News & Updates

Addressing the unmet needs and challenges in managing older AF patients

01 Apr 2022 by

A key focus in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in older patients is stroke prevention through oral anticoagulation. However, a significant proportion of older AF patients remain undercoagulated due to the perceived bleeding risk of oral anticoagulants (OACs). Dr Tan Vern Hsen, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, and Dr Barbara Helen Rosario, Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, shared their respective insights into managing older AF patients for an integrated approach.

Addressing the unmet needs and challenges in managing older AF patients

01 Apr 2022

Role of apixaban in VTE management: Who, when, and how

31 Mar 2022 by

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Given the challenges posed by conventional therapies used for the treatment of VTE, Dr Lim Xiu Qi Cheryl, Associate Consultant from the Department of Haematology-Oncology at National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS), shares her insights on the role of apixaban (Eliquis, Pfizer), an oral factor Xa inhibitor, in the treatment of acute VTE and prevention of recurrent VTE.

Role of apixaban in VTE management: Who, when, and how

31 Mar 2022

Management of recurrent implantation failure during the COVID-19 pandemic

22 Mar 2022 by

Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) refers to the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after three in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts with at least four good-quality embryos. RIF leaves couples frustrated and desperate for answers and is challenging for clinicians to handle, compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Two experts, Dr Ameet Patki, Medical Director of Fertility Associates Mumbai and Hon Assoc Prof at KJ Somaiya Medical College & Hospital, India, and Dr Prakash Mayandi, Metro IVF Fertility Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, weigh in with their views on managing RIF during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Management of recurrent implantation failure during the COVID-19 pandemic

22 Mar 2022

Recent updates on HIV prevention and treatment in Singapore

11 Mar 2022

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a public health priority in Singapore. The National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) established the National HIV Programme (NHIVP) to coordinate the country-wide HIV response in collaboration with clinicians, healthcare professionals, public health practitioners, and other stakeholders. The NHIVP develops and updates evidence-based guidelines and best practices on HIV prevention, testing, and treatment. This article summarizes the best practices and key updates on prescribing of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Singapore.

Recent updates on HIV prevention and treatment in Singapore

11 Mar 2022

Bilastine in children – understanding principles and practice

24 Feb 2022

Allergic rhinitis is the most frequently occurring form of allergy in the world. It has a high burden in childhood, affecting sleep, concentration, and consecutively, learning. Professor Nikolaos Papadopoulos delivered a lecture on the evidence base and clinical experience supporting the use of Bilastine in children at the 11th Singapore Sleep, Allergy and Rhinology conference on 1 October 2020.

Bilastine in children – understanding principles and practice

24 Feb 2022

Vericiguat addresses unmet needs in worsening HFrEF

04 Feb 2022

Heart failure (HF) is a complicated clinical syndrome that is inherently progressive. In HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is ≤40 percent and accompanied by progressive LV dilatation and adverse cardiac remodeling. [Eur J Heart Fail 2021;23:352-380]

Vericiguat addresses unmet needs in worsening HFrEF

04 Feb 2022

Management of allergic rhinitis – focus on Bilaxten

14 Jan 2022

Allergic rhinitis can induce two types of symptoms in patients: i) histamine-mediated symptoms such as vasodilatation, rhinorrhoea, itching and sneezing, and ii) allergic inflammation resulting from the action of eosinophils in the nasal lining. H1-antihistamine therapy is a mode of therapy that seeks to mitigate the histamine-mediated symptoms of allergic rhinitis; this therapy aims to relieve symptoms and to improve quality of life in patients.

Management of allergic rhinitis – focus on Bilaxten

14 Jan 2022

Early and consistent: Breakthrough results in HFpEF similar to HFrEF

14 Jan 2022

HFpEF represents a significant unmet need in CV medicine due to its prevalence, poor prognosis, and the absence of clinically proven therapeutic options. The EMPEROR-Preserved trial demonstrated the continuous clinical benefits in cardiorenal outcomes of empagliflozin in adults with HFpEF, which were consistent with the observations in adults with HFmrEF/ HFpEF in the EMPEROR-reduced trial. The combined results of the EMPEROR trials establish empagliflozin’s efficacy in heart failure regardless of ejection fraction – and if approved, empagliflozin would become the first and only clinically proven therapy to improve outcomes for the full spectrum of the disease. Therefore, empagliflozin offers a new hope for people living with heart failure.

Early and consistent: Breakthrough results in HFpEF similar to HFrEF

14 Jan 2022

Practical considerations in the choice of pharmacological therapy (VKAs vs NOACs) for venous thromboembolism

28 Dec 2021 by

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious medical condition. It comprises deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Left untreated, it could result in significant morbidity and mortality. Most patients with VTE receive anticoagulation therapy for 3 months or longer. For more than 50 years since the 1940s, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) such as warfarin were the mainstay of oral anticoagulation therapy for VTE. As it has a narrow therapeutic index, VKAs require frequent coagulation monitoring with International Normalised Ratio (INR) to adjust and optimize the dose for each individual. As the peak effect for warfarin takes at least 4-5 days, in the initial stage of VTE, concurrent administration of daily subcutaneous injections of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is needed until INR reaches therapeutic levels. Due to numerous drug and dietary interactions with warfarin, regular INR monitoring is required to ensure therapeutic levels are maintained and to avoid under or overdosing.

Practical considerations in the choice of pharmacological therapy (VKAs vs NOACs) for venous thromboembolism

28 Dec 2021

Apixaban in the management of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in older patients: Clinical evidence and experience sharing

28 Dec 2021 by

Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) raises the risk of stroke by three to five times, particularly in older patients. Treating older patients with NVAF presents special challenges because of their elevated risks for both stroke and bleeding. This necessitates optimization of anticoagulant therapy by balancing efficacy and bleeding risk. Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs), such as apixaban, have shown advantages in safety and efficacy over warfarin, which has a very narrow therapeutic index. In an interview with Dr Soon Chao Yang, Cardiologist at The Heart Doctors Clinic, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Singapore, he shared insights on managing NVAF in older patients, as well as his experience with using apixaban in this special population.

Apixaban in the management of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in older patients: Clinical evidence and experience sharing

28 Dec 2021

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Addressing the unmet needs and challenges in managing older AF patients

Addressing the unmet needs and challenges in managing older AF patients

Role of apixaban in VTE management: Who, when, and how

Role of apixaban in VTE management: Who, when, and how

Management of recurrent implantation failure during the COVID-19 pandemic

Management of recurrent implantation failure during the COVID-19 pandemic

Recent updates on HIV prevention and treatment in Singapore

Recent updates on HIV prevention and treatment in Singapore

Bilastine in children – understanding principles and practice

Bilastine in children – understanding principles and practice

Vericiguat addresses unmet needs in worsening HFrEF

Vericiguat addresses unmet needs in worsening HFrEF

Management of allergic rhinitis – focus on Bilaxten

Management of allergic rhinitis – focus on Bilaxten

Early and consistent: Breakthrough results in HFpEF similar to HFrEF

Early and consistent: Breakthrough results in HFpEF similar to HFrEF

Practical considerations in the choice of pharmacological therapy (VKAs vs NOACs) for venous thromboembolism

Practical considerations in the choice of pharmacological therapy (VKAs vs NOACs) for venous thromboembolism

Apixaban in the management of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in older patients: Clinical evidence and experience sharing

Apixaban in the management of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in older patients: Clinical evidence and experience sharing