Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol Use in an Outpatient Palliative Medicine Population.

BACKGROUND: Palliative medicine physicians are challenged by lack of guidance regarding effectiveness and dosing of cannabis products in the setting of their emerging popularity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe early patterns of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) use in Florida following passage of the state's first medical marijuana law. We describe here the perceived benefits, side effects, and beliefs expressed by patients in a single outpatient academic palliative medicine practice. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed of a sequential convenience sample of patients who presented to an outpatient academic palliative medicine clinic over a 3-month period. RESULTS: In all, 24% (14/58) of respondents reported THC use, with half using THC on a daily basis. Patients reported improvements in pain, appetite, and nausea. In all, 71% (10/14) began using THC after the diagnosis of their chronic illness, and the most common form of usage was vaping. In all, 24% (14/58) of patients reported CBD use. Patients reported improvements in pain, and the most common form of usage was topical application. None of the patients had used CBD prior to the onset of their chronic illness. In all, 21% (3/14) of THC users and 21% (3/14) of CBD users thought that their substance was helping to cure their illness. Individual reported side effects in both groups were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately a quarter of outpatient palliative care patients use THC or CBD, often on a daily basis. Palliative care providers should be aware of the frequency, diverse usage, and beliefs behind cannabis product use in this patient population.

Lack of bioequivalence of levofloxacin when coadministered with a mineral-fortified breakfast of juice and cereal.

Previous studies have demonstrated that the chelation interactions demonstrated between fluoroquinolones and antacids also occur when they are coadministered with mineral-fortified foods. This study was conducted to evaluate the bioequivalence of levofloxacin when administered in a fasting state as compared to when it was administered with a common breakfast of calcium-fortified orange juice and ready-to-eat cereal. Fourteen of 16 healthy volunteers completed this study and received 500 mg of levofloxacin with each of the following: (1) 12 ounces of water, (2) subject-measured portions of juice and cereal, and (3) subject-measured portions of juice and cereal with milk. Plasma samples were collected prior to dosing and for up to 48 hours after. The results demonstrated that neither fed phase was bioequivalent to the fasting arm in terms of Cmax (with milk, 79.2% [72.6%, 85.7%]; without milk, 79.1% [73.3%, 84.9%]). In addition, a weak correlation was identified between the amount of change in 24-hour exposure and mineral fortification. The results of this study further demonstrate a need to require additional fed-fasted bioequivalence studies for drugs that demonstrate no interaction with the FDA meal but have significant interactions with drugs or supplements that contain large amounts of multivalent ions.