Matching articles for "verapamil"
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 27, 2024; (Issue 1703)
American College of Cardiology/American Heart
Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines for treatment of
hypertension were last published in 2018. Treatment
of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies is not
discussed...
American College of Cardiology/American Heart
Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines for treatment of
hypertension were last published in 2018. Treatment
of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies is not
discussed here.
Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • January 8, 2024; (Issue 1693)
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia
in the world. Risk factor modification, anticoagulation,
rhythm control, and rate control are the four pillars
of its management. American College of...
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia
in the world. Risk factor modification, anticoagulation,
rhythm control, and rate control are the four pillars
of its management. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines
on management of AF were updated recently.
Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • January 8, 2024; (Issue 1693)
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia
in the world. Risk factor modification, anticoagulation,
rhythm control, and rate control are the four pillars
of its management. American College of...
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia
in the world. Risk factor modification, anticoagulation,
rhythm control, and rate control are the four pillars
of its management. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines
on management of AF were updated recently.
Comparison Table: Some Drugs for Migraine Prevention in Adults (online only)
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 12, 2023; (Issue 1678)
...
View the Comparison Table: Some Drugs for Migraine Prevention in Adults
Drugs for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 12, 2023; (Issue 1678)
An oral nonopioid analgesic is often sufficient for
acute treatment of mild to moderate migraine pain
without severe nausea or vomiting. A triptan is the
drug of choice for treatment of moderate to...
An oral nonopioid analgesic is often sufficient for
acute treatment of mild to moderate migraine pain
without severe nausea or vomiting. A triptan is the
drug of choice for treatment of moderate to severe
migraine in most patients without vascular disease.
Treatment of pain when it is still mild to moderate in
intensity improves headache response and reduces
the risk of recurrence.
Mavacamten (Camzyos) for Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 13, 2022; (Issue 1652)
The FDA has approved mavacamten (Camzyos –
MyoKardia/BMS), a modulator of cardiac myosin, to
improve functional capacity and symptoms in adults
with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or
III...
The FDA has approved mavacamten (Camzyos –
MyoKardia/BMS), a modulator of cardiac myosin, to
improve functional capacity and symptoms in adults
with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or
III obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
who have a baseline left ventricular ejection fraction
(LVEF) ≥55%. Mavacamten is the first drug in its class
to become available in the US.
Drugs for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • October 5, 2020; (Issue 1608)
An oral nonopioid analgesic is often sufficient for acute
treatment of mild to moderate migraine headache
without severe nausea or vomiting. A triptan is the
drug of choice for treatment of moderate to...
An oral nonopioid analgesic is often sufficient for acute
treatment of mild to moderate migraine headache
without severe nausea or vomiting. A triptan is the
drug of choice for treatment of moderate to severe
migraine headache pain in most patients without
vascular disease. Early treatment of pain when it is
still mild to moderate in intensity improves headache
response and reduces the risk of recurrence.
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 18, 2020; (Issue 1598)
Drugs available for treatment of chronic hypertension
and their dosages, adverse effects, and costs are
listed in the tables. Treatment
of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies is not
discussed...
Drugs available for treatment of chronic hypertension
and their dosages, adverse effects, and costs are
listed in the tables. Treatment
of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies is not
discussed here.
Drugs for Atrial Fibrillation
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • September 9, 2019; (Issue 1580)
Treatment of atrial fibrillation includes anticoagulation,
rate control, and rhythm control. US guidelines were
recently...
Treatment of atrial fibrillation includes anticoagulation,
rate control, and rhythm control. US guidelines were
recently updated.
Triptorelin (Triptodur) for Central Precocious Puberty
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • January 1, 2018; (Issue 1537)
The FDA has approved an extended-release
intramuscular suspension formulation of the
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist
triptorelin (Triptodur – Arbor/Debiopharm) for twice-yearly
treatment of...
The FDA has approved an extended-release
intramuscular suspension formulation of the
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist
triptorelin (Triptodur – Arbor/Debiopharm) for twice-yearly
treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP)
in children ≥2 years old. Triptorelin has been available
in the US for years as Trelstar for palliative treatment
of advanced prostate cancer. Before the approval
of Triptodur, Trelstar was used off-label for treatment of CPP.
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • March 13, 2017; (Issue 1516)
in the US and their dosages, adverse effects, and
costs are listed in the tables.
Treatment of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies
is not discussed...
in the US and their dosages, adverse effects, and
costs are listed in the tables.
Treatment of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies
is not discussed here.
Drugs for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 13, 2017; (Issue 1514)
An oral nonopioid analgesic may be sufficient for
treatment of mild to moderate migraine without severe
nausea or vomiting. A triptan is the drug of choice for
treatment of moderate to severe migraine. Use...
An oral nonopioid analgesic may be sufficient for
treatment of mild to moderate migraine without severe
nausea or vomiting. A triptan is the drug of choice for
treatment of moderate to severe migraine. Use of
a triptan early in an attack when pain is still mild to
moderate in intensity improves headache response
and reduces recurrence rates.
Comparison Table: Some Drugs for Migraine Prevention in Adults (online only)
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 13, 2017; (Issue 1514)
...
View the Comparison Table: Some Drugs for Migraine Prevention in Adults
Prestalia - Another Combination for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • July 20, 2015; (Issue 1473)
The FDA has approved Prestalia (Symplmed), an
oral fixed-dose combination of the dihydropyridine
calcium channel blocker amlodipine (Norvasc, and
generics) and a new salt form of the...
The FDA has approved Prestalia (Symplmed), an
oral fixed-dose combination of the dihydropyridine
calcium channel blocker amlodipine (Norvasc, and
generics) and a new salt form of the angiotensin-converting
enzyme (ACE) inhibitor perindopril, for
treatment of hypertension in patients not adequately
controlled on monotherapy or already taking both
drugs, and in those just starting therapy who are
likely to need multiple drugs to control their blood
pressure. The new salt form (perindopril arginine) is
more stable and has a longer shelf-life than perindopril
erbumine (Aceon, and generics). Two other ACE
inhibitor/calcium channel blocker combinations,
benazepril/amlodipine (Lotrel, and generics) and
trandolapril/verapamil ER (Tarka, and generics), have
been available in the US for many years.
Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • July 7, 2014; (Issue 1446)
The treatment of atrial fibrillation includes anticoagulation,
rate control, and rhythm control. New US
guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation
have recently been...
The treatment of atrial fibrillation includes anticoagulation,
rate control, and rhythm control. New US
guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation
have recently been published.
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 1, 2014; (Issue 141)
Most recent guidelines recommend a BP goal of 140/90 mm Hg. For patients ≥60 years old without diabetes
or chronic kidney disease, one guideline recommends
150/90 mm Hg both as the drug treatment...
Most recent guidelines recommend a BP goal of 140/90 mm Hg. For patients ≥60 years old without diabetes
or chronic kidney disease, one guideline recommends
150/90 mm Hg both as the drug treatment initiation
threshold and treatment target; this higher target is
controversial, except in patients ≥80 years old.
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • January 1, 2012; (Issue 113)
Drugs available in the US for treatment of chronic
hypertension, with their dosages and adverse effects,
are listed in the tables that begin on page 2.
Combination products are listed on page 8. Drugs...
Drugs available in the US for treatment of chronic
hypertension, with their dosages and adverse effects,
are listed in the tables that begin on page 2.
Combination products are listed on page 8. Drugs for
treatment of hypertensive emergencies are not discussed
here. They were reviewed previously.
New Simvastatin Dosing Recommendations
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • August 8, 2011; (Issue 1370)
The FDA has announced changes in the labeling of simvastatin to reduce the risk of myopathy. These changes include limiting the use of the 80-mg maximum dose to patients who have been taking it for 12 months or...
The FDA has announced changes in the labeling of simvastatin to reduce the risk of myopathy. These changes include limiting the use of the 80-mg maximum dose to patients who have been taking it for 12 months or more without evidence of myopathy and new recommendations for use of simvastatin with other drugs. Simvastatin is available alone (Zocor, and others) and in combination with ezetimibe (Vytorin) and with niacin (Simcor).
Drugs for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 1, 2011; (Issue 102)
Drugs for treatment of migraine are listed in Table 2
on page 9. Drugs for prevention of migraine are listed
in Table 3 on page 10. Treatment of migraine in the
emergency room, which may involve use of...
Drugs for treatment of migraine are listed in Table 2
on page 9. Drugs for prevention of migraine are listed
in Table 3 on page 10. Treatment of migraine in the
emergency room, which may involve use of intravenous
drugs, is not included here.
Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • September 1, 2010; (Issue 97)
The treatment of atrial fibrillation includes ventricular rate control, anticoagulation, conversion to normal sinus rhythm and maintenance of sinus rhythm. The choice of therapies that can achieve these goals...
The treatment of atrial fibrillation includes ventricular rate control, anticoagulation, conversion to normal sinus rhythm and maintenance of sinus rhythm. The choice of therapies that can achieve these goals is discussed in the text that follows. Some drugs are recommended here for indications that have not been approved by the FDA.
Everolimus and Pazopanib: Two New Drugs for Renal Cell Cancer
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 3, 2010; (Issue 1337)
Everolimus (Afinitor – Novartis) and pazopanib (Votrient – GlaxoSmithKline), two oral multikinase inhibitors, have been approved by the FDA for treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Sunitinib (Sutent)...
Everolimus (Afinitor – Novartis) and pazopanib (Votrient – GlaxoSmithKline), two oral multikinase inhibitors, have been approved by the FDA for treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Sunitinib (Sutent) and sorafenib (Nexavar), two other oral multikinase inhibitors, and temsirolimus (Torisel), an IV multikinase inhibitor, were approved earlier for the same indication.
Dronedarone (Multaq) for Atrial Fibrillation
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • October 5, 2009; (Issue 1322)
Dronedarone (Multaq - Sanofi-Aventis) has been approved by the FDA for oral treatment of atrial fibrillation and flutter. Amiodarone (Cordarone, and others) is the most effective drug for this indication, but...
Dronedarone (Multaq - Sanofi-Aventis) has been approved by the FDA for oral treatment of atrial fibrillation and flutter. Amiodarone (Cordarone, and others) is the most effective drug for this indication, but has considerable toxicity.
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • January 1, 2009; (Issue 77)
Drugs available in the US for treatment of chronic hypertension, with their dosages, adverse effects and costs, are listed in the tables that begin on page 2. Combination products are listed on page 9. Drugs...
Drugs available in the US for treatment of chronic hypertension, with their dosages, adverse effects and costs, are listed in the tables that begin on page 2. Combination products are listed on page 9. Drugs for treatment of hypertensive emergencies are not discussed here. They were reviewed in Treatment Guidelines (volume 1, page 19, December 2002) and in The Medical Letter (volume 50, page 73, September 22, 2008).
Drug Interactions with Simvastatin
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • October 20, 2008; (Issue 1297)
A recent letter to the editor of the Annals of Internal Medicine documented a single case of myopathy apparently due to an interaction between simvastatin (Zocor, and others) and green tea. Since it became...
A recent letter to the editor of the Annals of Internal Medicine documented a single case of myopathy apparently due to an interaction between simvastatin (Zocor, and others) and green tea. Since it became available generically, simvastatin has surpassed atorvastatin (Lipitor) as the best selling statin. As such, it is probably the most common cause of statin-induced myopathy, which is often a result of drug interactions.
Drugs for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • March 1, 2008; (Issue 67)
Some drugs for treatment of migraine attacks are listed in table 2 on page 18. Drugs for prevention of migraine are listed in table 3 on page 20. Treatment of migraine in the emergency room, which may involve...
Some drugs for treatment of migraine attacks are listed in table 2 on page 18. Drugs for prevention of migraine are listed in table 3 on page 20. Treatment of migraine in the emergency room, which may involve use of intravenous drugs, is not included here.
Drugs for Cardiac Arrhythmias
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 1, 2007; (Issue 58)
The drugs of choice for treatment of common cardiac arrhythmias are listed in Tables 1 and 2. Some drugs are recommended for indications that have not been approved by the FDA....
The drugs of choice for treatment of common cardiac arrhythmias are listed in Tables 1 and 2. Some drugs are recommended for indications that have not been approved by the FDA.
Drugs in the Elderly
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • January 16, 2006; (Issue 1226)
The physiologic changes that occur with aging can affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of many prescription and over-the-counter drugs, increasing the likelihood of adverse...
The physiologic changes that occur with aging can affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of many prescription and over-the-counter drugs, increasing the likelihood of adverse effects.
CYP3A and Drug Interactions
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • July 4, 2005; (Issue 1212)
Serious adverse interactions between drugs continue to be reported. Many of these are due to inhibition or induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, particularly CYP3A4. CYP3A is thought to be involved in the...
Serious adverse interactions between drugs continue to be reported. Many of these are due to inhibition or induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, particularly CYP3A4. CYP3A is thought to be involved in the metabolism of more than 50 percent of currently prescribed drugs.2 CYP3A4, which is more abundantly expressed than CYP3A5, accounts for most CYP3A activity in vivo.
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 1, 2005; (Issue 34)
Drugs available in the US for treatment of chronic hypertension, with their dosages, adverse effects and costs, are listed in the tables that begin on page 40. Combination products are listed on page 47. Drugs...
Drugs available in the US for treatment of chronic hypertension, with their dosages, adverse effects and costs, are listed in the tables that begin on page 40. Combination products are listed on page 47. Drugs for treatment of hypertensive emergencies are not discussed here.
Topiramate (Topamax) for Prevention of Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • January 31, 2005; (Issue 1201)
Patients with frequent, severe or disabling migraine headaches may benefit from taking a drug to prevent the attacks. Beta-blockers traditionally have been the prophylactic treatment of choice, but in recent...
Patients with frequent, severe or disabling migraine headaches may benefit from taking a drug to prevent the attacks. Beta-blockers traditionally have been the prophylactic treatment of choice, but in recent years some antiepileptic drugs such as valproate (Depakote, and others) and topiramate (Topamax) have also been used for this indication. Valproate was approved by the FDA for such use in 1996. Now topiramate has also been approved.
Safety of Aggressive Statin Therapy
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 22, 2004; (Issue 1196)
New guidelines from The National Cholesterol Education Program recommend, as a therapeutic option, lowering treatment goals for LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) from...
New guidelines from The National Cholesterol Education Program recommend, as a therapeutic option, lowering treatment goals for LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) from <100 mg/dL to <70 mg/dL for patients at very high risk for coronary heart disease and from 130 mg/dL to <100 mg/dL for those at moderately high risk. A likely consequence of these recommendations is increased use of statins and use of higher doses with a concomitant increase in adverse effects.
Drugs for Cardiac Arrhythmias
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 1, 2004; (Issue 27)
The drugs of choice for treatment of common cardiac arrhythmias are listed in the table that begins on the next page; some drugs are recommended for indications for which they have not been approved by the US...
The drugs of choice for treatment of common cardiac arrhythmias are listed in the table that begins on the next page; some drugs are recommended for indications for which they have not been approved by the US FDA. The dosages and adverse effects of each drug are listed in the table that begins on page 80. Antiarrhythmic drugs may themselves cause arrhythmias, which can be fatal. Some of these drugs may increase rather than decrease mortality, especially in patients with structural heart disease.
Drugs for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • September 1, 2004; (Issue 25)
Drugs for treatment of migraine attacks are listed in the table on page 64. All of the oral drugs are most effective if taken early in an attack when the pain is mild (H Christoph-Diener et al, Neurology 2004;...
Drugs for treatment of migraine attacks are listed in the table on page 64. All of the oral drugs are most effective if taken early in an attack when the pain is mild (H Christoph-Diener et al, Neurology 2004; 63:520). Drugs for prevention of migraine are listed in the table on page 65. Treatment of migraine in the emergency room, which may involve use of intravenous drugs, is not included here.
Initial Therapy of Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • July 5, 2004; (Issue 1186)
The importance of adequate control of hypertension in preventing organ damage and death is well established, but the choice of drugs is still controversial. Three recent drug trials, one supporting initial...
The importance of adequate control of hypertension in preventing organ damage and death is well established, but the choice of drugs is still controversial. Three recent drug trials, one supporting initial therapy with a diuretic, the second favoring an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, and the third showing equivalence between a calcium-channel blocker and an angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB) have intensified the debate.
Drug Interactions with Grapefruit Juice
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • January 5, 2004; (Issue 1173)
The ability of grapefruit juice to increase serum concentrations of drugs was first discovered during a study of the effect of ethanol on felodipine (Plendil) pharmacokinetics. Double-strength grapefruit juice...
The ability of grapefruit juice to increase serum concentrations of drugs was first discovered during a study of the effect of ethanol on felodipine (Plendil) pharmacokinetics. Double-strength grapefruit juice used to disguise the taste of ethanol resulted in higher than expected serum concentrations of felodipine (DG Bailey et al, Clin Invest Med 1989; 12:357).
Drug Interactions
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 8, 2003; (Issue 1158)
Changes caused by one drug in the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of another may lead to a pharmacokinetic adverse drug interaction (DN Juurlink et al, JAMA 2003; 289:1652). Additive drug...
Changes caused by one drug in the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of another may lead to a pharmacokinetic adverse drug interaction (DN Juurlink et al, JAMA 2003; 289:1652). Additive drug interactions, such as vasodilation caused by both sildenafil (Viagra) and nitrates, can also have adverse effects.
Eplerenone (Inspra)
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 12, 2003; (Issue 1156)
Eplerenone (e pler' en one; Inspra - Pharmacia), an aldosterone receptor antagonist similar to spironolactone (Aldactone, and others), has been approved by the FDA, but not yet marketed, for treatment of...
Eplerenone (e pler' en one; Inspra - Pharmacia), an aldosterone receptor antagonist similar to spironolactone (Aldactone, and others), has been approved by the FDA, but not yet marketed, for treatment of hypertension. It has also been tried for treatment of heart failure.
Eletriptan (Relpax) for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • April 28, 2003; (Issue 1155)
Eletriptan hydrobromide (Relpax Pfizer) is now available in the US for oral treatment of migraine headache in adults. It is the seventh serotonin 5-HT1B/1D-receptor agonist (triptan) to be approved by the FDA...
Eletriptan hydrobromide (Relpax Pfizer) is now available in the US for oral treatment of migraine headache in adults. It is the seventh serotonin 5-HT1B/1D-receptor agonist (triptan) to be approved by the FDA for this indication. This review describes the pharmacokinetics, adverse effects, drug interactions and recommended dosage of eletriptan. Clinical trials comparing the new drug to placebo and to sumatriptan are presented. A dosage and cost table for all the triptans available in the US is also included. The review concludes with an overall assessment of eletriptan's efficacy and safety.
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 1, 2003; (Issue 6)
Drugs available in the US for treatment of chronic hypertension, with their dosages, adverse effects and costs, are listed in the table that begins on page 35. Combination products are listed on page 39. Drugs...
Drugs available in the US for treatment of chronic hypertension, with their dosages, adverse effects and costs, are listed in the table that begins on page 35. Combination products are listed on page 39. Drugs for treatment of hypertensive emergencies were discussed in Treatment Guidelines volume 1, issue 4, page 19, December 2002.
Generic drugs
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • October 14, 2002; (Issue 1141)
When patents expire on brand-name drugs and generic formulations become available, patients and managed care organizations may express a preference for the lower-cost generics. Are they equivalent to the...
When patents expire on brand-name drugs and generic formulations become available, patients and managed care organizations may express a preference for the lower-cost generics. Are they equivalent to the brand-name product?
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • March 5, 2001; (Issue 1099)
Drugs available in the USA for treatment of chronic hypertension, their dosages and adverse affects are listed in the table and discussed in the...
Drugs available in the USA for treatment of chronic hypertension, their dosages and adverse affects are listed in the table and discussed in the text.
Colesevelam (Welchol) For Hypercholesterolemia
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • October 30, 2000; (Issue 1091)
Colesevelam hydrochloride (Welchol - Sankyo Pharma), a nonabsorbed hydrophilic polymer that binds bile acids, has been approved by the FDA for reduction of plasma LDL cholesterol in patients with primary...
Colesevelam hydrochloride (Welchol - Sankyo Pharma), a nonabsorbed hydrophilic polymer that binds bile acids, has been approved by the FDA for reduction of plasma LDL cholesterol in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia.
Dofetilide for Atrial Fibrillation
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 15, 2000; (Issue 1078)
Dofetilide (Tikosyn - Pfizer), a new methanesulfonamide antiarrhythmic drug, has recently been marketed for oral treatment of atrial fibrillation and...
Dofetilide (Tikosyn - Pfizer), a new methanesulfonamide antiarrhythmic drug, has recently been marketed for oral treatment of atrial fibrillation and flutter.
Drug Interactions
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • July 2, 1999; (Issue 1056)
Reports of adverse interactions between drugs continue to accumulate. Recently, the FDA has expanded the recommendations on drug interactions found in the package inserts of new...
Reports of adverse interactions between drugs continue to accumulate. Recently, the FDA has expanded the recommendations on drug interactions found in the package inserts of new drugs.
Drugs for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • March 12, 1999; (Issue 1048)
Drugs available in the USA for treatment of chronic hypertension, their dosages and adverse affects are listed in the table and discussed in the...
Drugs available in the USA for treatment of chronic hypertension, their dosages and adverse affects are listed in the table and discussed in the text.
New "Triptans" and Other Drugs for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • October 9, 1998; (Issue 1037)
Three new 5-HT1 receptors agonissts ('triptans') have been marketed recently for treatment of migraine. Some drugs for prevention of migraine are listed in the table on page 99. Treatment of migraine in the...
Three new 5-HT1 receptors agonissts ('triptans') have been marketed recently for treatment of migraine. Some drugs for prevention of migraine are listed in the table on page 99. Treatment of migraine in the emergency room, which may involve use of intravenous drugs, is not included here.
Mibefradil--A New Calcium-Channel Blocker
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 7, 1997; (Issue 1013)
Mibefradil dihydrochloride (Posicor - Roche), a chemically distinct nondihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is being heavily promoted as...
Mibefradil dihydrochloride (Posicor - Roche), a chemically distinct nondihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is being heavily promoted as the first T-type calcium-channel blocker for treatment of hypertension and chronic stable angina.
Safety of Calcium-Channel Blockers
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 14, 1997; (Issue 994)
Reports of increased mortality associated with calcium-channel blockers have caused concerns among patients taking these drugs and their...
Reports of increased mortality associated with calcium-channel blockers have caused concerns among patients taking these drugs and their physicians.
Nisoldipine-A New Calcium-Channel Blocker for Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 16, 1996; (Issue 968)
Nisoldipine (Sular -Zeneca), a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker structurally similar to nifedipine, has been approved for marketing by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is available in an oral...
Nisoldipine (Sular -Zeneca), a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker structurally similar to nifedipine, has been approved for marketing by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is available in an oral extended-release formulation for treatment of hypertension.
Grapefruit Juice Interactions With Drugs
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • August 18, 1995; (Issue 955)
In a study of the interaction between alcohol and the calcium-channel blocker felodipine (Plendil), the grapefruit juice vehicle for the alcohol appeared to increase felodipine plasma concentrations....
In a study of the interaction between alcohol and the calcium-channel blocker felodipine (Plendil), the grapefruit juice vehicle for the alcohol appeared to increase felodipine plasma concentrations. Subsequent studies have found that grapefruit juice increases plasma concentrations of several calcium-channel blockers and of some other drugs as well (DG Bailey et al, Clin Pharmacokinet, 26:91, 1994).
Drugs for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • March 3, 1995; (Issue 943)
Drugs are used both to prevent and treat migraine symptoms. The effectiveness of such use can be difficult to evaluate, even with double-blind controlled trials, because migraine is episodic, response to...
Drugs are used both to prevent and treat migraine symptoms. The effectiveness of such use can be difficult to evaluate, even with double-blind controlled trials, because migraine is episodic, response to placebo is frequent, and patients vary in response to a given agent (KMA Welch, N Engl J Med, 329:1476, 1993; SD Silberstein and RB Lipton, Neurology, 44 suppl 7:S6, Oct 1994).
Drugs for Stable Angina Pectoris
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • December 9, 1994; (Issue 937)
Many nitrates, beta-blockers, and calcium-channel blockers have now been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of stable angina pectoris. The table beginning on page 112 lists the...
Many nitrates, beta-blockers, and calcium-channel blockers have now been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of stable angina pectoris. The table beginning on page 112 lists the individual drugs, their dosage, and their cost.
Amlodipine - A New Calcium-Channel Blocker
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • October 30, 1992; (Issue 882)
Amlodipine (am loe' di peen) besylate (Norvasc - Pfizer), a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for once-daily oral treatment of hypertension,...
Amlodipine (am loe' di peen) besylate (Norvasc - Pfizer), a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for once-daily oral treatment of hypertension, chronic stable angina, and vasospastic (Prinzmetal's) angina.
Sumatriptan for Migraine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • October 2, 1992; (Issue 880)
Sumatriptan (soo ma trip' tan; Imitrex - Glaxo), a serotonin (5-HT) agonist, is now available in Canada and may soon be available in the USA for oral or parenteral treatment of migraine headache. The...
Sumatriptan (soo ma trip' tan; Imitrex - Glaxo), a serotonin (5-HT) agonist, is now available in Canada and may soon be available in the USA for oral or parenteral treatment of migraine headache. The parenteral formulation is designed for patients to inject themselves subcutaneously. Sumatriptan is not recommended for prophylactic use.
Felodipine - Calcium-Channel Blocker For Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • December 13, 1991; (Issue 859)
Felodipine (Plendil - Merck), an extended-release preparation of a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker was recently marketed in the USA for oral treatment of hypertension. An immediate-release formulation...
Felodipine (Plendil - Merck), an extended-release preparation of a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker was recently marketed in the USA for oral treatment of hypertension. An immediate-release formulation is available in some other countries.
Ondansentron To Prevent Vomiting After Cancer Chemotherapy
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 28, 1991; (Issue 847)
Ondansetron (on dan' se tron; Zofran - Glaxo), a serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) antagonist, was recently marketed in the USA for intravenous use to prevent nausea and vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy. An...
Ondansetron (on dan' se tron; Zofran - Glaxo), a serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) antagonist, was recently marketed in the USA for intravenous use to prevent nausea and vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy. An oral formulation is available in many other countries.
Isradipine For Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 31, 1991; (Issue 845)
Isradipine (DynaCirc - Sandoz), a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker chemically related to nicardipine (Cardene) and nifedipine (Procardia, and others), was recently approved by the US Food and Drug...
Isradipine (DynaCirc - Sandoz), a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker chemically related to nicardipine (Cardene) and nifedipine (Procardia, and others), was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral treatment of hypertension.
Bepridil for Angina Pectoris
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 31, 1991; (Issue 845)
Bepridil hydrochloride (Vascor - McNeil Pharmaceutical/Wallace Laboratories), a calcium-channel blocking agent chemically unrelated to verapamil (Calan, and others), nifedipine (Procardia, and others), or...
Bepridil hydrochloride (Vascor - McNeil Pharmaceutical/Wallace Laboratories), a calcium-channel blocking agent chemically unrelated to verapamil (Calan, and others), nifedipine (Procardia, and others), or other drugs in this class, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris. Because of its potential adverse effects, the labeling recommends reserving the drug for patients who fail to respond optimally to or are intolerant of other antianginal agents.
Doxazosin For Treatment of Hypertension
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 22, 1991; (Issue 838)
Doxazosin (mesylate - Roerig), an alpha1-adrenergic receptor blocker similar to prazosin (Minipress, and others) and terazosin (Hytrin), was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for...
Doxazosin (mesylate - Roerig), an alpha1-adrenergic receptor blocker similar to prazosin (Minipress, and others) and terazosin (Hytrin), was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of hypertension.
Adenosine
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 29, 1990; (Issue 821)
Adenosine (Adenocard - Fujisawa), an endogenous purine nucleoside, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for intravenous treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, including...
Adenosine (Adenocard - Fujisawa), an endogenous purine nucleoside, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for intravenous treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, including Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. Adenosine is not approved for and has not been effective in treating atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, or ventricular tachycardias.
Nicardipine - A New Calcium-Entry Blocker
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • May 5, 1989; (Issue 791)
Nicardipine (Cardene - Syntex), a dihydropyridine calcium-entry blocker structurally related to nifedipine (Procardia; Adalat), was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral treatment...
Nicardipine (Cardene - Syntex), a dihydropyridine calcium-entry blocker structurally related to nifedipine (Procardia; Adalat), was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral treatment of angina and hypertension. Advertisements for the drug claim that nicardipine is more vasoselective; than other calcium-channel blockers and does not depress myocardial contractility.