In both the United States and the Netherlands, SSRI prescriptions for children and adolescents decreased after U.S. and European regulatory agencies issued warnings about a possible suicide risk with antidepressant use in pediatric patients, and these decreases were associated with increases in suicide rates in children and adolescents.

Summary Among 8,822 new female bisphosphonate users, non-compliant bisphosphonate use was associated with a 45% increased risk of osteoporotic fracture compared to compliant use (MPR ≥80%). Classifying compliance into five categories, fracture risk gradually increased with poorer compliance. These results emphasize the importance of treatment compliance in obtaining maximal treatment benefit. Introduction Bisphosphonates are widely used to treat osteoporosis and reduce fracture risk. Low compliance is frequent and will limit treatment benefit. Methods New female users of alendronate or risedronate between 1999-2004, aged ≥45 years were identified from PHARMO-RLS, including drug-dispensing and hospitalization data of ≥2 million residents of the Netherlands. Patients were followed until first hospitalisation for an osteoporotic fracture, death, or end of study period. Compliance with bisphosphonates during follow-up was measured over 90-day intervals using Medication Possession Ratio (MPR). The association between compliance and fracture risk was analyzed using time-dependent Cox-regression. ResultsThe study cohort included 8,822 new female bisphosphonate users, contributing in total 22,484 person-years of follow-up. During follow-up, 176 osteoporotic fractures occurred (excluding the first six months). Non-compliant bisphosphonate use was associated with a 45% increased fracture risk compared to compliant use (MPR ≥80%). Classifying compliance into five categories, fracture risk gradually increased with poorer compliance (p-value <0.05 for trend). A MPR <20% was associated with an 80% increased fracture risk compared to a MPR ≥90%. Conclusions These results show a statistically significant association between level of compliance with bisphosphonates and level of fracture risk, emphasizing the importance of treatment compliance in obtaining maximal treatment benefit.

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Persistence with tiotropium was higher compared to other inhaled respiratory drugs in COPD in clinical practice.

Patients who do not refill atypical antipsychotics in time can be identified in the pharmacy and are most likely those with an increased risk to commit suicide.

Objective: To study the main comedications associated with major bleeding during anticoagulant therapy with coumarins in a non-selected population under everyday circumstances. Methods: The study population for this retrospective cohort study included all new users of phenprocoumon or acenocoumarol aged 40-80 years, during the period 1992-2000 in the PHARMO Record Linkage System. All patients were followed until the last dispensing of phenprocoumon or acenocoumarol, the first bleeding complication requiring hospitalization, death, or the end of the study period. The number of days on coumarins alone and the number of days on coumarins in combination with several potentially interactive drugs during follow-up were determined for each patient. Results: The inclusion criteria of this study were met by 19,935 new users of phenprocoumon or acenocoumarol. During follow-up, 552 patients were hospitalized for bleeding. Of all potentially interactive drugs started during anticoagulant therapy by at least 50 patients and with at least five bleedings, antibacterial drugs were associated with a four to seven times increased risk of bleeding. Among non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, naproxen had the highest relative risk. Antithrombotic salicylates and tramadol were associated with a three times increased risk of bleeding. Conclusion: Antibacterial drugs, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, antithrombotic salicylates and tramadol were the main potentially interactive drugs associated with major bleeding during anticoagulant therapy with coumarins under everyday circumstances.

These results demonstrate marked differences in persistence between AHT classes, with the highest persistence for ARBs and lowest for diuretics. Women were less persistent with their AHT compared to men. This low persistence leads to suboptimal treatment with a potential for substantial clinical consequences. Especially in women, more attention paid to AHT persistence patterns could improve their cardiovascular outcome.

New users of both single and fixed combined ICS have alarming low persistence rates with ICS-treatment in the first year of follow-up. Persistence was mainly related to patient factors, such as severity of disease, and to treatment-related factors, such as once-daily dosing frequency.