[Alcohol and the Bariatric Patient: When One Drink Becomes Two Drinks].

Alcohol and the Bariatric Patient: When One Drink Becomes Two Drinks Moderate consumption of alcohol is a risk factor for weight gain and obesity. Alcohol affects all components of the energy balance. Alcohol consumption is - as in the general population - also a widespread phenomenon in obese and bariatric patients.

[Help me--I do not tolerate my statin].

Statins represent the most widely prescribed drugs. Accordingly, in daily practice statin-related muscle pain and other myopathic sensations are frequently seen. In this practice review the clinical approach to statin myopathy is discussed.

[Pharmacotherapy of hyperthyreosis--adverse drug reactions].

The antithyroid drugs mainly include thioimidazole (carbimazole, methimazole=thiamazole) and propylthiouracil. After absorption, carbimazole is rapidly metabolized to methimazole and thus switching between these two drugs should not be considered in case of side effects. Furthermore, in case of side effects, sometimes even cross reactions between thioimidazoles and propylthiouracil occur.

Oral heroin in opioid-dependent patients: pharmacokinetic comparison of immediate and extended release tablets.

In diacetylmorphine prescription programs for heavily dependent addicts, diacetylmorphine is usually administered intravenously, but this may not be possible due to venosclerosis or when heroin abuse had occurred via non-intravenous routes. Since up to 25% of patients administer diacetylmorphine orally, we characterised morphine absorption after single oral doses of immediate and extended release diacetylmorphine in 8 opioid addicts. Plasma concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.