Selected items from the News and Latest Additions sections of www.palliativedrugs.com, the world’s leading palliative care website with over 30,000 members from 169 Countries.
Hot topics
Association for Paediatric Palliative Medicine (APPM) Master Formulary 2017
The 4th edition of the APPM Master Formulary is now available. It is available to download from the APPM website or from our Document library under the topic Paediatric (prescribing guidelines).
Cochrane review: fentanyl for neuropathic pain
The authors concluded that there is insufficient evidence to support or refute the suggestion that fentanyl has any efficacy in any neuropathic pain condition (CD011605). For more information, click here.
Cochrane review: hydromorphone for cancer pain
The authors found a lack of evidence to support a preference for hydromorphone over other opioid analgesics such as morphine and oxycodone. The treatment effect of hydromorphone appeared to be similar to that of the comparator drugs for adults with moderate to severe cancer pain, However, most of the outcome data were based on single randomised controlled trials with a small sample size (CD011108). For more information, click here.
Cochrane review: benzodiazepines for the relief of breathlessness in advanced malignant and non-malignant diseases
This updated review (CD007354) confirmed the previous conclusions:
- there is no evidence for a beneficial effect of benzodiazepines in the relief of breathlessness in people with advanced cancer and COPD. There is a non-significant beneficial effect, but the overall effect size is small. Benzodiazepines caused more drowsiness as an adverse effect compared to placebo but less compared to morphine. These results justify considering benzodiazepines as second- or third-line treatment, when opioids and non-pharmacological measures have failed to control breathlessness
- there is currently not enough evidence to support the use of benzodiazepines in the prevention of episodic breathlessness in people with cancer. There are no data from controlled trials for the treatment of episodic breathlessness with benzodiazepines
- there are no differences regarding the type of benzodiazepine, dose, route and frequency of administration, and duration of treatment.
For more information, click here.
End of life care for infants, children and young people with life-limiting conditions: planning and management
This NICE guideline (NG61) has now been published in full on-line. For more information, click here.
Drug updates
Gabapentin oral solution and enteral feeding tubes
The UK Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for Gabapentin Rosemont 50mg/mL oral solution (Rosemont Pharmaceuticals) has been updated to include information about administration via nasogastric and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding tubes. Section 6.6 of the SPC contains information on the specific type of tubes suitable for use (including the material, bore size, internal diameter and maximum length) and the procedure to be followed when administering the oral solution via these routes. For more information, click here.
Latest additions
The on-line Palliative Care Formulary is being continually updated. For a full list of all the monographs updated since the print publication of PCF5, see the Latest additions section of the website or follow us on twitter @palliativedrugs for the latest updates. Over the next few months we will be working hard in the background on the technical side of the website in preparation for the publication of PCF6 print edition later this year. Part 2 of PCF (which contains the general topics) is being reorganised to make it more user-friendly. The new PCF format will be launched first on the website in March/April 2017 and will also contain multiple monographs that have been updated during the interim period.
Prepared by Sarah Charlesworth and Andrew Wilcock