enough and fully the recipe for CV toxicity awaits. Since so many co-therapies (10 or more) are common in long term elderly pharmacotherapy and so much pre-existing cardiovascular brews in this cohort, it is no surprise that heart attacks,...

Cephalon brazenly distorting generic competition by overpricing its existing Provigil prior to introduction of a generic successor mimics the notorious example of the successful introduction of Nexium as a costly optic isomer of its parent Prilosec without pharmacological justification of the trumped...

Nsaids are the most common therapy for arthritis and related pain problems. But in all forms they have up to a 2% risk of fatal GI bleeds. COX2 Nsaids such a Celebrex and COX2 related Voltaren have the lower risk of GI bleeds but a higher risk of cardiovascular complications. Proton pump acid suppressants...

The principles look sound and should thwart all but the most sophisticated addicts. It would probably take good knowledge of organic chemistry to separate the two components.  Unfortunately, this will all come with increased cost over conventional 'unprotected' opiates and struggles ...

Will the sale of Celebrex be hurt by a rehashing of old data? Overly simplified negative news coverage frightens patients and reduces those willing to take the drug.  If they should agree to take it after counseling and be one of those who suffer a heart attack for what ever...

This should not deter the practicing physician to prescribe these agents osteoporosis will reach epidemic proportions and if we can reduce fractures by 50% the savings within the healthcare system will be enormous that's not to say that individuals albeit rare may have a propensity to develop fractures...

Bisphosphonates, including medications like Fosamax, prevents normal bone turnover and metabolism.  Nephrologists had anticipated similar findings as these recent reports as over-suppression of normal bone turnover may be associated with adynamic bone disease and possibly fractures.  The process...