Platelet function tests are not equally effective in measuring aspirin's antiplatelet effect and correlate poorly amongst themselves. The clinical usefulness of the different assays to classify correctly patients as aspirin resistant remains undetermined.

No abstract

The prevalence of potential CYP-mediated DDIs is high in geriatric patients with polypharmacy. The risk of DDIs increases as a function of the number of medications dispensed. Pharmacists' decision to intervene for potential CYP-mediated DDIs depends on clinical judgment in addition to the output from drug alert software programs, but may be facilitated by a single multicomponent, multidrug potential CYP-mediated DDI assessment.

Block of I(Kr) gives an explanation to lengthening of cardiac repolarization observed in isolated guinea pig hearts. Potent block of I(Kr) is also likely to underlie prolongation of the QT interval observed in patients receiving clinically recommended doses of cisapride as well as severe cardiac toxicity (torsades de pointes) observed in patients with increased plasma concentrations of the drug.

It has been suggested that the current dietary recommendations (low-fat-high-carbohydrate diet) may promote the intake of sugar and highly refined starches which could have adverse effects on the metabolic risk profile. We have investigated the short-term (6-d) nutritional and metabolic effects of an ad libitum low-glycaemic index-low-fat-high-protein diet (prepared according to the Montignac method) compared with the American Heart Association (AHA) phase I diet consumed ad libitum as well as with a pair-fed session consisting of the same daily energy intake as the former but with the same macronutrient composition as the AHA phase I diet. Twelve overweight men (BMI 33 : 0 (SD 3 : 5) kg/m 2 ) without other diseases were involved in three experimental conditions with a minimal washout period of 2 weeks separating each intervention. By protocol design, the first two conditions were administered randomly whereas the pair-fed session had to be administered last. During the ad libitum version of the AHA diet, subjects consumed 11695 : 0 (SD 1163 : 0) kJ/d and this diet induced a 28 % increase in plasma triacylglycerol levels (1 : 77 (SD 0 : 79) v. 2 : 27 (SD 0 : 92) mmol/l, P,0 : 05) and a 10 % reduction in plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations (0 : 92 (SD 0 : 16) v. 0 : 83 (SD 0 : 09) mmol/l, P,0 : 01) which contributed to a significant increase in cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (P,0 : 05), this lipid index being commonly used to assess the risk of coronary heart disease. In contrast, the lowglycaemic index-low-fat-high-protein diet consumed ad libitum resulted in a spontaneous 25 % decrease (P,0 : 001) in total energy intake which averaged 8815 : 0 (SD 738 : 0) kJ/d. As opposed to the AHA diet, the low-glycaemic index-low-fat-high-protein diet produced a substantial decrease (235 %) in plasma triacylglycerol levels (2 : 00 (SD 0 : 83) v. 1 : 31 (SD 0 : 38) mmol/l, P,0 : 0005), a significant increase (+1 : 6 %) in LDL peak particle diameter (251 (SD 5) v. 255 (SD 5) Å , P,0 : 02) and marked decreases in plasma insulin levels measured either in the fasting state, over daytime and following a 75 g oral glucose load. During the pair-fed session, in which subjects were exposed to a diet with the same macronutrient composition as the AHA diet but restricted to the same energy intake as during the low-glycaemic index-low-fat-high-protein diet, there was a trend for a decrease in plasma HDL-cholesterol levels which contributed to the significant increase in cholesterol:HDLcholesterol ratio noted with this condition. Furthermore, a marked increase in hunger (P,0 : 0002) and a significant decrease in satiety (P,0 : 007) were also noted with this energy-restricted diet. Finally, favourable changes in the metabolic risk profile noted with the ad libitum consumption of the low-glycaemic index-low-fat-high-protein diet (decreases in triacyglycerols, lack of increase in cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio, increase in LDL particle size) were significantly different from the response of these variables to the AHA phase I diet. T...