Drug Treatment & Safety
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most misunderstood medical conditions. Despite a plethora of scientific evidence, it is still being regarded by some as a diagnostic excuse for appalling childhood behaviour due to inadequate or inappropriate parenting. In this article Dr Fiona Forbes, an expert in child and adolescent psychiatry, provides an overview to aid the diagnosis and treatment of this much misperceived condition. (Image - © istockphoto.com) Read…
Statin therapy: pharmacology, current uses and widening potential
Cholesterol–lowering statins have become one of the most-widely used, and expensive, drugs of our time. Research has suggested that their use may go beyond that of preventing cardiovascular disease to providing benefit in a host of other disease areas. In this article Dr Simon Constable and Prof Munir Pirmohamed provide an overview on the current uses and widening potential of statins. Read…
Aspirin: Old and New
Aspirin is one of the most commonly-used drugs worldwide, both as a painkiller and in the prevention of heart disease. Research is now also increasingly suggesting a beneficial effect in treating a range of cancers. Dr Crispin Musumba and Prof Tom Walley examine the uses of aspirin old and new. Read…
Challenges in Ensuring Drug Safety
In recent years concerns have been expressed about the safety of some commonly used drugs. How safe are the drugs which we use? What systems are in place to monitor and review their safety, once on the market, and are such safeguards sufficient? Dr Keith Beard and Dr Patrick Waller review the evidence. Read…
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and the risks from blood transfusion
196 people have died from vCJD in the UK since it was first detected in 1996. While the primary route of transmission has been through eating infected meat, concern has recently focussed on onward human to human transmission. In this article Dr Azra Ghani reviews vCJD and the risks from blood transfusion. Read…
