There were a number of smaller medical news from the year 2016 that are worth mentioning. I list them shortly, but without explaining the technical terms. (These are explained in the radio broadcast).
In postmenopausal women with non-metastatic hormone-receptor positive breast cancer, the use of endocrine therapy can be extended from 5 years to 10 years. This new strategy improves disease-free survival, but not overall survival. If you should be a patient who is in this situation, you should discuss your situation with your specialist and then decide together.
In acute intracerebral haemorrhage, systolic blood pressure can probably be lowered to 160. A message for specialists.
There is a new vaccine against shingles. It is much more effective than the present vaccine. But the new vaccine is not available on the market yet.
Marcumar and warfarin are slowly being replaced by novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs). The NOACs, however, have a flaw. There is no antidote against them, with a single exception. A new possible antidote to the NOACs, andexanet, has been tested and seems to be effective. However, the new antidote is not yet available on the market. In addition, the pharmaceutical company indicated that it will be very expensive. Doctors therefore will need a guideline when to use this new antidote and when not.
Do you need testosterone as an ageing man, but without a specific diagnosis? Do you need the additional “gift” of testosterone, as a “lifestyle enhancement”? In 2016, a clinical study was conducted and it was the largest of its kind. There were a few differences, but these were small and clinically not relevant. The long-term side effects remained unclear. Better to keep your hands off of testosterone as an ageing man.
If patients become suddenly ill, and develop kidney failure as a result, kidney replacement therapy must not be started immediately. A message for specialists.
There is not only diabetes. There is also a precursor to diabetes. Patients with this precursor, insulin resistance, were randomised into two groups. One group received a medicinal drug against diabetes itself, and they fared better. But the drug caused several severe side effects. Therefore, there is no clear conclusion at the moment.