Search

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in the death of over 18 000 Canadians and has impacted the lives of all Canadians. Many Canadian research groups have expanded their research programs to include COVID-19. Over the past year, our knowledge of this novel disease has grown and has led to the initiation of a number of clinical vaccine and drug trials for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Here, we review SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19) and the natural history of COVID-19, including a timeline of disease progression after SARS-CoV-2 exposure. We also review the pathophysiological effects of COVID-19 on the organ systems that have been implicated in the disease, including the lungs, upper respiratory tract, immune system, central nervous system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal organs, the liver, and the kid- neys. Then we review general therapeutics strategies that are being applied and investigated for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19, including vaccines, antivirals, immune system enhancers, pulmonary supportive agents, immunosuppressants and (or) anti-inflammatories, and cardiovascular system regulators. Finally, we provide an overview of all current Health Canada authorized clinical drug and vaccine trials for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19. Key words: COVID-19, COVID-19 pharmacology, COVID-19 pathophysiology, Health Canada authorized clinical trials, COVID-19 drugs and vaccines. La maladie a coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) a entraine la mort de plus de 18 000 Canadiens avec une incidence sur la vie de tous les Canadiens. De nombreux groupes de recherche canadiens ont elargi le champ de leur programme de recherche pour y inclure la COVID-19. Au cours de la derniere annee, notre connaissance de cette nouvelle maladie s'est accrue et a mene a la mise en oeuvre d'un certain nombre d'essais cliniques sur les vaccins et les medicaments en vue de la prevention et du traitement de la COVID-19. Dans cet article de synthese, nous passons en revue le SARS-CoV-2 (le coronavirus qui cause la COVID-19) et l'histoire naturelle de la COVID-19, y compris le decours temporel de l'evolution de la maladie apres une exposition au SARS-CoV-2. Nous passons aussi en revue les effets physiopathologiques de la COVID-19 sur les systemes organiques que l'on a impliques dans la maladie, y compris les poumons, les voies respiratoires superieures, le systeme immunitaire, le systeme nerveux central, le systeme cardiovasculaire, les organes gastro-intestinaux, le foie et les reins. Nous passons ensuite en revue les strategies therapeutiques generales que l'on a appliquees et etudiees pour la prevention ou le traitement de la COVID-19, y compris les vaccins, les antiviraux, les facilitateurs du systeme immunitaire, les agents de soutien de la respiration, les immunosuppresseurs et les anti-inflammatoires, ainsi que les regulateurs du systeme cardiovasculaire. Enfin, nous offrons un apercu de tous les medicaments autorises en clinique par Sante Canada de meme que des essais sur les vaccins et les medicaments aux fins de prevention et de traitement de la COVID-19. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: COVID-19, pharmacologie de la COVID-19, physiopathologie de la COVID-19, essais cliniques approuves par Sante Canada, medicaments et vaccins contre la COVID-19., Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). First identified in December [...]

Byline: L. A. Piruzyan (1), E. M. Mikhailovskii (1) Abstract: The concept of pharmacological ethnic safety is presented. Drug safety varies for different ethnic groups (populations) depending on their metabolic status, i.e., the proportion of individuals with a certain phenotype for drug metabolism (inactivation) and the 'starting' (initial) state of the enzymes metabolizing them. To determine population metabolic status and predict the possible risk of drug side effects, compilation of 'ethnic pharmacological data sheets' is needed. According to the results, drugs exported to monoethnic and multiethnic countries should be thoroughly tested for metabolic safety for ethnic groups with particular drug-metabolism phenotypes. On the basis of this concept, the ethnic metabolic safety of drugs subjected to phase I biotransformation reactions (oxidation and hydrolysis) has been theoretically estimated. The dependence of the predisposition to side effects of these drugs on the frequencies of different phenotypes for the types and rates of these two reactions is specially emphasized. Author Affiliation: (1) Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Kosygina 4, Moscow, 117977, Russia. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics Article History: Registration Date: 11/10/2004

This study examined the nature of cognitive reactivity to mood changes in formerly depressed patients. Patients who recovered either through cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT; N = 25) or through pharmacotherapy (PT; N = 29) completed self-reported ratings of dysfunctional attitudes before and after a negative mood induction procedure. In response to similar levels of induced sad mood, PT patients showed a significant increase in dysfunctional cognitions compared with patients in the CBT group. To evaluate the effects of such cognitive reactivity on the subsequent course of depression, follow-up analyses reassessed 30 patients several years after initial testing. Results indicated that patients' reactions to the mood induction procedure were predictive of depressive relapse. These findings argue for differential effects of treatment on cognitive reactivity to mood induction and for the link between such reactivity and risk for later depressive relapse.

Psychological and pharmacological comparative outcome studies are reviewed, typically using select examples of cognitive-behavioral interventions from among the psychological therapies and of depression from among the disorders. Special attentional is given to methodological considerations such as selecting outcome measures, calibrating the quality of therapy, and investigating client and therapist characteristics and the therapeutic relationshop. Discussion includes consideration of various modes of comparison (i.e., quickness of action, side effects, relapse, compliance, cost-effectiveness) that may be used in comparative outcome studies. A disorder-specific approach to comparative outcome research is seen as a necessary step in the progress toward an increasingly sophisticated discrimination of distinctive, complementary, and interactive therapeutic processes.

Csajka C, Verotta D. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling: history and perspectives. J Pharmacokin Pharmacodyn. 2006;11:1-53. Chantal Csajka and David Verotta review the history of pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling starting from the 1960s with the [...]