2010 Overview in Medical System (IV)

• CHOCHOLATE Reduces Stroke Risk
• SIBUTRAMINE withdrawn from Market
• HIV Prevention with TRUVADA
• First Oral Drug for Multiple Sclerosis

 

CHOCHOLATE Reduces Stroke Risk

A systematic review from Canadian researchers suggests higher chocolate consumption may be associated with a lower risk for incident stroke and stroke-related mortality. The results were released in February in advance of their presentation at the American Academy of Neurology 62nd Annual Meeting in April.




SIBUTRAMINE withdrawn from Market

Abbott Laboratories pulled the obesity drug sibutramine from the market in October in light of clinical trial data pointing to an increased risk for stroke and myocardial infarction. Roughly 100,000 people in the United States were taking sibutramine at the time.

 






HIV Prevention with TRUVADA

Preexposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP)using the combination oral antiretroviral therapy emtricitabine/tenofovir (Truvada) demonstrated significant effectiveness against HIV infection in a major, multicontinent clinical trial. The HIV infection rate was 44% lower for those in the PrEP treatment group than for those in the placebo group. For individuals who took their pills on 90% or more of the days in the study, the risk for infection decreased by more than 70%. Experts called the trial results "game-changing" and said it was "a landmark study."

First Oral Drug for Multiple Sclerosis

Fingolimod (Gylenia ) is the first of the long-anticipated oral treatments to receive approval for multiple sclerosis (MS). The drug is approved to reduce relapses and delay disability progression in patients with relapsing forms of MS.