Our library of drug research abstracts drawn from the medical literature is updated on a regular schedule, and you can be assured that new covera research articles will be listed here shortly after becoming available to us.
Related Sponsors
Medical research on covera
J Contemp Health Law Policy. 2004; 21(1): 99-136
Crouch CC
Population analyses of sustained-release verapamil in patients: effects of sex, race, and smoking.
Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2003 Jan; 73(1): 31-40
Kang D, Verotta D, Krecic-Shepard ME, Modi NB, Gupta SK, Schwartz JB
OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the effects of age, sex, and sustained-release formulation on apparent oral clearance of sustained-release racemic verapamil in patient populations. METHODS: Population pharmacokinetic analyses were performed on data from 186 patients with hypertension, coronary artery disease, or supraventricular arrhythmias who were receiving long-term sustained-release oral racemic verapamil (Covera SR in 105 patients, Calan SR in 67 patients, and other formulations in 14 patients; mean +/- SD dose, 280 +/- 139 mg) for clinical care or as a part of phase III efficacy studies. Of those 186 patients, 135 were men (age, 63 +/- 12 years; ideal body weight, 70.7 +/- 6.6 kg) and 51 were women (age, 60 +/- 17 years; ideal body weight, 53.7 +/- 7.2 kg). Verapamil was measured by HPLC, and population analyses were performed by use of NONMEM software. Sex, age, and formulation were the covariates considered in the population model building. Subgroup analyses of race, smoking, and alcohol consumption were also performed. Significance of covariates was determined by likelihood ratio tests. RESULTS: Sex significantly affected steady-state clearance of oral sustained-release racemic verapamil. Apparent oral clearance of sustained-release verapamil was 23.8 +/- 2.3 mL/min per kilogram in women compared with 18.6 +/- 3.4 mL/min per kilogram in men. Clearance estimates were faster in black subjects compared with white subjects, as well as in smokers compared with nonsmokers. Effects of age, formulation, and alcohol consumption were not detected. CONCLUSIONS: In middle-aged and older patients, apparent oral clearance of sustained-release racemic verapamil was affected by sex (faster in women compared with men), race (faster in black subjects compared with white subjects), and smoking (faster in smokers compared with nonsmokers) but not by age, alcohol, or formulation.
Pharmacology of cardiovascular chronotherapeutic agents.
Am J Hypertens. 2001 Sep; 14(9 Pt 2): 296S-301S
Smith DH
Although sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or stroke can occur at any time of day, event rates increase during the waking hours, particularly in the morning. In most people-both normotensive and hypertensive-blood pressure (BP) rises rapidly in the early morning hours, the time when most individuals wake and begin their day. This rise in BP corresponds to increased secretion of catecholamines and increased plasma renin activity. Thus, vascular tone and total peripheral resistance increase in the morning hours, and BP rises as a result. At the same time, heart rate increases. In the late morning or early afternoon, BP reaches its peak. After that, BP declines, falling 15 to 20 mm Hg between about 8 PM and 2 AM, the time when BP is usually lowest. These findings have led to an interest in chronotherapy for hypertension. A major objective of chronotherapy for hypertension is to deliver the drug in higher concentrations during the early-morning post-awakening period, when BP is highest, and in lesser concentrations during the middle of a sleep cycle, when BP is low. Traditional sustained-release pharmacologic agents, which deliver a near-constant drug concentration, were not designed to complement the circadian pattern. There are currently two antihypertensive agents, Verelan PM (verapamil HCl) and Covera HS (verapamil HCl), that provide chronotherapy for hypertension. These drugs use novel delivery systems that provide 24-h BP control while maximizing drug concentrations in the morning and minimizing drug concentrations during sleep.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2000 May 1; 47(2): 443-50
Katz A, Eifel PJ, Moughan J, Owen JB, Mahon I, Hanks GE
PURPOSE: To describe the relationship between socioeconomic variables and the treatment of patients with radiotherapy for cervix cancer.40% minority patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Sixty-two institutions werw r andomly selected from a list of all radiotherapy facilities in the Unite d States. From these we randomly selected and reviewed 471 cases of squ amous cell carcinoma treated during 1992 to 1994. To create an addition al minority-rich sample, we randomly selected 215 additional cases from 17 randomly selected institutions that admitted >40% minority patients. The median household income of each patient's neighborhood was determined by matching her zip code to data from the 1990 United States Census. RESULTS: Pati ents who lived in low-income neighborhoods, who had only Medicaid covera ge, or who were treated at large academic or minority-rich institutions tended to have a poorer initial performance status, higher-stage or bulk y central disease, and a lower pretreatment hemoglobin level. Ability t o complete treatment did not correlate with ethnicity or income. Howeve r, noncompliant patients tended to be treated at minority-rich instituti ons and were more often < 40 or > 60 years old. Patients who completed definitive treatment were more likely to have had
Covera-HS offers proven protection in hypertension and angina in alignment with circadian rhythm.
Adv Nurse Pract. 1997 Aug; 5(8): 66