News

• ARBs and ACEIs linked to reduced dementiaARBs and ACEIs linked to reduced dementia
• Published on Feb 05, 2010

Angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs) are associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia and the benefit is doubled in combination with ACE inhibitors, a US cohort study suggests (BMJ 2010;340:b5465).

• FDA clears tiotropium of excess CV risk
• Published on Feb 05, 2010

The US regulatory authority has concluded that tiotropium (Spiriva) is not associated with an increased risk of stroke, MI or cardiovascular death.

• DoH choses Prevenar 13
• Published on Feb 05, 2010

The Department of Health has chosen Wyeth’s Prevenar 13 as the pneumococcal vaccine for the national immunisation programme.

• Government apology for thalidomide
• Published on Feb 05, 2010

he Government has expressed ‘sincere regret and deep sympathy for the injury and suffering endured by all those affected when expectant mothers took the drug thalidomide between 1958 and 1961’.

• Avoid phenytoin in Han Chinese and Thais
• Published on Feb 05, 2010

Phenytoin should be avoided if alternative treatment is possible in patients of Han Chinese and Thai origin, warns the MHRA in its latest Drug Safety Update (2010;3: Issue 6) (www. mhra.gov.uk).