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The effects of single doses of dimethindene (retard) 2.5 mg, chlorpheniramine (TD) 12mg and placebo on a battery of physiological, performance and subjective measures were studied in a double-blind, crossover study in 12 healthy subjects. Dimethindene had a different EEG profile from chlorpheniramine; while both active drug treatments were associated with an increase in 8.0-13.0 Hz waveband activity, dimethindene alone produced less 2.0-4.0 Hz activity. The two active drugs were associated with an improvement in tapping rate. Dimethindene had no effect on simple reaction time, while chlorpheniramine was associated with a slowing in this measure. Subjective measures generally indicated an improvement in general alertness and contentedness with both dimethindene and chlorpheniramine. It is concluded that single doses of sustained-release formulations of these antihistamines are slightly stimulant in effect and are useful where sedation is unacceptable.

Prevalence rates from hypertensive heart disease are higher for women, while men have higher prevalence rates for coronary heart disease. Female gender is associated with increased mortality after acute MI. Females have also been shown to respond differently to men to a host of approaches to CHD. Both surgical and pharmacological interventions appear to be less effective in females than in males. Answers are still needed, but they have not been forthcoming because, in general, inadequate numbers of females were included in most applicable clinical trials. It may be that males are over-treated rather than that females are under-treated. It is incorrect to extrapolate findings in men to women, given the differences. Studies are needed to determine what intervention strategies in the primary prevention and treatment of coronary disease should be used for women and the elderly.

Reasons for caution in administering drugs to old people are discussed. A survey was made of the records of 33 elderly cardiac patients in a teaching hospital, 30 elderly ambulatory patients in the community, and 30 elderly patients in a geriatric hospital. The findings indicated that prescription practices were somewhat different for the hospital patients than for the community patients, but there did not seem to be any reduction in drug dosage on account of the patient's advanced age.Those who prescribe drugs for geriatric patients have a great responsibility to see that the dosage is correct and that, when the drug has to be self‐administered, the patient is given complete instructions which he can understand.