title: Palliative care pharmacotherapy literature summaries and analyses.
abstract: Timely and important studies are reviewed and commentaries provided by leading palliative care clinicians. Symptoms and treatment side effects addressed in this issue are: cardiovascular risk due to NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors; prolongation of the QT interval due to methadone use; depression and its treatment with scopolamine; adverse drug reactions related to cardiovascular medications, and their association with ethnicity; and medication nonadherence in Medicare enrollees due to cost considerations.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. amy.abernethy@duke.edu
authors.forename: Amy P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Abernethy
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: Perry G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Fine
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Peppin
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Crossno
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bull
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008691:Methadone / Q000009:adverse effects; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D012601:Scopolamine; D008691:Methadone