Women wishing to prevent the onset of cervical cancer may...
Published Thursday 08 January 2009
Avian flu virus increases resistance to antiviral drugs
The avian flu virus is increasing its resistance to a...
Published Thursday 08 January 2009
Discovery could benefit Parkinson's disease sufferers
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Published Wednesday 07 January 2009
Viagra can exaggerate effects of heart-protective protein
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Disease Knowledge Centres feed
Working with our pharmaceutical industry partners we have compiled the EPG educational library. The library contains interactive educational resources from specific drug treatments through to more general disease and management guides. The content is classified by therapeutic area and can be accessed by clicking the links below.
In order to access the following content you must be a qualified physician or other medical professional, by clicking any of the links within the educational library you are both confirming your status as a healthcare professional and agreeing to our terms of use.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease which will affect most of us at one point in time - either directly (as the prevalence is expected to quadruple over the next 50 years) or indirectly through the suffering of a loved one.
What’s in the Alzheimers Knowledge Centre?
- Prevalence of Alzheimers
- Symptoms of Alzheimers
- The stages Of Alzheimers
- Types of Dementia
- Disease Progression
- Treatment Options
- Cholinesterae Inhibitors
- NMDA Receptors Antagonists
- Pipeline Treatments
- Downloads
- Clinical Studies
- Useful Links
- Patient Resources
- Tips for Caregivers
- Downloads for Patients
- What the Experts Say
- Active Ingredient & MoA
- Indication & Diagnosis
- Dosage Application
- Evaluating Success
- Side Effects & Interactions
- Prescription & Costs
Arthritis is a complex disorder that comprises more than 100 distinct musculoskeletal conditions and can affect people at any stage of life. Arthritis causes joint pain, loss of movement, and inflammation. Common forms of arthritis include osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis. Both OA and RA are chronic and incurable but respond well to intervention..
What’s in the Arthritis Knowledge Centre?
- Osteoarthritis (OA)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Diagnosis
- Pain Assessment
- Pain Management
- Children and Older Adults
- Treatment options
- Non-Pharmacological Treatment
- Pharmacological
- Complementry Therapy
- Surgery
- Resources: Physicians
- Resources: Patients
Asthma is a disorder defined by its clinical, physiological, and pathological characteristics. The main physiological feature of asthma is episodic airway obstruction characterized by expiratory airflow limitation. The dominant pathological feature is airway inflammation, sometimes associated with airway structural changes..
What’s in the Asthma Knowledge Centre?
- Definition
- Prevalence
- Burden
- Causes of Asthma
- Development & Progression of Asthma
- Pathophysiology
- The asthmatic response
- Asthmatic Inflammation
- Inflammation in the peripheral airways
- Diagnosing
- Assessment
- Spirometry
- Airway Responsiveness
- Signs and Symptoms
- Levels of asthma control
- Classification
- Education
- Risk Factors
- Non-Pharmacological
- Pharmacological - Treatment steps for achieving control
- stepwise approach
- Corticosteroids
- Alvesco
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacodynamics
- Clinical efficacy
- Safety
- Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC)
- Monitoring
- Resources
BPH is a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate gland accompanied by characteristic signs and symptoms, and is one of the most common conditions affecting older men.
What’s in the Benign prostatic hyperplasia Knowledge Centre?
- Understanding BPH: Definition
- The Prostate
- BPH Definition
- BPH Clinical Features
- Progression of BPH
- Clinical Features
- Prevalence and Burden
- Management of BPH: Watchful Waiting
- Phytotherapy
- Pharmacotherapy
- Surgical Interventions
- Other Minimally Invasive Treatments: including Thermotherapy
- Dutasteride: Product Characteristics
- Efficacy Data
- Safety and Tolerability Data
- Effect on PSA
- Additional Resources: BPH Guidelines
- References
Cholesterol is a soft waxy substance present in all cells of the body. Most tissues can produce cholesterol, but it is synthesised primarily in the liver and small intestine. Approximately 50% of the cholesterol requirement is synthesised, whilst the rest is obtained from animal products in the diet. Cholesterol is important in the repair of cell membranes...
What’s in the Cholesterol Knowledge Centre?
- Cholesterol
- LDL/HDL
- Lipoprotein Metabolism Cycles
- Dyslipidaemia
- Atherosclerosis
- CV Risk Factors
- Clinical Manifestation of Atherosclerosis
- Atherosclerosis
- Atherogenesis
- Prevalence and Incidence
- Pathogenesis of Atherosclerotic Plaques
- Plaque Formation
- Invasive Imaging Techniques Used to Assess Atherosclerosis
- Non-invasive techniques
- Risk Assessment
- Management Guidelines
- NCEP ATP III Management Guidelines
- Millimol Converter
- BMI Calculator
- Treatment: Rosuvastatin
- Efficacy
- Safety and Tolerability
- Controlled Clinical trials
- Post-marketing surveillance
- Pharmacoepidemiology
- Fibrates
- Bile Acid Sequestrants
- Nicotinic Acid (Niacin)
- Diet and Exercise
- E-Learning
- Useful Links
- Case Studies
Throughout life, the bone marrow continuously produces a variety of blood cell lineages in a tightly controlled, yet flexible process termed haematopoiesis1. The 2 main groups of mature blood cells are red blood cells (RBCs) and white blood cells (WBCs), or leukocytes...
What’s in the CML Knowledge Centre?
- Haematopoiesis
- Haematological Malignancy and Leukaemia
- Epidemiology
- Clinical Presentation and Natural history of CML
- Phases of Disease
- Pathophysiology
- Diagnosis
- Prognosis
- Goals of Therapy
- Historical Perspective
- Chemotherapy: Hydroxyurea and Busulfan
- Interferon Alfa
- Stem-Cell Transplantation
- Current Treatment Options
- Other Therapeutic Approaches
- Ongoing Management
- Response Criteria in Ph+ CML
- European Leukemia Net Recommendations
- Imatinib - Glivec
- Indication
- Mechanism of Action
- Rationale
- Efficacy of Glivec
- Safety Information
- Information for Physicians
- Nilotinib
- Useful Links (General)
The prognosis of patients with diabetes is improved by interventions that reduce HbA1C which is influenced by both fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels. Postprandial hyperglycaemia per se is also an independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes and complications of diabetes.
What’s in the Diabetes Knowledge Centre?
- Screening & Diagnosis
- Lifestyle management
- Oral Agents
- Insulin Therapy
- Dual Action
- Short Term Action
- Product benefits
- References
- Suitable Devices
- In pump therapy
- The Need For Insulin Analogues
- Rationale
- IDF 2005
Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumours of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Before the current definition of GIST evolved, GISTs were classified as benign or malignant smooth muscle tumours including true smooth muscle tumours (leiomyomas, leiomyoblastomas, leiomyosarcomas) and neuronal tumours (schwannomas)
What’s in the GIST Knowledge Centre?
- Home- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours (GIST)
- Definition
- Epidemiology
- Etiology
- Pathophysiology
- Symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Histopathology
- Immunohistochemistry
- Differential Diagnosis
- Prognosis
- Goals of Therapy
- Historical perspective
- Current Options
- Other Therapeutic Approaches
- Ongoing Management
- Treatment Guidelines
- Imatinib - Mechanism of Action
- Rationale
- Clinical Investigation
- Monitoring
- Progression
- Efficacy
- Safety and Tolerability
- Management of Adverse Events
- Resistance
- Information for Physicians
- Useful Links (General)
Hepatitis can be caused by many different things including viral infections, parasites, bacteria, chemicals, autoimmunity, drugs or alcohol. Of these, viral infection is the most common cause of chronic (long-term) hepatitis, which can lead to severe liver damage including cirrhosis and liver cancer.
What’s in the Hepatitis Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Hepatitis B: Prevalence
- Hepatitis B: Burden
- Symptoms and Sequelae of Chronic Infection
- Hepatitis B: Modes of Transmission
- Hepatitis B: Viral Features
- Hepatitis B: Genotypes
- Hepatitis B:Natural history
- Hepatitis B: HBeAg status
- Hepatitis C: Prevalence
- Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes
- Hepatits C: Natural history
- Hepatitis C: Symptoms
- Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus
- Hepatitis C: High Risk Groups
- Stigma of Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis C: Screening
- Hepatitis C: Diagnosis
- Viral Monitoring
- Long-Term Consequences of Hepatitis C
- Quality of Life
- Overview
- Hepatitis C: Pegylated interferon alfa combined with Ribavirin
- Hepatitis C: Pharmacology
- Hepatitis C: Efficacy
- Hepatitis C: Emerging Therapies
- Side Effects for Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis C: Therapy Goals
- Patient-specific Treatment Consideration for Hepatitis C
- Special Patient Groups
- Diagnostic Tests & Patient Monitoring
- Hepatitis C:Treatment Guidelines
- Aetiology
- Glossary
Worldwide, every two minutes a woman dies of cervical cancer. Globally, cancer of the cervix is the second most prevalent cancer in women, causing nearly 500,000 new cases per year, and the third leading cause of female cancer deaths after breast and lung cancer. Each year an estimated 270,000 women die from the disease, 85% of whom are from the developing world.
What’s in the HPV & Cervical Cancer Knowledge Centre?
- Overview
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Natural History of HPV
- HPV Transmission and Acquisition
- Cervical Cancer Risk Factors
- From Oncogenic HPV to Cervical Cancer
- Immunology of HPV Infection
- Virology
- The Character of HPV
- HPV and Cervical cancer
- Other Disease Caused by HPV
- Epidemiology
- Geography
- Cervical Cancer and Age
- Lifetime Risk of Cervical Cancer
- The Cervix
- Anatomy
- Cell Biology
- Immunology of the Cervix
- Impact of abnormal screening results, pre-cancerous lesions and cervical cancer
- Impact of abnormal screening results, pre-cancerous lesions and cervical cancer on quality of life (QoL)
- Impact of Cervical Cancer on Years of Life Lost (YLL)
- Societal costs of pre-cancerous lesions and Cervical Cancer
- Prevention & Treatment of oncogenic HPV and cervical cancer
- Screening for Cervical Cancer
- Impact of Abnormal Screening Results
- Treatment of CIN and Cervical Cancer
- Prevention of Cervical Cancer where screening not implemented
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References
Hypertension, an increasingly common and chronic disease, and its consequences like stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure and renal damage mean an enormous financial burden for the community.
What’s in the Hypertension Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Definition/Classification hypertension
- Diagnostic Evaluation
- Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors
- The importance of Systolic Hypertension
- Hypertension and the Metabolic Syndrome
- Initiating Treatment
- Lifestyle Interventions
- Pharmacological Interventions
- Role played by angiotensin II and the sympathetic nervous system in determining systolic blood pressure
- Role played by angiotensin II
- Primary intervention studies using AIIAs
- A Dual Mechanism of Action
- Overview of efficacy with eprosartan in essential hypertension
- Eprosartan - effect on systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure
- Other Efficacy Trials
- Eprosartan in the secondary prevention of stroke: the MOSES study
- Effect of eprosartan on blood platelets and fibrinolytic function
- Renoprotection: the role of eprosartan
- Tolerability and safety of eprosartan
- Chemistry and pharmacokinetics of eprosartan
- Dosage and administration of eprosartan
- Summary: Benefits of eprosartan for patients with high blood pressure
- References for Eprosartan
- References for Moxonidine
- Overview of moxonidine
- Monotherapy - Efficacy of moxonidine versus active comparators
- Dose-response of moxonidine
- Long-term efficacy
- Role of moxonidine in combination with other antihypertensives
- Moxonidine in postmenopausal hypertensive women
- Moxonidine in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy
- Renal protection: the role of moxonidine
- Tolerability and safety of moxonidine
- Chemistry and mode of action of moxonidine
- The Effects of Moxonidine
- Pharmacokinetics of moxonidine
- Dosage and administration of moxonidine
- Therapeutic Approach in Special Conditions
- Resources
Insomnia is a very common and debilitating disease with major morbidity and social consequences. Despite the negative impact on the ability to function well during the day, insomnia is underdiagnosed and undertreated.
What’s in the Insomnia Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Insomnia
- Types
- Characterisation
- Classification
- Diagnosis
- Prevalence
- Impact of Insomnia
- Understanding Sleep
- Monitoring Sleep
- Sleep Architecture
- Sleep cycle stages
- Function of Sleep
- Neurobiology of Sleep
- Melatonin
- Treatment Options
- Non- pharmacological
- Sleep Hygiene Education
- Cognitive Therapy
- Alternative Therapies
- Melatonin receptor agonists
- Circadin
- Assessment Tools
- Benzodiazepine receptor agonists
- Antidepressants
- Non prescription medications
- Resources
- Downloads for Patients
- Useful Weblinks
- FAQ
- Abbreviations
- Journal Abstracts
Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are a group of progressive and often fatal genetic diseases that are caused by an inborn error of metabolism.
Learn more about Lysosomal Storage Diseases...
What’s in the Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) Knowledge Centre?
- About Lysosomal Storage Disorders
- When to suspect
- Alerting symptoms
- Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I (MPS I)
- Gaucher disease
- Fabry disease
- Pompe disease
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic tests for lysosomal storage disorders
- Treatment options for MPS I, Gaucher, Fabry and Pompe disease
- Learn more about lysosomal storage disorders: Disease Information
- Learn more about lysosomal storage disorders: Treatment Information
- List of relevant literature
This resource is aimed at physicians who are involved in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of men with hypogonadism. It aims to provide a better understanding of the epidemiology and etiology of male hypogonadism, the diagnostic procedures and the available treatment options for hypogonadal men.
What’s in the Men's Health Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Hypogonadism
- Epidemiology
- Etiology
- Physiology and Pathophysiology
- Biologic Effects of Androgens
- Rationale for Therapy
- Late-onset Hypogonadism (LOH)
- Symptoms
- Diagnosis of hypogonadism
- Therapy Options
- Initiating Treatment
- Monitoring
- Safety and Tolerability
- Clinical Trials/Studies
- Reviews
- Algorithm
- Patient Questionanaire and Evaluation Sheet
Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the meninges, a system of membranes that surround the brain and spine. It is mainly caused by bacteria and viruses but may occasionally be caused by fungi and amoebae..
What’s in the Meningitis Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Types/Causes
- Bacterial meningitis
- Neonatal meningitis
- Viral meningitis
- Other causes of meningitis
- Transmission
- Incidence
- Meningococcal Meningitis
- Pneumococcal Meningitis
- Hib Meningitis
- Risk Factors
- Symptoms
- Impact
- Identification
- Diagnosing
- Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis
- Neuro-imaging Studies
- Diagnosis of Viral Meningitis
- Clinical Features
- Treatment | Antibiotic Treatment
- Anti-inflammatory Agents
- Reduction of Intracranial Pressure
- Surgery
- Chemoprophylaxis
- Anti-viral Therapy
- Non-pharmacological
- Referral
- Monitoring
- Vaccination
- Bacterial meningitis
- N. Meningitis
- S. Pneumoniae
- Viral
- Current vaccination policies in European countries
- Chemoprophylaxis
- Risk Reduction
- Web Links
- FAQ's
Migraine is a common neurological disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of headache pain with associated symptoms including nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and, in a minority of patients, transient neurological symptoms, with visual disturbances being the most common.
What’s in the Migraine Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Is it Migraine?
- Migraine: Quick Check
- Migraine without aura: International Headache Society classification
- Migraine with typical aura: International Headache Society classification
- Headache
- Primary headache
- Secondary headache
- Migraine Aetiology
- What is Migraine?
- What Causes Migraine?
- Migraine triggers
- Migraine Epidemiology
- Economic Impact of Migraine
- Treating Migraine
- Screening
- Diagnosis
- Migraine Treatment Guidelines
- Headache Care for Practising Physicians (HCPC)
- US Headache Consortium Guidelines
- Migraine Treatment Options
- Acute Migraine Treatments
- Triptans
- Other acute migraine treatments
- Preventative Migraine Treatments
- Non-Pharmacological Migraine Treatments
- Migraine Treatment Strategies
- Step Care Across Attacks
- Step Care Within Attacks
- Stratified Care
- Zomig
- Zomig Nasal Spray
- 'Zomig Rapimelt'
- 'Zomig' Classic Tablets
- Zomig full prescribing information
- Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire
- Patient Diary
- Managing Your Migraine Booklet
- Migraine & Headache Resources
The NSCLC's account for 80% of all lung cancers and can be further subdivided into squamous-cell carcinoma, large-cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma (which includes bronchioloalveolar-cell carcinoma [BAC]).
What’s in the Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
- Causes
- Risk Factors
- Histology/Pathology
- Disease Staging/Prognosis
- TNM Systems
- Factors that affect prognosis
- Signs and Symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Early Stage disease (stage I, II, IIIA)
- Treatment Strategies
- Advanced disease (stage IV)
- Quality of Life in advanced NSCLC
- Future Strategies
- Treatment Therapies
- Chemotherapy
- First-line Therapy
- Second-line Therapy
- Unmet clinical need in advanced NSCLC
- Targeted therapies - Overview of cytotoxic drugs
- Recent developments in Cancer Cell Biology
- Current therapy - Erlotinib
- Resources
- Downloads - Physicians Materials
- Patient
- Downloads - Patient support
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of legal blindness among people over the age of 50 in the Western world. It affects the macula, the central part of the retina. As the photoreceptors begin to deteriorate, so does the central vision needed for everyday activities such as reading or driving.
What’s in the Ophthalmics Knowledge Centre?
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- Choroidal neovascularization
- Clinical development
- Efficacy
- Safety
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacodynamics
- Administration and light application
- Patient information
- References
- Chronic Eye Discomfort
- Allergic Irritation
- Allergen Challenge Studies Versus Placebo
- Studies with Active Controls
- Nasal Effects/Adjuntive or Combined Therapy
- Quality of Life
- Safety
- Product Summary
- Delaying Progression
- Lutein
- The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)
- Clinical Reports
- Physician downloads
- Patient Resources
Opioid analgesics are used to relieve moderate to severe pain. They can be used in the acute setting and are also appropriate for the treatment of certain cases of persistent non-cancer pain.
What’s in the Opioids and Pain Knowledge Centre?
- Prevalence of chronic pain
- Types of chronic pain
- Pain measurement
- Effects
- Initiating opioid therapy
- Monitoring
- Medication Additional and complementary therapy
- Opioids
- History
- Classification
- Why opioids?
- Administration
- Use in palliative care
- Adverse effects
- Misconceptions
- Web links
- Downloads
- Multimedia
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive, degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, which causes increasing disability over time. PD predominantly occurs in people over the age of 50 and is the commonest neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease that a physician will encounter.
What’s in the Parkinson's Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease
- Epidemiology of Parkinson's disease
- Making a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
- Assessing Parkinson's disease severity
- References Cited
- Treatment options
- Conventional levodopa
- Limitations with conventional levodopa therapy
- Modification strategies for conventional levodopa
- Dopamine agonists
- Amantadine
- Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors
- Monoamine oxidase B inhibitors
- Mode of action of anti-parkinsonian therapy
- Surgical options
- Making therapy choices (based on EFNS guidelines)
- Established/advanced Parkinson's disease
- Patient communication aids - resources for physicians to provide to patients
- Information for healthcare professionals
- Building a Parkinson's disease patient-care team
- Diagnostic and patient assessment tools
- Publications
- Meetings reports
- Congress Calendar
- Links to international professional groups/organisations
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is characterised by a gradual and permanent loss of kidney function that worsens as it progresses from stages 1 to 5. One of the most common complications of CKD is anaemia. Renal anaemia is secondary to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and it appears early in the course of CKD, worsening as it progresses.
What’s in the Renal Anaemia Knowledge Centre?
- Renal Anaemia Home
- Definition
- Epidemiology of CKD
- Incidence and Prevalence of Stage 5 CKD
- Treatment of CKD
- Renal Anaemia: Definition
- Causes
- Effects
- Challenges
- Associated Symptoms
- CKD and Anaemia
- CKD and renal Anaemia
- Implications of CKD related anaemia
- AnaemiaWorld
- Diagnosis: Overview
- Haemoglobin levels in renal anaemia
- Diagnostic flow chart
- Diagnostic tests: Establishing the cause of anaemia
- Diagnostic tests: Determining kidney function
- Diagnostic tests: Comorbidities tests
- Introduction
- Anaemia Treatment In CKD Patients
- Current Challenges in the Management of CKD-Related Anaemia
- Introducing C.E.R.A
- mode of action
- Safety
- SPC
- Clinical Study highlights
- Treatment guidelines
- Current issues in anaemia management
- Useful External Links
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common cardiovascular disease after coronary disease and stroke. The clinical diagnosis of VTE is unreliable and VTE is often silent. Only about half the patients suspected of having deep vein thrombosis (DVT) actually have the disease. Unrecognised and untreated VTE may lead to harmful consequences.
What’s in the Thrombosis Knowledge Centre?
- Home
- Definition
- Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
- What is DVT?
- What is post-thrombotic syndrome?
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Epidemiology of VTE
- risk factors
- Risk Stratification for VTE
- Coronary Syndromes
- Diagnosing Deep-vein Thrombosis
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Prevention
- Management of DVT
- Management of Pulmonary Embolism
- Post-Thrombotic Syndrome
- Acute Coronary Syndromes
- Non-pharmacological prevention
- Heparins
- LMWH
- Anto Xa Ingibitor
- Pharmacological Properties
- Presentation
- Administration
- Safety Information
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Medical Patients
- VTE
- Summary
- Thromboprophylaxis
- Anticoagulants
- Monitoring
- Complications
- Resources
- Patient downloads
- Weblinks
- FAQ
- Glossary
- Further Reading

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