Clinical trial: sodium phosphate tablets are preferred and better tolerated by patients compared to polyethylene glycol solution plus bisacodyl tablets for bowel preparation.

Background: Patient acceptance of bowel preparation can affect colon cancer screening compliance. Aim To compare patient acceptance, preference and tolerability of 32-sodium phosphate tablets vs. 2L polyethylene glycol solution plus 4 bisacodyl tablets for bowel preparation.

A randomized, multicenter study comparing the safety and efficacy of sodium phosphate tablets with 2L polyethylene glycol solution plus bisacodyl tablets for colon cleansing.

Objective: The safety and efficacy of NaP tablets have not been compared with 2L PEG lavage solution. A multicenter, investigator-blinded study was conducted to compare the colon-cleansing efficacy of a new NaP tablet formulation with that of 2L PEG solution plus bisacodyl tablets in adults undergoing colonoscopy.

Methods: A total of 481 patients were randomized to receive either 32 tablets (48 g) of NaP or 2L PEG solution plus 4 (20 mg) bisacodyl tablets.

Beta-blocker dosing in community-based treatment of heart failure.

Background: Community patients with heart failure (HF) are older, less often treated by HF specialists, and have more comorbidity than those in randomized clinical trials. These differences might affect beta-blocker prescribing in HF.

Methods: To explore patterns of beta-blocker prescribing for HF in the community and their association with outcomes, we determined carvedilol doses at end titration in 4113 patients from a community-based beta-blocker HF registry according to physician and patient characteristics, HF severity, and rates of hospitalization and death.

Comparison of outcomes and usefulness of carvedilol across a spectrum of left ventricular ejection fractions in patients with heart failure in clinical practice.

Heart failure (HF) in the community differs meaningfully from that in clinical trials, particularly the higher prevalence of patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) typically excluded from clinical trials, thus limiting knowledge of their responsiveness to beta-blocker therapy. From a community-based registry of 4,280 patients with HF starting treatment with the beta blocker carvedilol, we compared characteristics, carvedilol titration, and outcomes of patients according to LVEF >40% or <40% (as in clinical trials) and across the spectrum of LVEF <21%, 21% to 30%, 31% to 40%, and >40%. Patients with preserved EF (LVEF >40%) were older and more often women and hypertensive.

Tolerability, safety, and efficacy of beta-blockade in black patients with heart failure in the community setting: insights from a large prospective beta-blocker registry.

Heart failure (HF) clinical trials suggest different responses of blacks and whites to beta-blockers. Differences between clinical trial and community settings may also have an impact. The Carvedilol Heart Failure Registry (COHERE) observed experience with carvedilol in 4280 patients with HF in a community setting.