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Original New Drug Application Approvals by US FDA (16 - 31 December 2021)

06 Jan 2022

New drug applications approved by US FDA as of 16-31 December 2021 which includes New Molecular Entities (NMEs) and new biologics. It does not include Tentative Approvals. Supplemental approvals may have occurred since the original approval date.

Original New Drug Application Approvals by US FDA (16 - 31 December 2021)

06 Jan 2022

Stroke one of the strongest predictors of COVID-19 mortality

06 Jan 2022 by

A territory-wide retrospective cohort study by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has found that stroke is the third strongest predictor of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality, after advancing age and renal disease, while Parkinson’s disease (PD) was the second strongest predictor of death after advancing age during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic of 2003.

Stroke one of the strongest predictors of COVID-19 mortality

06 Jan 2022

Functional electrical stimulation–assisted cycling training improves lower limb function in chronic stroke survivors

05 Jan 2022 by

A longitudinal pilot study by the Chinese University of Hong (CUHK) and Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi’an, China, used electrical impedance myography (EIM) and surface electromyography (sEMG) to demonstrate that functional electrical stimulation (FES)–assisted cycling training improves lower limb function in chronic stroke survivors through increasing muscle impedance properties, improving muscle activation capacity, and allowing better muscle coordination during ankle joint movements.

Functional electrical stimulation–assisted cycling training improves lower limb function in chronic stroke survivors

05 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

CNS complications in COVID-19: 1 in 100 hospitalized patients affected

27 Dec 2021 by

A large retrospective study conducted in the US and Europe and presented at RSNA 2021 has suggested that central nervous system (CNS) complications may affect approximately one in 100 patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

CNS complications in COVID-19: 1 in 100 hospitalized patients affected

27 Dec 2021

Who are most at risk of falls post-stroke?

26 Dec 2021

Men are more likely to encounter falls in the acute phase after stroke, a recent study has found. Other notable risk factors include haemorrhagic stroke, moderate stroke symptoms, impaired postural control, and smoking.

Who are most at risk of falls post-stroke?

26 Dec 2021

Elevated t-tau level in tears may signal neurodegeneration

25 Dec 2021

Concentrations of tau protein seem to be higher in the tear fluids of neurodegenerative individuals, suggesting a potential role for the biomarker in the detection of cognitive impairment, a recent study has found.