Steroids may not be a good prescription for pneumonia after all

Community-acquired pneumonia is a primary cause of hospitalisation, healthcare resource usage, morbidity and mortality. While randomised clinical trials support individual interventions such as adjunctive corticosteroid use, early progressive mobilisation, antibiotic...

Combined LABA + inhaled steroids when required for mild asthma

A year-long study in New Zealand has investigated the efficacy of combination budesonide–formoterol reliever therapy compared with maintenance budesonide plus as-needed terbutaline.. The study used an open-label randomised controlled design, and enrolled subjects aged...

Pharmacists in GP practice – a cost effective strategy

A recently conducted pilot exercise in the UK has identified that a pharmacist-led telephone triage pilot at a GP surgery in London offers the opportunity to reduce waiting times for GP access and also to decrease the number of same-day GP appointments. The practice...