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Full-Text Articles in Anesthesia and Analgesia

Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, And Drug Interactions Of Remimazolam, Derek E. Murrell, Sam Harirforoosh Sep 2025

Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, And Drug Interactions Of Remimazolam, Derek E. Murrell, Sam Harirforoosh

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Remimazolam, an ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine, has emerged as a promising sedative agent for procedural sedation and general anesthesia. It combines the favorable properties of traditional benzodiazepines with a rapid onset and offset of action, largely due to its unique metabolism via hepatic carboxylesterases rather than cytochrome P450 enzymes. This metabolism allows for predictable pharmacokinetics, reducing the risk of prolonged sedation and drug accumulation, particularly in patients with hepatic or renal impairment. Clinically, remimazolam demonstrates non-inferiority to midazolam and propofol, with advantages including a lower incidence of hypotension and respiratory depression. Multiple randomized controlled trials have shown its efficacy in various procedural …


Real-World Impact Of Acupuncture On Analgesics And Healthcare Resource Utilization In Breast Cancer Survivors With Pain, Dina Quan Ng, Sanghoon Lee, Richard T. Lee, Yun Wang, Alexandre Chan Sep 2024

Real-World Impact Of Acupuncture On Analgesics And Healthcare Resource Utilization In Breast Cancer Survivors With Pain, Dina Quan Ng, Sanghoon Lee, Richard T. Lee, Yun Wang, Alexandre Chan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

This study evaluated the real-world impact of acupuncture on analgesics and healthcare resource utilization among breast cancer survivors.

Methods

From a United States (US) commercial claims database (25% random sample of IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus for Academics), we selected 18–63 years old malignant breast cancer survivors experiencing pain and ≥ 1 year removed from cancer diagnosis. Using the difference-in-difference technique, annualized changes in analgesics [prevalence, rates of short-term (< 30-day supply) and long-term (≥ 30-day supply) prescription fills] and healthcare resource utilization (healthcare costs, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits) were compared between acupuncture-treated and non-treated patients.

Results

Among 495 (3%) acupuncture-treated patients (median age: 55 years, stage 4: 12%, average 2.5 years post cancer diagnosis), most had commercial health insurance (92%) and experiencing musculoskeletal pain (98%). Twenty-seven …