Les combinaisons fixes de medicaments antihypertenseurs. [Fixed antihypertensive drug combinations]

Arterial hypertension is a highly heterogeneous condition. It is therefore not surprising that blood pressure lowering agents acting via a given mechanism allow a normalization of blood pressure in a fraction of hypertensive subjects only. The combination of drugs with different mechanisms of action on the cardiovascular system results in a considerably higher antihypertensive efficacy, not only with regard to the absolute blood pressure reduction but also in the number of responders. This effect is not achieved at the expenses of tolerance, because usually lower doses of the combined agents are sufficient to achieve the target blood pressure. The administration of antihypertensive agents in fixed combination has the advantage of its simplicity for both the physician as well as the patient. This aspect also explains the increasing popularity of fixed combinations as a valuable option in the initial treatment of the hypertensive patient.

Faiblesse et douleurs musculaires generalisees chez une patiente de 88 ans: avez-vous pense aux medicaments [88 years old woman with acute muscular weakness and diffuse muscular pain: have you thought about the drugs?].

An 88 years old woman was admitted for muscular pain and weakness. She was under a treatment of simvastatin and was recently prescribed clarithromycin for a lung infection. The diagnosis of statin induced rhabdomyolysis by drug interaction was made. The evolution is good with eviction of the statin and aggressive hydratation. This case shows how important it is to know the risks factors and drug interactions predisposing to statin-induced myopathy.

Dosage plasmatique des medicaments antidépresseurs [Recommendations for therapeutic monitoring of antidepressants].

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), combined in certain situations with pharmacogenetic tests of metabolism, has proven a valuable tool for psychopharmacotherapy. Uncertain drug adherence, suboptimal tolerability, nonresponse at therapeutic doses, or pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions are typical situations when measurement of medication concentrations is helpful. This article is an adaptation of guidelines recently issued by the AGNP-TDM group (Hiemke et al., www. agnp.de), but its content focuses mainly on the TDM of antidepressants. Finally, the potential benefits of TDM for optimization of pharmacotherapy can only be obtained if the method is adequately integrated into the clinical treatment process.

Meédicaments: une cause sous-estimée d'hypertension artérielle [Drugs: an underestimated cause of arterial hypertension].

In Switzerland, as in other Occidental countries, the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AHT) in the adult population is around 30-40%. Among the causes of secondary AHT, drug induced hypertension is sometimes omitted. Many molecules can induce AHT or worsen it due to an interaction with anti hypertensive drugs. Among these, NSAIDs and anti depressants, widely prescribed, should be used with caution, particularly in patients at risk, namely: those with preexisting AHT, the elderly, or patients suffering from kidney disease, diabetes, and/or heart failure. Increases in blood pressure have also been described with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs, used in the treatment of (metastatic) cancer. A thorough anamnesis of drugs, including over the counter ones, should be performed in every hypertensive patient, and can avoid cumbersome and unnecessary investigations and therapy.

Evolution of endurance during a multidisciplinary treatment of chronic low back pain and its influence of work capacity

Introduction: Low back pain is a common disorder touching up to 80% of the population, with redundancies of up to 70%. A small proportion would go on to develop chronic low back pain (LBP) with reduced work capacity and they would count for the majority of the costs. Up to day, a multi-disciplinary treatment program is one of the best approaches. In the program one of the mile-stones is restoration of function. The aim of this study was to follow patients, according to the endurance change after the program and its influence on workability during one year after inclusion in a such program. Method: Patients were following a multidisciplinary treatment for 3 weeks including physiotherapy, occupation measures combined with an educational program with behavioural and psychological interventions on an outpatient program. We studied the endurance with the help of the Bruce test, accomplished at the beginning and at the end of the program. On the other hand the patients filled out pain questionnaires and PACT score according their own impression on workability. Results: There were a clear relation between the increase in the cardiovascular endurance and the increased workability. Almost every patient presented an increase in the VO2 max, even though the workability did not follow. This increase were associated with a decrease in pain apprehension. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary treatment program, teaching the patients how to care with their pain and to accept it even if it persist is successful in lowering the global pain. If the program allows the patients to strengthen the endurance, the workability will increase in parallel. In this way the patients were able to reduce the consummation of medicaments and to increase the work capacity.

Decision-support tools to manage drug incompatibilities: evaluation by nurses

Introduction Preventing drug incompatibilities has a high impact onthe safety of drug therapy. Although there are no internationalguidelines to manage drug incompatibilities, different decision-supporttools such as handbooks, cross-tables and databases are available.In a previous study, two decision-support tools have been pre-selectedby pharmacists as fitting nurses' needs on the wards1. The objective ofthis study was to have these both tools evaluated by nurses todetermine which would be the most suitable for their daily practice.Materials & Methods Evaluated tools were:1. Cross-table of drug pairs (http://files.chuv.ch/internet-docs/pha/medicaments/pha_phatab_compatibilitessip.pdf)2. Colour-table (a colour for each drug according to the pH: red =acid; blue = basic; yellow = neutral; black = to be infused alone)2Tools were assessed by 48 nurses in 5 units (PICU, adult andgeriatric intensive care, surgery, onco-hematology) using a standardizedform1. The scientific accuracy of the tools was evaluated bydetermining the compatibility of five drugs pairs (rate of correctanswers according to the Trissel's Handbook on Injectable Drugs,chi-square test). Their ergonomics, design, reliability and applicabilitywere estimated using visual analogue scales (VAS 0-10; 0 =null, 10 = excellent). Results are expressed as the median and interquartilerange (IQR) for 25% and 75% (Wilcoxon rank sum test).Results The rate of correct answers was above 90% for both tools(cross-table 96.2% vs colour-table 92.5%, p[0.05).The ergonomics and the applicability were higher for the crosstable[7.1 (IQR25 4.0, IQR75 8.0) vs 5.0 (IQR25 2.7, IQR75 7.0), p =0.025 resp. 8.3 (IQR25 7.4, IQR75 9.2) vs 7.6 (IQR25 5.9, IQR75 8.8)p = 0.047].The design of the colour-table was judged better [4.6 (IQR25 2.9,IQR75 7.1) vs 7.1 (IQR25 5.4, IQR75 8.4) p = 0.002].No difference was observed in terms of reliability [7.3 (IQR25 6.5,IQR75 8.4) vs 6.7 (IQR25 5.0, IQR758.6) p[0.05].The cross-table was globally preferred by 65% of the nurses (27%colour-table, 8% undetermined) and 68% would like to have thisdecision-support tool available for their daily practice.Discussion & Conclusion Both tools showed the same accuracy toassess drug compatibility. In terms of ergonomics and applicabilitythe cross-table was better than the colour-table, and was preferred bythe nurses for their daily practice. The cross-table will be implementedin our hospital as decision-support tool to help nurses tomanage drug incompatibilities.

Older persons' perceptions of general practitioner or specialist primary care physicians : same point of view? : older persons' primary care perception

La perception du patient vis-à-vis de son médecin traitant (MT) a suscité beaucoup de recherches et d'interet, notamment à cause de l'importance de la relation médecin-patient nécessaire à la qualité des soins. En Suisse, dans un contexte de libre choix du médecin, le rôle de MT peut être assumé par un generalise mais aussi, théoriquement, par un spécialiste. La fréquence de cette situation est cependant inconnue de même que son impact sur l'expérience des patients. L'objectif principal de cette etude était de décrire l'expérience des personnes âgées du canton de Vaud auprès de leur medecin traitant et de tester l'hypothèse selon laquelle cette expérience serait différente lorsque le MT est décrit comme « Généraliste » (MT Gén) ou comme « Spécialiste » (MT Spéc). Méthode : La recherche a été effectuée sur la base des données d'une enquête par questionnaire, envoyé à la population lausannoise participant à l'étude Lc65+ et à un échantillon supplémentaire de personnes agees de 68 ans ou plus sélectionnées aléatoirement dans le canton de Vaud. L'analyse a porté sur 17 items relatifs à la perception qu'ont les patients de leur MT, regroupés en 4 thèmes ? Access,bihte/Disponibilité, Relation Médecin-Patient, Information et Continuité des soins Nous ayons également analysé le recours déclaré aux soins ambulatoires, aux consultations de services d urgence, ainsi qu'aux actes de prévention. Les différences de perception et de recours selon le type de MT (Gen vs Spéc) ont été analysées par des modèles multivariés tenant compte de l'âge du sexe de I education, de la morbidité, de la présence de symptômes dépressifs et de la durée de la relation medecin-patient. Résultats : Les participants ont exprimé une perception favorable de leur MT à des taux excédant 75% pour la plupart des 17 items. Cependant, seulement 38 à 51% des participants ont répondu positivement aux questions relatives à la disponibilité en dehors des heures d'ouvertures, à l'accès au MT le soir ou en tin de semaine, à la possibilité de visites à domicile, à la probabilité de se voir prescrire des medicaments coûteux en cas de besoin, ou à la connaissance du médecin des médicaments en vente libre que le patient consomme. Les analyses bivariées et multivariées n'ont pas montré de différence entre les groupes MT Gén et MT Spec quant à la perception qu'ont les patients de leur MT, au recours aux actes de prévention ou aux services de santé. Conclusion : L'expérience des personnes interrogées était globalement positive, à part quelques questions concernant principalement le thème de l'Accessibilité/Disponibilité du MT. Nous n'avons pas mis en evidence de différence de perception ou de recours aux soins entre les deux groupes que nous avons analyses pour tester notre hypothèse. Perspective : Cette étude connaît des limites (données rapportées par les participants, groupe des MT Spéc de taille restreinte, absence de données sur les non-répondants, possible conflit de loyauté vis-à-vis du MT pour certaines questions) mais repose sur un large échantillon lui conférant une puissance suffisante, aléatoirement sélectionné dans une population géographiquement définie. Bien que ces résultats ne soient généralisables qu'au canton de Vaud, elle montre d'abord que les spécialistes reconnus comme MT s'inscrivent généralement dans des disciplines impliquant une formation en medec.ne interne. Dans cette circonstance, elle ne met en évidence aucune différence de résultats entre les personnes âgées traitées par un MT généraliste ou spécialiste.