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The FDA has approved the first drug for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimers disease. Memantine, a noncompetitive inhibitor of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, has been available outside of the United States since 1982.
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Most postmenopausal women who suffer a fracture do not receive treatment for osteoporosis.
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The FDA has approved Pfizer's eplerenone (Inspra) for the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients who have sustained a myocardial infarction. The drug is a selective aldosterone blocker, a new class of drug for the treatment of CHF.
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An outbreak of Pseudomonas surgical-site infections was traced to the infected thumbnail of a cardiac surgeon. The outbreak stopped after the infected nail was removed.
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Compliance with a protocol for managing catheter-related bacteremia was improved from 56% to 75% simply by sending a reminder by e-mail.
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Genetically engineered B lymphocytes were used for rapid detection and identification of pathogens, a methodology with potential use in diagnostics, biowarfare defense, and biomonitoring of food and water.
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The following summary of selected abstracts from 3 meetings will be published in multiple parts. The 43rd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) met in Chicago September 14-17, 2003. The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) met in San Diego October 9-12, 2003. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene meets in Philadelphia December 3-7, 2003.
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Atazanavir (Reyetaz®), an azapeptide class of protease inhibitors, was approved by the US FDA for use in HIV infection on June 20, 2003. Atazanavir (ATV) has a unique pharmacokinetic profile allowing for once-daily dosing, which is optimized when taken with food.