Dronedarone was approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence last month for use as a second-line option in patients with non-permanent atrial fibrillation. Mojgan Sani describes the clinical evidence for its use and the implications for practice.

The administration of ready-to-use injectable medicines can help reduce safety risks. However, although this may appear to provide an ideal solution to many problems, a number of barriers need to be broken down in order for it to work at a national level, says Kevan Wind.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are being investigated as excipients to help overcome drug delivery problems in paediatric medicine. This article describes a number of applications for CDs, and their importance and safety profile in paediatric formulations. By Anjumn Shabir and Afzal-Ur-Rahman Mohammed.

A structured approach to the management of hospital inpatients who are opiate-dependent is important and can help prevent problems such as inadequate control of withdrawal symptoms. This article presents guidelines developed by the emergency care pharmacy team at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, to improve the management of these patients. By Steven Storey.
A correction has been published (see BJ Clin Pharm 2010;2:330).

By Neil Richardson

Advances in the management of anaemia in patients with chronic kidney disease, including the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, was one of the topics covered at this year’s UK Renal Pharmacy Group conference. Shona Kirk reports.

The cost-savings that can be gained by using robotics in the provision of secondary care pharmacy services were showcased at the recent ‘Robotics 2010’ conference, organised by Conventus. Shona Kirk reports.

This month the EMA has suspended the marketing authorisation for all rosiglitazone-containing medicines following safety concerns. In this article, Philip Brown explains how clinical pharmacy input into monitoring and reporting the safety of drugs could result in fewer effective drugs being withdrawn from the market.