Aug
13
Econazole - Efalizumab - Eflornithine - Enalapril - Enfuvirtide - Entacapone
August 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Generic Name
Econazole (ee-KON-uh-zole) 92
Brand Name Spectazole
Type of Drug Antifungal.
Prescribed For
Fungal infections of the skin, including athlete’s foot. jock itch, and ringworm.
General Information
Econazole nitrate can kill fungal organisms that may have penetrated to deep layers of the skin. Very small amounts of econazole are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use econazole if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Do not apply econazole cream in or near your eyes.
Long-term application of this product to large areas of skin may cause liver damage.
Possible Side Effects
♦ Most common: burning, itching, stinging, and redness in the areas to which the cream has been applied.
Drug Interactions None known.
Usual Dose
Adult: Apply enough of the cream to cover affected areas with a thin layer 1-2 times a day.
Overdosage
Accidental ingestion may cause nausea, upset stomach, drowsiness, and liver inflammation or damage. Call your local poison control center for more information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription container.
Special Information
Clean the affected areas before applying econazole cream, unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Dry the infected area thoroughly and wear loose-fitting clothes to keep the area cool and dry.
Call your doctor if the treated area burns, stings, or becomes red.
This product can be expected to relieve symptoms within 1 or 2 days after you begin using it. Follow your doctor’s directions for the complete 2-4-week course of treatment to gain maximum benefit. Stopping the drug too soon can lead to a relapse.
If you forget a dose of econazole, apply it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not apply a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: When given by mouth to pregnant animals in high doses, econazole was toxic to the fetus. It should be strictly avoided during the first 3 months of pregnancy. During the last 6 months of pregnancy, it should be used only if absolutely necessary.
Econazole may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should consider using infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may take this drug without special restriction.
Efalizumab (ef-ah-LIZ-u-mab)
Brand Name Raptiva
Type of Drug
Immune system suppressant.
Prescribed For
Chronic to severe plaque psoriasis.
General Information
Efalizumab is a manmade antibody that works by binding to specific areas of certain white blood cells called leukocytes. This prevents the leukocytes from interacting with other cells and interrupts inflammation that is involved in the development of patches of psoriatic skin. The molecule that efaluzimab interacts with is found on many other key cells found in the immune system, and this is the source of many of the drug’s more serious side effects.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use this drug if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
People taking efalizumab are at a greater risk of infection because it suppresses the immune system. Contact your doctor if you develop any kind of infection, including a common cold. Serious infections may require hospitalization.
The chances of malignancy may be increased by efalizumab because it suppresses the immune system. People with any type of cancer should not use this drug.
Efalizumab may lead to bleeding because it can cause a drastic reduction in blood-platelet counts. People with a history of low blood-platelet counts should be extremely cautious about using efalizumab.
Psoriasis can get worse or recur during or after efalizumab treatment in a small number of people. Call your doctor immediately if your condition worsens while you are taking efalizumab.
Possible Side Effects
Headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting are common alter taking the very first dose of elaki7umab. A “conditioning” dose of about 0.3 mg per lb. of body weight is often given to minimize these reactions.
V Most common: headache, infections, chills, nausea, and pain.
V Common: muscle aches, flu-like symptoms, itching, and fever.
Possible Side Effects (continued)
✓ Less common: back pain, arthritis, lung inflammation, and
acne.
♦ Rare: psoriasis, arthritis, joint pain, malignancy, low blood-platelet count, and drug allergy or sensitivity. Other rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Efalizumab is an immune system suppressant and should not be combined with other immune suppressant drugs because of the increased risk of infection and malignancy.
• Combining vaccines (live and acellular) with efalizumab may exaggerate the body’s response to the vaccine and increase the risk of developing the disease against which the vaccination is being administered. People taking etalizurnab should not receive vaccines.
Food Interactions None known.
Usual Dose
Adult: 0.3 mg per lb. of body weight to start. Then about 0.5 mg per lb. of body weight once a week on the same day. The maximum dose is 200 mg by subcutaneous injection. Mix your dose immediately before it is to be injected and throw away any unused medicine.
Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Doses up to 4 times the recommended dose have been taken for 10 weeks without additional side effects. However, overdose victims should be taken to a hospital emergency room for observation. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special information
See your doctor regularly while you are taking efaluzima6. Regular blood tests are required to make sure your blood platelets are not unusually low.
Tell your doctor if you gain or lose weight, since doses of efaluzimab are based on how much you weigh.Tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking including other medicines for psoriasis, non-prescription drugs, vitamins,
and herbal supplements.
Store unused medicine in the refrigerator. Throw away medicine that has been mixed but not used.
Call your doctor immediately if you develop bleeding gums, black-and-blue marks, any kind of infection, begin to bruise easily, or if you are told by another doctor that you have any kind of cancer.
This drug is given by injection under the skin. For more information on how to properly administer this drug, see page 1242.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: It is not known how efaluzimab will affect a growing fetus. Animal studies using doses equal to 30 times the human dose showed no adverse effects. While animal studies of efaluzimab reveal no damage to the fetus, this drug should be used only during pregnancy after carefully weighing its potential benefits against its risks.
It is not known if efaluzimab passes into breast milk, although it might affect the nursing infant’s developing immune system. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors should be cautious about using efaluzimab because of the increased risk of infection.
Generic Name
Eflornithine (eh-FLOOR-nih-thene)
Brand Name
Vaniga,
Type of Drug
Hair growth retardant.
Prescribed For
Removal of unwanted facial hair by women.
General Information
This drug has only been studied for its ability to prevent hair growth on the face and chin and should not be used on other body areas. It works by interfering with enzymes in the skin necessary for hair growth, slowing the rate at which hair will grow. Improvement may be seen as soon as 4-8 weeks after you start using eflornithine, but the condition will return within 8 weeks after you stop using it.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use eflornithine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
For external use only; do not ingest.
Possible Side Effects
Eflornithine side effects are similar to those of a placebo (sugar pill).
✓ Most common: acne, bumps, or small pustules on the skin. V -Common: stinging.
✓ Less common: headache, dizziness, burning, itching, redness, tingling, irritation, rash, hair loss, upset stomach, and appetite loss.
✓ Rare: fainting, ingrown hairs, inflamed hair follicles, facial swelling, nausea, bleeding, contact dermatitis, inflammation of one or both lips, herpes breakout, numbness, and dilated blood vessels and pores on the nose and cheeks. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Food and Drug Interactions None known.
Usual Dose
Adult and Child Me 11 anti over): Apply a thin layer of cream to ai ected areas and rub in thoroughly 2 times a day at least 8 hours apart. Do not wash your face until at least 4 hours after you have applied eflornithine cream. Wait at least 5 minutes after hair removal to apply eflornithine.
Child (under age 12): not recommended.
Overdosage Little is about the effects of eflornithine overdose or acci-
Li known
dental ingestion. Call your local poison control center for more information. ALWAYS bring the prescription container.
Special Information
If you forget to apply a dose of eflornithine, apply it as soon as you remember. Bear in mind that at least 8 hours must elapse between doses and you cannot wash the area for another 4 hours after application. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule.
This product slows hair growth. It is not a depilatory. You will have to continue shaving, tweezing, or using another hair removal technique.
Wait several minutes after application of eflornithine before applying cosmetics or sunscreen.
Use only on your face and neck.
Call your doctor if your skin becomes irritated or if you develop other side effects. If skin irritation continues, you may have to stop using eflornithine.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Eflornithine cream may cause birth defects. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if this drug passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may use eflornithine without special restriction.
Generic Name
Enalapril (uh-NAL-uh-pril)
Brand Name
Vasotec
Combination Product
Ggner;c Ingredients: Enalapril + Hydrochlorothiazide RE Vaseretic
Type of Drug
Angiotensi n -converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.
Prescribed For
Hypertension (high blood pressure), heart failure, diabetic kidney disease, and heart attack treatment when the function of the left ventricle has been affected. Also prescribed for kidney failure, kidney hypertension, managing people with a high risk of heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and preventing a second stroke.
General Information
Enalapril maleate and other ACE inhibitors work by preventing the conversion of a hormone called angiotensin I to another hormone called angiotensin II, a potent blood-vessel constrictor. Preventing this conversion relaxes blood vessels, thus reducing blood pressure and relieving symptoms of heart failure. Enalapril also affects the production of other hormones and enzymes that participate in the regulation of blood-vessel dilation. Enalapril begins working about 1 hour after you take it and continues to work for 24 hours.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take enalapril if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients. Severe sensitivity reactions can occur in hemodialysis patients taking enalapril or those undergoing venom immunization.
Swelling of the face, extremities, or throat has been known to occur with enalapril, which can be dangerous (see “Special Information”).
Enalapril occasionally causes very low blood pressure.
Enalapril may affect your kidney function, especially if you have congestive heart failure. Your doctor should check your urine for protein content during the first few months of treatment. Dosage adjustment of enalapril is necessary if you have reduced kidney function.
Enalapril can affect white-blood-cell counts, possibly increasing your susceptibility to infection. Your doctor should monitor your blood counts periodically.
Enalapril may cause serious Injury or death to the fetus if taken duriRcA pregnancy. Pregnant women should not take enalapril.
ACE inhibitors may be less effective in some black patients with high blood pressure, especially when dietary salt intake is high. Nevertheless, they should still be considered useful blood pressure treatments. Swelling beneath the skin to form welts is more common among black patients.
Possible Side Effects
♦ Most common-. dizziness, fatigue, headache, and chronic cough. The cough usually goes away a few days after you stop taking the medication.
♦ Less common: chest tightness or pain, dizziness when rising from a sitting or lying position, fainting, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bronchitis, urinary tract infection, breathing difficulties, weakness, and rash.
♦ Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
For additional information about enalapril + felodipine, see Felodipine, page 471.
Drug Interactions
• The blood-pressure-lowering effect of enalapril is additive with diuretic drugs and beta blockers. Any other drug that causes a rapid drop in blood pressure should be used with caution if you are taking enalapril.
• Enalapril may increase the effects of lithium; this combination should be used with caution.
• Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the blood-pressure-lowering effects of enalapril and other ACE inhibitors. The combination may cause reductions in kidney function.
• Enalapril may increase blood-potassium levels, especially when taken with dyazide or other potassium-sparing diuretics.
• Antacids and enalapril should be taken at least 2 hours apart.
• Capsaicin may trigger or aggravate the cough associated with enalapril therapy.
• Indomethacin may reduce the blood-pressure-lowering effects of enalapril.
• Phenothiazine sedatives and antiemetics may increase the ef - feZIS of enalapril.
• Rifampin may reduce the effects of enalapril.
• The combination of allopurinol and enalapril increases the chance of side effects. Avoid this combination.
• Enalapril affects blood levels of digoxin. More digoxin in the blood increases the chance of digoxin-related side effects, while less digoxin in the blood can compromise its effectiveness.
• Severe sensitivity reactions can occur in those taking allo-
purinol.
For additional information about enalapril + felodipine, see Felodipine, page 471.
Food Interactions
You may take enalapril with food if it upsets your stomach.
Usual Dose
Enalapril
Adult: 5-40 mg a day in 1 or 2 doses. People with poor kidney function need less medication.
Enalapril + Felodipine
Adult: 1-2 tablets a day.
Overdosage
The principal effect of enalapril overdose is a rapid drop in blood pressure, as evidenced by dizziness or fainting. Take the overdose victim to a hospital emergency room immediately. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Enalapril can cause swelling of the face, lips, hands, or feet. This swelling can also affect the larynx (throat) or tongue and interfere with breathing. If this happens, go to a hospital emergency room at once. Call your doctor if you develop a sore throat, mouth sores, abnormal heartbeat, chest pain, persistent rash, or loss of taste perception.
Some people who start taking enalapril after they are already on a diuretic (an agent that increases urination) experience a rapid drop in blood pressure after their first doses or when their dosage is increased. To prevent this from happening, your doctor may tell you to stop taking your diuretic 2 or 3 days before starting enalapril or to increase your salt intake during that time. The diuretic may then be restarted gradually.
You may gO dizzy if you rise to your feet too quickly from a sitting or lying position when taking enalapril.
Avoid strenuous exercise or very hot weather because heavy
sweating or dehydration can cause a rapid drop in blood pressure.
While taking enalapril, avoid over-the-counter diet pills, decon-
gestants, and other stimulants that can raise blood pressure. Also,
do not take potassium supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium without consulting your doctor.
If you take enalapril once a day and forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is within 8 hours of your next dose, skip the one you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. If you take enalapril twice a day and miss a dose, take it right away. If it is within 4 hours of your next dose, take 1 dose immediately and another in 5 or 6 hours, then go back to your regular schedule. Never take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: ACE inhibitors can cause fetal injury or death. Women who are or might become pregnant should not take ACE inhibitors. Sexually active women of childbearing age who must take enalapril must use an effective contraceptive method to prevent pregnancy. If you become pregnant, stop taking the medication and call your doctor immediately.
Small amounts of enalapril pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may be more sensitive to the effects of this drug due to age-related losses in kidney or liver function.
Generic Name
Enfuvirtide (en-M-ir-tide)
fusing to healthy CD4 cells, a key part of the human immune system. This helps fight HIV by having fewer HIV-infected cells as well as a healthier immune system to fight off the HIV virus. Enfuvirtide is always prescribed in combination with other antiviral medicines. It is possible for the HIV virus to become resistant to enfuvirtide, but this drug can work against types of the virus that have become resistant to other anti-HIV therapies.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take enfuvirtide if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients. Symptoms of drug allergy can include generalized itching, rash, severe chills, and low blood pressure. In rare cases, enfuvirtide triggers severe hypersensitivity. Patients experiencing symptoms (a combination of rash, fever, nausea, and/or respiratory distress) should stop using enfuvirtide and seek medical attention immediately.
People taking enfuvirtide may be more likely to develop bacterial pneumonia. See your doctor regularly and report any difficulty breathing or unusual respiratory reactions.
Enfuvirtide may raise blood sugar levels, worsen diabetes, or trigger latent diabetes. People with diabetes who take this drug may need to have the dosage of their anti-diabetes medication adjusted.
Possible Side Effects
✓ Most common: allergic skin reaction at the site of injection (symptoms include itching, rash, and swelling of tissue under the skin), diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, and sleeplessness.
✓ Common: tingling in the hands or feet, depression, anxiety, cough, sinusitis, herpes infection, weight loss, appetite loss, weakness, itching, and muscle ache.
✓ Less common: taste changes, small skin tumors, flu infection, constipation, abdominal pain, pancreas inflammation, conjunctivitis and lymph gland inflammation.
‘T Rare: Rare side effects can affect the blood, immune system, kidneys, urinary tract, and central nervous system. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
Enfuvirtide is not broken down in the liver and does not affect liver enzyme systems, so it is not likely to be involved in common drug
interactions.
Food Interactions
None known. Usual Dose
Adult and Child (age 17 and over): 90 mg injected under the skin into the upper arm, thigh, or abdomen twice a day.
Child (age 6-16): 0.91 mg per lb. of body weight twice a day, up to 90 mg per injection. Be sure to increase enfuvirtide dosage as your child’s weight increases.
Child (under age 6): not recommended.
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of enfuvirtide overdose. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Enfuvirtide is not a cure for HIV It will not prevent you from transmitting the HIV virus to another person; you must still practice safe sex. People taking this drug may still develop opportunistic infections and other complications associated with HIV infection.
This drug is given by injection under the skin. For information on how to properly administer this drug, see page 1242.
Do not use a vial of enfuvirtide if the final solution has particles floating in it. It should be completely clear, colorless, and have no bubbles in the vial.
You may keep solutions of enfuvirtide in the refrigerator and use them for up to 24 hours after they have been mixed. After that, they must be thrown away.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, become pregnant, os plan to become pregnant.
Do not stop taking this, or any other anti-HIV medicine, without first consulting your doctor.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: While animal studies of enfuvirtide reveal no damage to the fetus, this drug should only be used during pregnancy after carefully weighing its potential benefits against its risks. A national registry has been established to gather information on pregnant women who take this drug.
It is not known if enfuvirtide passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers with HIV should always use infant formula, regardless of whether they take this drug, to avoid transmitting the virus to their child.
Seniors: The effects of enfuvirtide in seniors is unknown.
Generic Name
Entacapone (in-TACK-a-pohn)
Brand Name Comtan
Type of Drug Antiparkinsonian.
Prescribed For
Parkinson’s disease patients for whom levodopa + carbidopa loses its effectiveness between doses.
General Information
Entacapone is always used in combination with levodopa + carbidopa. Some patients experience signs and symptoms of an end-of-dose “wearing-off” effect with these drugs. Entacapone enhances the effect of levodopa + carbidopa by reversing the action of an enzyme known as catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), which is primarily responsible for breaking down levodopa in the body.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take entacapone If yOU are allergic or sensitive to any of At *Ingredients.
Do not take entacapone with phenelzine or tranyleypromine, as a very serious reaction may occur.
People with liver disease should use entacapone with caution as they may accumulate twice as much of this drug in their blood as people with normal liver function.
Entacapone has been rarely associated with the formation of fibrous tissues in unusual places such as the urinary tract and lungs. It has also caused fluid in the lungs.
Entacapone may cause kidney toxicity.
Entacapone may increase the risk of dizziness or fainting when rising from a sitting or lying down position.
Hallucinations have been reported with other Parkinson’s disease drugs.
Possible Side Effects
♦ Most common: difficulty performing voluntary muscle functions, excessive muscle activity, nausea, urine discoloration, and diarrhea.
♦ Common: reduced muscle activity, dizziness, fatigue, constipation, and abdominal pain.
✓ Less common: low blood pressure and fainting when rising from a sitting or lying position, hallucinations, anxiety, agitation, gastritis or other stomach disorders, dry mouth, vomiting, increased sweating, back pain, taste changes, shortness of breath, easy bruising, weakness, and bacterial infection.
♦ Rare: muscle damage or death, high fever, and confusion. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Do not mix entacapone with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAGI) antidepressants phenelzine or tranylcypromine. Entacapone may be taken with the MAGI selegiline.
• Other drugs broken down by COMT will also be affected by entacapone. Isoproterenol, epinephrine, ephedrine, norepinephrine, isoetharine, and others will interact with entacapone, even when taken by inhalation. The result may be increased heart rate, wybylh m ias, and excessive changes in Uwd pressure.
• Cholestyramine, probenecid, erythromycin, rifampin, ampicillin, and chloramphenicol may interfere with the elimination of entacapone from the body.
• Entacapone may enhance the effects of sedatives and other nervous system depressants.
Food Interactions
This drug may be taken with or without food.
Usual Dose
Adult: 200 mg with each levodopa + carbidopa dose, up to
1600 mg a day.
Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Theoretically, a massive entacapone overdose could prove lethal by completely inhibiting COMT throughout the body. There have been no reports of significant entacapone overdose. Doses up to 800 mg have been taken and side effects were mainly abdominal pain and loose stools. Other effects that might be expected include difficulty breathing, loss of muscle coordination, reduced level of activity, and convulsions. Overdose victims should be taken to a hospital emergency room as soon as possible. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Always take your entacapone dose together with your levodopa + carbidopa dose. If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is within 2 hours of your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule.
This drug can cause dizziness, nausea, sweating, or fainting when rising quickly from a sitting or lying position, especially at the beginning of treatment.
Increased body movements and twitching, twisting, or uncontrolled tongue, lip, face, arm, or leg movement may occur. If this happens, your doctor may need to adjust your dose of levodopa + carbidopa.
Exercise caution when performing tasks, such as driving, that require coordination and concentration until your body has become accustomed to the effects of entacapone.
Gradually reducing the dose of entacapone decreases some drug side effects.
Rapid withdrawal can cause high fever, sweating, unstable blood pressure, stupor, and muscular rigidity. Patients who stop using entacapone should be monitored.
Entacapone can cause your urine to turn a brownish-orange color. This change is harmless.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Entacapone causes birth defects, miscarriage and abortion in pregnant animals. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be weighed against its risks.
Entacapone passes into the breast milk of animals but no information on humans is available. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may take this drug without special precaution.
Aug
1
Cholestyramine
August 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Generic Name
Cholestyramine (kol-es-TYE-rah-meen) 0
Brand Names
LoCHOLEST Questran
LoCHOLEST Light Questran Light Prevalite
The information in this profile also applies to the following drugs:
Generic Ingredient: Colesevelam Hydrochloride WelChol
Generic Ingredient: Colestipol Hydrochloride Colestid
Type of Drug
Anti -hyperli pidemic (blood-fat reducer).
Prescribed For
High blood-cholesterol levels; generalized itching associated with bile duct obstruction—cholestyramine only; colitis; digitalis or thyroid overdose; and pesticide poisoning.
General Information
Cholestyramine resin lowers blood-cholesterol levels by absorbing bile acids in the bowel. Since the body uses cholesterol to make the bile acids—needed to digest fat—fat digestion can only continue by making more bile acid from blood cholesterol. This results in lower blood-cholesterol levels 4-7 days after starting cholestyramine.
Cholestyramine w3Cks entirely Within the bowel and is never absorbed into the bloodstream. Though usually given 3-4 times a day, there appears to be no advantage to taking it more often than twice a day. The cholesterol-lowering effect of cholestyramine may be increased when it is taken with an HMG-CoA inhibitor or nicotinic acid. In some kinds of hyperlipidemia, colestipol may be more effective in lowering total blood cholesterol than clofibrate.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use cholestyramine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or if your bile duct is blocked. The powder form should not be taken dry; doing so may result in the inhalation of powder into your lungs or a clogged esophagus.
If you are being treated for hypothyroidism, diabetes, kidney or blood vessel disorder, obstructive liver disease, or alcholism, consult your doctor before taking cholestyramine.
Cholestyramine may cause or worsen constipation and hemorrhoids. Most constipation is mild, but some people may need to stop the medication or take less of it.
Possible Side Effects
✓ Most common: constipation, which may be severe and in rare cases result in bowel impaction. Hemorrhoids may be worsened.
♦ Less common: abdominal pain and bloating, and bleeding disorders or black-and-blue marks due to interference with the absorption of vitamin K, a necessary factor in the blood clotting process. One person developed night-blindness because the medication interfered with vitamin A absorption into the blood. Other side effects include belching, gas, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heartburn, and appetite loss. Your stool may have an unusual appearance because of a high fat level.
✓ Rare: Rare side effects can affect your mouth, stomach and intestines, muscles and joints, mental status, urinary tract, and breathing. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
O Cholestyramine interferes with the absorption of virtually all oral drugs, including acetaminophen, amiodarone, aspirin, cephalexin, chenodiol, clindamycin, clofibrate, contraceptive drugs, corticosteroids, diclofenac, iopanoic acid, iron, digitalis drugs, furosemide, gemfibrozil, glipizide, hydrocortisone, imipramine (an antidepressant), methyldopa, mycophenolate, nicotinic acid, penicillin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, piroxicam, propranolol, tetracycline, thiazide diuretics, thyroid drugs, tolbutamide, trimethoprim, ursodiol, warfarin and other anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drugs, and vitamins A, D, E, and K. Take other medications at least 1 hour before or 4-6 hours after taking cholestyramine.
Food Interactions
Take this medication before meals. The powder may be mixed with soda, water, juice, cereal, or pulpy fruits, such as applesauce or crushed pineapple. Cholestyramine bars should be thoroughly chewed and taken with plenty of fluids. Colestipol pills are swallowed whole.
Usual Dose
Cholestyramine: 4 g (1 packet) or 1 level scoopful taken 1-2 times a day or up to 6 times a day.
Colesevelam: 6 tablets once a day or in 2 divided doses. Colestipol: 2-16 g (1-6 packets) once a day or in divided doses.
Overdosage
The most severe effect of overdose is obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. Take the overdose victim to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Do not swallow the granules or powder in their dry form. Prepare each packet of powder by mixing it with soup, cereal, or pulpy fruit or by adding the powder to a 6-oz. glass of liquid, such as a carbonated beverage. If some of the drug sticks to the sides of the glass, rinse it with liquid and drink the remainder.
Constipation, gas, nausea, and heartburn may occur and then disappear with continued use of this medication. If constipation is a problem, your doctor may recommend drinking more fluids and taking a fiber supplement. Call your doctor if these side effects persist or if you develop unusual problems such as bleeding from the gums or rectum.
If you miss a dose of cholestyramine, skip it and continue with your regular scheduke. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: While cholestyramine does not affect the fetus directly, it may prevent the absorption of vitamins A, D, and E and other nutrients essential to the fetus’ proper development–even when you take, a prenatal vitamin supplement.
When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
Cholestyramine is not absorbed into the body. However, reduced absorption of vitamins A, D, and E and other nutrients may make your milk less nutritious. Nursing mothers who must take cholestyramine should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors are more likely to experience side effects, especially those relating to the bowel.
Aug
1
Chlordiazepoxide
August 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Generic Name
Chlordiazepoxide (klor-dye-az-uh-PDX-ide) 91
Brand Name
Librium
Type of Drug Benzodiazepine sedative.
Prescribed For
Anxiety, tension, fatigue, agitation, and withdrawal symptoms of alcoholism; also prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome and panic attacks.
General Information
Chlordiazepoxide is a member of the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepines work by a direct effect on the brain. They can relax you and make you more tranquil or sleepier, or they can slow nervous system transmissions in such a way as to act as an anticonvulsant. Many doctors prefer benzodiazepines to other drugs that can be used to similar effect because they tend to be safer, have fewer side effects, and are usually as effective, if not more so.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take chlordiazepoxide if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or to another benzodiazepine, including clonazepam.
Chlordiazepoxide can aggravate narrow-angle glaucoma, but you may take it if you have open-angle glaucoma and are receiving therapy for it.
Other condkjo(\SiVN\,NhjCb chlordiazepoxide should be used with caution are severe depression, especially with suicidal tendencies, severe lung disease, sleep apnea (intermittent cessation of breathing during sleep), liver disease, drunkenness, and kidney disease.
Chlordiazepoxide should not be taken by psychotic patients because it is not effective for them and can trigger unusual excitement, stimulation, and rage. It has also produced similar reactions among hyperactive and aggressive pediatric patients.
Chlordiazepoxide is not intended for more than 3-4 months of continuous use. Your condition should be reassessed before continuing chlordiazepoxide beyond that time.
Chlordiazepoxide may be addictive. Drug withdrawal may develop if you stop taking it after only 4 weeks of regular use, but is more likely after longer use. It may start with anxiety and progress to tingling in the hands or feet, sensitivity to bright light, sleep disturbances, cramps, tremors, muscle tension or twitching, poor concentration, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, appetite loss, sweating, and changes in mental state.
Dosage of chlordiazepoxide should be decreased gradually over 4-8 weeks after prolonged use.
Possible Side Effects
Weakness and confusion may occur, especially in seniors and in those who are sickly.
♦ Most common: mild drowsiness during the first few days of therapy.
✓ Less common: depression, lethargy, disorientation, edema, headache, inactivity, slurred speech, stupor, dizziness, tremor, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, inability to control urination, sexual difficulties, irregular menstrual cycle, changes in heart rhythm, low blood pressure, fluid retention, blurred or double vision, itching, rash, hiccups, nervousness, inability to fall asleep, and occasional liver - dysfunction. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking the medicine and contact your doctor immediately.
♦ Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Chlordiazepoxide is a central-nervous-system depressant. Avoid alcohol, other sedatives, narcotics, barbiturates, mono-amine oxidase inhibitor and other antidepressants, and antihistamines. Taking chlordiazepoxide with these drugs may result in excessive depression, tiredness, sleepiness, breathing difficulties, or related symptoms.
• Smoking may reduce the effectiveness of chlordiazepoxide by increasing the rate at which it is broken down by the body.
• The effects of chlordiazepoxide may be prolonged when it is
taken with cimetidine, contraceptive drugs, disulfiram, flu-
oxetine, isoniazid, ketoconazole, metoprolol, probenecid,
propoxyphene, propranolol, rifampin, or valproic acid.
• Theophylline may reduce chlordiazepoxide’s sedative effects.
• If you take antacids, separate them by at least 1 hour from your chlordiazepoxide dose to prevent them from interfering with the passage of chlordiazepoxide into the bloodstream.
• Chlordiazepoxide may increase blood levels of digoxin and the chances for digoxin toxicity.
• Levodopa + carbidopa’s effectiveness may be reduced by chlordiazepoxide.
• Phenytoin blood concentrations may be increased when taken with chlordiazepoxide, resulting in possible phenytoin toxicity.
Food Interactions
Chlordiazepoxide is best taken on an empty stomach but may be taken with food if it upsets your stomach.
Usual Dose
Adult: 5-100 mg a day. This range is due to individual response related to age, weight, disease severity, and other characteristics.
Child (age 6 and over): may be given if deemed appropriate by a doctor. Starting dose-5 mg 2-4 times a day. Maintenance dose—up to 30 mg a day for some children, but must be individualized to obtain maximum benefit.
Child (under age 6): not recommended.
Overdosage
Symptoms of overdose are confusion, sleepiness, poor coordination, lack of response to pain such as a pin prick, loss of reflexes, shallow breathing, low blood pressure, and coma. The victim should be lakes to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Chlordiazepoxide can cause tiredness, drowsiness, inability to concentrate, or similar symptoms. Be careful if you are driving, operating machinery, or performing other activities that require concentration.
If you forget a dose of chlordiazepoxide, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Chlordiazepoxide may cause birth defects if taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Avoid chlordiazepoxide while pregnant.
Chlordiazepoxide may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take chlordiazepoxide should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with liver or kidney disease, are more sensitive to the effects of chlordiazepoxide and generally require smaller doses to achieve the same effect.
Aug
1
Cevimeline
August 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Generic Name
Cevimeline (seh-VIM-ih-lene) 9
Brand Name Evoxac
Type of Drug Cholinergic.
Prescribed For
Dry mouth in people with syndrome.
General Information
Sj6gren’s syndrome jS a group 0j symptoms related to a lack of bodily secretions. People with this condition have very dry eyes and mucous membranes, facial lesions, and neck swelling. It often occurs in menopausal woman and is often associated with rheumatoid arthritis, poor blood circulation in the legs, and tooth decay. Cevimeline increases secretions in the mouth by binding to specific nervous system receptors and causing the release of more saliva.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take cevimeline if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its
ingredients.
This drug may make breathing more difficult and worsen lung conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Eye conditions like glaucoma or inflammation of the iris may be worsened by cevimeline.
Cevimeline may affect the heart, and some people with severe heart disease, including those with a history of severe angina or heart attack, may not be able to compensate for this effect.
Cevimeline may worsen gallstones and kidney stones and should be avoided by people with a history of these conditions.
Cevimeline may cause visual blurring, especially at night.
Possible Side Effects
✓ Most common: excessive sweating, headache, nausea, sinus irritation, respiratory infection, runny nose, and diarrhea.
✓ Common: upset stomach, abdominal pains, urinary infection, coughing, and sore throat.
✓ Less common: vomiting, back pain, injury, rash, conjunctivitis (pinkeye), dizziness, bronchitis, severe joint pain, fatigue, bone pain, sleeplessness, hot flushes, excess salivation, chills, and anxiety.
✓ Rare: frequent urination, weakness, and flushing. Other rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Combining cevimeline with a beta blocker can lead to heart rhythm disturbances.
• Cevimeline may interfere with the effects of anticholinergics, found in Some medications for abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps.
• Cholinergics such as bethanechol, donepezil, physostigmine, pilocarpine, and pyridostigmine can add to the effects of cevimeline.
• Some drugs may interfere with the breakdown of cevimeline in the liver, increasing the chance of drug side effects. These include amiodarone, celecoxib, chlorpheniramine, cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, clomipramine, cocaine, diltiazem, erythromycin, fluconazole, fluoxetine, halofantrine, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, methadone, mibefradil, nelfinavir, paroxetine, quinidine, ranitidine, ritonavir, saquinavir, and terbinafine.
Food Interactions
Grapefruit juice may interfere with the breakdown of cevimeline in the liver, increasing the chance of drug side effects. Food interferes with the absorption of cevimeline into the bloodstream. Take this drug on an empty stomach.
Usual Dose
Adult: 30 mg 3 times a day. Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Overdose symptoms can include exaggerated drug side effects including headache, visual impairment, excess tearing and/or sweating, difficulty breathing, stomach or intestinal spasms, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in heart rhythm, blood pressure changes, shock, mental confusion, and tremors. Overdose victims should be taken to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
cevimeline may cause blurred vision, possibly interfering with driving or performing tasks that require reliable vision, especially at night or in low light.
If you sweat excessively while taking cevimeline, be sure to drink a lot of water. Excessive sweating can lead to dehydration.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Pregnant women should take cevimeline only if it is considered crucial by your doctor, since its effect on the developing fetus is not known.
It is not known if cevimeline passes into breast milk, but nursing mothers who must take this drug should consider using infant formula.
Seniors: Older adults should be cautious about using this drug because of its possible effects on the kidney, liver, and heart, and on other diseases or medications.
Jul
16
Alitretinoin
July 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Generic Name
Alitretinoin (al-ih-TRET-in-oin)
Brand Name
Panretin
Type of Drug Retinoid.
Prescribed For
Skin lesions of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS).
General Information
Alitretinoin binds to and activates retinoid receptors in human cells. Once activated, these receptors help stimulate the body’s natural mechanisms for limiting tissue growth—in this case, the growth of KS cells. KS lesions, which are primarily associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), can respond to alitretinoin in as little as 2 weeks, but most people do not start to see results for 48 weeks or, in some cases, 14 weeks or more.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use alitretinoin if you are allergic or sensitive to retinoids or to any of its ingredients.
Alitretinoin is applied to individual KS lesions. It does not treat systemic KS or prevent new KS lesions from forming.
People requiring systemic KS treatment (those who have developed more than 10 new KS lesions within a month) should not use alitretinoin.
People with swollen lymph glands, KS that affects the lungs or other major organ involvement should not use alitretinoin.
Possible Side Effects .
✓ Most common: rash and burning pain at application site.
♦ Common: itchy, flaking, peeling, cracking, oozing, swelling, and inflammation at application site.
Drug Interactions
• Do not use insect repellant products that contain DEET, a widely used chemical repellant. Alitretinoin increases DEET toxicity.
Usual Dose
Adult: Apply 2-4 times a day to KS skin lesions. Seniors should use this drug with caution.
Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of accidental ingestion. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Apply enough alitretinoin gel to cover the entire skin lesion. Allow the gel to dry for 3-5 minutes before covering the area with clothing. Avoid showering, bathing, or swimming for at least 3 hours.
If you use a bandage or dressing, be sure it is not tight and that air can circulate freely over the area.
Avoid applying alitretinoin to unaffected skin because it may be irritated by the drug. Avoid applying near the nose, eyes, or mouth.
Alitretinoin contains alcohol. Always keep it away from any open flame.
Retinoids can cause unusual sensitivity to the sun. While this has not been seen with alitretinoin, you should avoid prolonged exposure to the sun or use sunscreen while taking this drug.
If you forget a dose, apply it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, apply the forgotten dose and then space the rest of your doses throughout the day. Continue with your regular schedule the next day.
Special Populations
PregnancylBreast-feeding., Alitretinoin can harm the fetus when sufficient levels of the drug are present in the mother’s bloodstream, but it is not known if these levels are achieved during routine use of alitretinoin. Women who are or might be pregnant should only use this drug after discussing its potential benefits and risks with their doctors.
It is not known if alitretinoin passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must use alitretinoin should use infant formula.
Seniors: There is no information on use of alitretinoin by seniors. Seniors should use it with caution.
Jul
16
Adefovir
July 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Generic Name
Adefovir (ah-deh-FOE-veer)
Brand Name Hepsera
Type of Drug Antiviral.
Prescribed For
Chronic active hepatitis B in adults.
General Information
Hepatitis B is one of several different types of hepatitis, a viral infection of the liver. Adefovir is an antiviral drug that can reduce the amount of hepatitis B virus in the bloodstream and slow its spread to healthy liver tissue, however, it cannot cure chronic hepatitis B. People with chronic hepatitis B may develop liver cirrhosis or liver cancer and it is not known if adefovir can prevent these conditions from occurring. Like other viruses and bacteria, the hepatitis B virus can become resistant to the effects of adefovir.
Adefovir works against the hepatitis C virus in a way similar to that of certain human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drugs. It interferes with an enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which is an essential component of the viral reproduction process. Almost half of each dose is eliminated via the urine within 24 hours of taking it.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take adefovir if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Adefovir can be toxic to the kidneys, especially in people who already have some kidney problems. Since it is eliminated from the body through the kidneys, people with kidney disease are often given lower doses of adefovir.
In some cases, hepatitis can become severely aggravated upon discontinuation of adefovir. Your doctor should check your liver for’ 2 weeks after the drug is stopped. it is possible that antiviral therapy may have to be re-started.
Adefovir has some activity against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). An HIV blood test is recommended before starting adefovir treatment. If you are HIV positive, adefovir could make the HIV virus resistant to future antiviral drugs.
People taking adefovir can develop liver disease, liver enlargement, fat degeneration, and lactic acidosis (potentially fatal metabolic imbalance). This may be a reason for your doctor to stop your adefovir treatment. This occurs most frequently in obese women.
Possible Side Effects
In studies, side effects reported in the treated group were similar in frequency to placebo.
✓ Most common: weakness, headache, stomach pain, and nausea.
✓ Less common: intestinal gas, diarrhea, and upset stomach.
Drug Interactions
This drug was studied extensively in an attempt to predict possible drug interactions. No major interaction problems have been revealed.
• Taking drugs that can be toxic to the kidneys (such as amino-glycosides, cyclosporine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), tacrolimus, and vancomycin) together with adefovir can lead to the more rapid appearance of kidney damage.
• Ibuprofen, when taken in dosages of 800 mg 3 times a day, will increase adefovir blood levels by about 20 %, however the importance of this finding is unknown.
Food Interactions
Adefovir may be taken without regard to food or meals.
Usual Dose
Adults: 10 mg once a day. People with kidney disease requiring dialysis may take only 10 mg a week. The exact dosage is based on the severity of kidney disease.
Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Gastrointestinal symptoms are the most likely outcome of an adefovir overdose. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Practice safe sex and safe needle use. People taking adefovir may still spread hepatitis B through sexual contact or by sharing needles. Practice safe sex using condoms and dental dams.
Do not share personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them, such as toothbrushes or razor blades.
Try to take adefovir at the same time every day.
Adefovir must be taken continuously to maintain its effectiveness. Be sure to keep enough adefovir on hand so that you do not run out of medicine.
If you take adefovir on a regular schedule and forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the forgotten dose and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose of this medicine. Call your doctor if you forget 2 or more doses in a row. Skipping or forgetting too many doses can make the hepatitis C virus resistant to adefovir.
Call your doctor at once if you feel very weak or tired, cold (especially in your arms and legs), dizzy or lightheaded, have unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, or have a fast or irregular heartbeat. These could be signs of lactic acidosis.
Call your doctor if you experience jaundice (symptoms include yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes), appetite loss for a few days or more, lower stomach pain, nausea, dark urine, or bowel movements that are light in color. These could be signs of liver toxicity.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Animal studies with adefovir have revealed a tendency for some birth defects when the dosage administered was more than 20 times the average human dose. There is no information on the effect of adefovir during pregnancy. The company that produces adefovir has established a registry to collect information on pregnant women who take this drug. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits may be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if adefovir passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take it should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may be more sensitive to adefovir’s side effects because of the natural loss of kidney function that occurs with advancing age.
Jul
16
Acebutolol
July 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Generic Name
Acebutolol (ah-seh-BUTE-uh-lol) 91
Brand Name Sectral
Type of Drug
Beta-adrenergic blocking agent. Prescribed For
High blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms.
General Information
Acebutolol hydrochloride is one of many beta-adrenergic blocking drugs, or beta blockers. These drugs interfere with the action of adrenaline and other chemicals in the body that affect many body functions. Individual beta blockers have different characteristics that can make them more suitable for certain conditions or people.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take acebutolol if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or to beta blockers.
You should be cautious about taking acebutolol if you have asthma, severe heart failure, a very slow heart rate, or heart block (disruption of the electrical impulses that control heart rate) because the drug may worsen these conditions.
People with angina taking acebutolol for high blood pressure risk aggravating their angina if they suddenly stop taking the drug. These patients should have their acebutolol dosage reduced gradually over 1-2 weeks.
Acebutolol should be used with caution if you have liver or kidney disease because your ability to eliminate this drug from your body may be impaired.
Acebutolol reduces the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat. This reduction in blood flow may aggravate the condition of people with poor circulation or circulatory disease.
If you are undergoing major surgery, your doctor may want you to stop taking acebutolol at least 2 days before surgery.
People with a history of severe anaphylactic reaction to alergens may be unresponsive to usual doses of epinephrine while taking beta blockers.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects are relatively uncommon and usually mild; normally they develop early in the course of treatment and are rarely a reason to stop taking acebutolol.
✓ Most common: fatigue.
✓ Common: dizziness and headache.
✓ Less common: chest pain, swelling in the legs or arms, depression, sleeplessness, abnormal dreams, rashes, constipation, diarrhea, upset stomach, stomach gas, nausea, frequent urination, back pain, joint and muscle pain, difficulty breathing, stuffy nose, and vision changes.
♦ Rare: cough, low blood pressure, slow heart beat, anxiety, impotence, changes in response to touch stimulation, itching, vomiting, abdominal pain, painful urination, nighttime urination, liver changes, sore throat, wheezing, eye irritation, pain or dry eye, and lupus erythematosus (extremely rare). Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Acebutolol may interact with surgical anesthetics to increase the risk of heart problems during surgery. Some anesthesiologists recommend gradually stopping the drug by 2 days before surgery.
• Acebutolol may interfere with the normal signs of low blood sugar and with the action of oral antidiabetes drugs.
• Acebutolol increases the blood-pressure-lowering effects of other blood-pressure-reducing agents, including clonidine, guanabenz, and reserpine, and calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine.
• Aspirin-containing drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), and sulfinpyrazone may interfere with the blood-pressure-lowering effect of acebutolol.
• Cocaine may reduce the effectiveness of all beta blockers.
• Acebutolol may worsen the problem of cold hands and feet associated with ergot alkaloids, used to treat migraine. Gangrene is a possibility in people taking both an ergot and acebutolol.
• Acebutolol will counteract thyroid hormone replacements.
• Calcium channel blockers, flecainide, hydralazine, contraceptive drugs, cimetidine, propafenone, haloperidol, phenothiazine sedatives (molindone and others), quinolone antibacterials, and quinidine may increase the amount of acebutolol in the bloodstream and lead to increased acebutolol effects.
• Acebutolol should not be taken within 2 weeks of taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAGI) antidepressant.
• Acebutolol may interfere with the effects of some antiasthma drugs, including theophylline and aminophylline.
• Combining acebutolol with digitalis drugs may result in excessive slowing of the heart, possibly causing heart block.
• If you stop smoking while taking acebutolol, your dose may have to be reduced because your liver will break down the drug more slowly afterward.
• Aluminum salts, barbiturates, calcium salts, cholestyramine, colestipol, ampicillin, and rifampin may reduce the effectiveness of acebutolol.
• Beta blockers may block the effects of epinephrine.
Food Interactions
None known.
Usual Dose
High Blood Pressure
Adult: starting dose-100 mg a day, taken all at once or in 2 divided doses. The daily dose may be gradually increased. Maintenance dose-400-800 mg a day.
Senior: Older adults may respond to lower doses and should be treated more cautiously, beginning with 100 mg a day, increasing gradually to a maximum of 400 mg a day.
Child: not recommended.
Abnormal Heart Rhythms
Adult: starting dose-200 mg a day. Maintenance dose-200600 mg a day in 2 divided doses.
Senior: Older adults may respond to lower doses and should be treated more cautiously, beginning with 100 mg a day, increasing gradually to a maximum of 400 mg a day.
Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Symptoms of overdose include extremely slow or irregular heartbeat, very low blood pressure, breathing difficulties, and seizures. The victim should be taken to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Acebutolol is meant to be taken continuously. When ending acebutolol treatment, dosage should be reduced gradually over a period of about 2 weeks. Do not stop taking this drug unless directed to do so by your doctor.
Do not take other medications, including over-the-counter medications, without consulting with your doctor. The use of some nasal decongestants with acebutolol may result in severely high blood pressure.
Acebutolol may cause drowsiness or dizziness. Be careful when driving or performing complex tasks.
It is best to take acebutolol at the same time each day. If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If you take acebutolol once a day and it is within 8 hours of your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. If you take acebutolol twice a day and it is within 4 hours of your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule. Never take a double dose.
Special Populations
PregnancylBreast-feeding. Acebutolol crosses into the placenta. Infants born to women who took a beta blocker while pregnant had lower birth weights, low blood pressure, and slow heart rates. Acebutolol should be taken during pregnancy only if the potential benefit outweighs the risk.
Large amounts of acebutolol pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers taking acebutolol should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors taking acebutolol may need a reduced dosage.
Jul
2
Prescription Pills for Acne
July 2, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Prescription Pills for Acne
When topical antibiotics don’t do the job, dermatologists may prescribe oral medication to get the antibiotic into the bloodstream rather than just on the surface of the skin. Tetracycline and clindamycin have been widely prescribed, but some acne-causing bacteria have developed resistance to them. Now, dermatologists may be more likely to prescribe minocycline. Although this antibiotic works against acne, it is not clear that it is either more effective than other oral antibiotics or less likely to cause undesirable reactions. Anyone who is prescribed oral antibiotics needs to know This topical treatment has been flying under the radar for years. Some dermatologists tell us that it should have anti-inflammatory action and may be better tolerated than benzoyl peroxide.
Side effects: Redness, dryness, and burning.
Downside: Hard to find, although it is available from many online pharmacies. May take several weeks to work. Physicians and pharmacists seem unaware of its effectiveness, and studies are few.
Cost: Approximately $30 for a 30-gram tube.
Patients should discuss all the pros and cons of oral (systemic) antibiotic therapy with the doctor prescribing it. Certain drugs may cause rare but potentially serious side effects, such as the pseudomembranous colitis that is sometimes seen with clindamycin. One study found that people using antibiotics (oral or topical) to treat their acne were about twice as likely to come down with an upper respiratory tract infection. Colds, flus, and similar upper respiratory tract infections are usually self-limited and rarely a serious threat to health, but it makes sense to evaluate whether the acne is in fact affecting your life so much that you’d be willing to trade it for a cold. It might not make sense to take an antibiotic for mild acne that is not too bothersome. After completing a course of antibiotic treatment, acne patients may be able to keep their skin clear by using tretinoin gel or a similar product.” Adapalene or tazarotene gel may also be useful.” Using such a topical medicine as follow-up therapy can reduce the amount of antibiotic exposure. Mostly prescribed pills for acne are Cipro and Accutane.