Potential drug interactions in elderly cancer patients.

Introduction: Drug interaction constitutes a major challenge in elderly cancer patients. This study investigated the number and types of medications patients and potential drug interactions in these patients.

Methods: Treatments received by 105 cancer outpatients aged ≥70 years were analyzed using the French Thesaurus to identify drug-drug interactions according to four levels: contraindication, concomitant use not recommended, concomitant medications requiring precautions and concomitant medications to be taken into account.

[Cholinesterase inhibitor therapy in long term care settings].

Purpose: Cholinesterase Inhibitors (ChEIs) have proven efficacy in outpatients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The benefits of maintaining this treatment once patients are institutionalised remain controversial. The aim of this study was to present current therapeutic strategies regarding ChEIs use in long-term care settings (LTC).

Effect of renal function on the pharmacokinetics of enoxaparin and consequences on dose adjustment.

The use of weight-adjusted enoxaparin dosage in patients with renal failure results in increased bleeding complications. The authors investigated the impact of patient-related factors such as renal function on the pharmacokinetics of enoxaparin. Anti-Xa activity was measured in the blood of 60 patients (74 +/- 10 years, body weight 72 +/- 15 kg, men 60%, creatinine clearance 56 +/- 24 mL/min) with acute coronary syndromes receiving subcutaneous administration of enoxaparin.

Use of gadolinium-based contrast agent for renal angiography: case report and review of the literature.

A 67-year-old woman suffering from chronic renal failure (Creatinine 480 micromol/L) underwent a gadolinium renal angiography, which visualized a stenosis of the right renal artery. There was no deterioration of renal function after the arteriography. A review of the literature is presented which show the efficiency of this technique to visualize the renal arteries, and the absence of nephrotoxicity after the use of gadolinium as a based contrast agent in high risk patients.