Oxford American Pocket Notes – serie

This ultra concise guide presents a brief overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Uniquely compact and affordable, this guide covers the use of antivirals and vacines in preventing PHN as well as treatment options once PHN occurs, including both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. In addition, the book provides actual pain assessment tools such as the Short-Form McGill Questionnaire and the Zoster Brief Pain inventory, ready for practical use in the clinical setting.

The first HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin), lovastatin, has been on the market since 1987. In that time, five more drugs from this class, atorvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin, have been approved by the FDA. Statins, among the top ten most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S., are now recommended as first-line treatments by all major regulatory agencies in the U.S. and elsewhere. As shown in numerous clinical trials, statins are extremely powerful and effective in reducing LDL cholesterol, accompanied by a significant reduction of cardiac events and strokes. As a class, they are well-tolerated by most patients and are easy to administer. However, the withdrawal of cerivastatin (Baycol) from the market in 2001 due to severe myopathy in some patients, has led to increased concern among clinicians with respect to this and other side effects, such as liver and kidney disease. Some studies suggest that this has led to increased reluctance among clinicians to initiate a statin drug regimen or to adjust dosage to increase therapeutic effect.While a small minority of patients do develop serious complications while on statin therapy, current clinical evidence strongly suggests that the benefits of timely statin administration significantly outweigh the risks. Oxford American Pocket Notes: Statin Prescribing Guide aims to provide clinicians with concise, easily accessible guidance on prescribing statins in various clinical settings. This volume features evidence-based discussion on the indications, pharmacokinetics and safety profiles of the available statins and how these properties translate into selection of the appropriate treatment regimen for the individual patient. Useful tools, such as treatment algorithms, charts, tables and illustrations greatly help enhance the value of this volume as a portable reference tool.

Stroke is the most common cause of adult mortality in the United States. Antithrombotic agents form the mainstay of stroke prevention. Aspirin produces a modest reduction in the risk of second stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke) and is widely recommended for initial therapy. The thienopyridines (Ticlid) and clopodogrel (Plavix) are alternatives for secondary prevention in patients who do not respond to or cannot take aspirin. They are no moreeffective than aspirin and have been associated with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The combination of aspirin and extended-release dipyridamole (Aggrenox) has several mechanisms of action and an additive effect on reducing stroke risk compared with either agent alone. A 2-fold increase in riskreduction and favorable safety profile suggest that the combination can serve as first-line prophylaxis against a second stroke. This volume, as part of the Oxford American Pocket Note series, provides the clinician with up-to-date information on the guidelines, and therapeutic options in recurrent stroke/TIA prevention. Useful features include treatment algorithms, illustrations, medication tables, charts and figures to enable both the specialist and the primary provider to ensure thebest options to their patients in order to prevent the reocurrence of stroke/TIA.

The past decade has brought an unprecedented focus on the development and clinical utility of targeted therapies in all areas of medicine. This is both a cause and a consequence of realizing the importance of understanding each patient's disease based not only on presenting signs and symptoms, but also, crucially, on fundamental molecular mechanisms. Nowhere has this phenomenon been more prevalent than in oncology. Dysregulation of various membrane receptors, signaling pathways, and other factors occurs frequently in many human malignancies, including breast cancer. Therapeutic approaches targeting these molecules and the selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors have been demonstrated to have higher efficacy than conventional therapy agents in the treatment of breast cancer. The development of monoclonal antibodies and other inhibitors of specific molecules, fully utilizing the insights learned from molecular techniques such as comparative microarrays and protein expression patterns, has led to the development and FDA approval of several agents for the treatment of breast cancer, such as trastuzamab (Herceptin, targeting HER-2 positive tumors) and lapatinib (Tykerb, targeting tumors with mutated/overexpressed EGFR 1 and 2). Other agents specifically targeting the estrogen receptor, the aromatose pathway and microtubule dynamics, fulvestrant (Faslodex, targeting the ER specifically in breast cancer cells), and letrozole (Femara, targeting the aromatose pathway), raloxifene (Evista, a selective estrogen receptor modulator), ixabepilone (Ixempra, a ?-tubulin inhibitor) have also been approved for various stages and specific settings in breast cancer treatment. The current challenges in the field include further targeting of these agents as part of specific strategies for each patient (biomarker testing, pharmacogenetics, etc.), as well as follow-up and management of adverse eventsThe Oxford American Pocket Notes: Targeted Therapies in Breast Cancer will provide clinicians with the ultra-concise, evidence-based, current information and insight on implementing the latest treatment strategies, including targeted agents, into clinical practice. This portable volume will act as a quick, easily accessible guide for the practicing oncologist, oncology care staff (including nurses and PAs) as well as the primary care practitioner, on the mechanism of action, dosing and administration and adverse effects of the approved targeted agents. The volume features multiple illustrations and tables to highlight key concepts and increase the utility of this resource in clinical practice.