Weight gain, a common adverse effect of antipsychotic medications, is associated with medical comorbidities in psychiatric patients.

The objective of the trial was to test the efficacy of lifestyle intervention and metformin alone and in combination for antipsychotic-induced weight gain and abnormalities in insulin sensitivity.

Hydrocortisone is widely used in patients with septic shock even though a survival benefit has been reported only in patients who remained hypotensive after fluid and vasopressor resuscitation and whose plasma cortisol levels did not rise appropriately after the administration of corticotropin.

January 18, 2008 – The U.S. FDA, the equivalent of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority approved additional changes to the Ortho Evra Contraceptive Transdermal (Skin) Patch label to include higher risk of developing venous thromboempolism (VTE).

The changes is based on results of a new epidemiological study by the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program (BCDSP) that found that users of the birth control patch were at higher risk of developing serious blood clots, also known as venous thromboembolism (VTE), than women using birth control pills.

Modified-release prednisone was well tolerated and reduced morning stiffness of joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to the results of a double-blind, randomized controlled trial reported in the January 19 issue of The Lancet.

Riyadh, January 26 2008 – A review study that was published lately on the journal The Cochrane Library concluded that Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen and ibuprofen are no more effective than acetaminophen when it comes to treating low back pain.

The role of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the prevention and treatment of the common cold has been a subject of controversy for 60 years, but is widely sold and used as both a preventive and therapeutic agent.

The objectives of this review were to discover whether oral doses of 0.2 g or more daily of vitamin C reduces the incidence, duration or severity of the common cold when used either as continuous prophylaxis or after the onset of symptoms.

Oral contraceptives were introduced almost 50 years ago, and over 100 million women currently use them. Oral contraceptives can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, but the eventual public-health effects of this reduction will depend on how long the protection lasts after use ceases. We aimed to assess these effects.

Although several agents are available to treat osteoporosis, the relative efficacy and toxicity of these agents when used to prevent fractures has not been well described.

The purpose of this review study was to compare the benefits in fracture reduction and the harms from adverse events of various therapies for osteoporosis.

Data used included MEDLINE (1966 to November 2007) and other selected databases were searched for English-language studies.

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the Australian equivalent to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), has recently published the February 2008 issue of the Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin. The TGA has received many cases suggesting interaction between Glucosamine and Warfarin.

Warfarin (Coumadin®) is used as an anticoagulant for treatment and prevention of clotting disorders. Glucosamine is a complementary medicine used for osteoarthritis (joint inflammation).

The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Oxcarbazepine (1,200 mg/day) vs. placebo as prophylactic therapy for patients with migraine headaches.