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Aug

13

Ezetimibe - Famciclovir - Famotidine - Felbamate - Felodipine

August 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Ezetimibe (eh-HIHI-firri-ibe)
Brand Name Zetia
Combination Product
Generic Ingredients: Ezetimibe + Simvastatin Vytorin
Type of Drug
Cholesterol - lowering agent.
Prescribed For
High cholesterol, high LDL (”bad”) cholesterol, high triglycerides, and low HDL (”good”) cholesterol; also prescribed for two rare genetic disorders called homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and homozygous sitosterolemia.
General Information
Unlike statin drugs, ezetimibe interferes with the absorption of cholesterol through the intestine and into the bloodstream. Ezetimibe may be helpful for people whose LDL (”bad”) cholesterol remains high despite treatment with a statin drug. Cholesterol-lowering medicines should always be used together with appropriate diet and exercise.
Ezetimibe may be taken alone but is often taken in combination with a statin drug (generally simvastatin). Vytorin is a brand-name combination of these 2 medications. See Stalin Cholesterol-Lowering Agents, page 1052.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take this drug if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
People with liver disease or elevated liver enzyme measurements should not take ezetimibe because its effects on the liver are not known.
Ezetimibe does not slow hardening of the arteries.
There may be a risk of myopathy (skeletal muscle disorder) with ezetimibe; contact your doctor if you experience any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. Ezetimibe + simvastatin has the same effect as simvastatin alone; see Statin Cholesterol-Lowering Agents, page 1052.
Possible Side Effects
Ezetimibe side effects are similar to those reported by people taking a placebo (sugar pill).
V Most common: headache, back pain, joint pain, and abdominal pain.
C,Ibmrnon: muscle ache and respiratory infection.
V Less common: fatigue, chest pain, diarrhea, sore throat, and cough.
For additional information about ezetimibe + simvastatin, see Statin Cholesterol- Lowering Agents, page 1052.
Drug Interactions
•   Cholestyramine reduces the amount of ezetimibe absorbed
in the blood. Separate these drugs by 2 hours or more.
•   Cyclosporine (to prevent organ transplant rejection) may substantially increase the amount of ezetimibe in the blood. This combination must be monitored closely by your doctor.
•   Gemfibrozil (another blood-fat reducer) can increase the amount of ezetimibe in the blood.
•   Fenofibrate may increase the effects of ezetimibe. Fibrates
other than fenofibrate should not be used with ezetimibe due to
the risk of gallbladder complications. For additional informa-
tion about ezetimibe + simvastatin, see Statin Cholesterol-
Lowering Agents, page 1052.
Food Interactions
This drug can be taken without regard to food or meals.
Usual Dose
Ezetimibe
Adult and Child (age 10 and over): 10 mg once a day. Child (age 9 and under): not recommended.
Ezetimibe + Simvastatin
Adult: 10 mg ezetimibe plus 10-80 mg simvastatin once a day in the evening. The simavastatin dose depends on individual need.
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of ezetimibe overdose. 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
If you are taking more than one drug to lower cholesterol or another blood fat, consider the side effects of all of those drugs combined.
,S’D'L’6a) Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Little is known about the effects of ezetimibe during pregnancy. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks. Statin drugs should never be taken by a pregnant woman or nursing mother.
It is not known if ezetimibe passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take it should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may use this drug without special precaution.

Generic Name
Famciclovir (fam-SYE-kloe-vere)
Brand Name Famvir
Type of Drug Antiviral.
Prescribed For
Herpes zoster (shingles), genital herpes, herpes labilalis (cold sores), and herpes simplex in HIV-infected people.
General Information
Famciclovir is absorbed into the body and converted to the antiviral penciclovir, the drug that actually works against shingles by interfering with the reproduction of DNA in the herpes virus. Famciclovir does not affect DNA in uninfected body cells. Famciclovir is broken down by the liver and eliminated from the body through the kidneys.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take famiciclovir if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Those with reduced kidney function should have their dosage adjusted accordingly.
Severe liver disease reduces the maximum possible concentration of Famciclovir in the blood and increases the time it takes to reach this maximum level; however, dosage adjustment is not normally required.
Possible Side Effer.%
♦   Most common: headache, nausea, and diarrhea.
♦   Less common: fever, fatigue, pain, vomiting, constipation, appetite loss, dizziness, tingling in the hands or feet, sleepiness, sore throat, sinus irritation, itching, gas, dysmemorrhea, and signs of shingles.
Possible Side Effects (continued)
Rare: chills, abdominal pain, back or joint pain, and upset stomach. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•   Probenecid, cimetidine, and theophylline interfere with the elimination of famciclovir from the body, possibly leading to higher levels of famciclovir in the blood.
•   People who took famciclovir and digoxin together experienced increased digoxin In their blood.
Food Interactions None known.
Usual Dose
Shingles
Adult (age 18 and over): 500 mg every 8 hours for 1 week. People with reduced kidney function may require a reduced dose taken as infrequently as once a day.
Genital Herpes
Adult (age 18 and over): 1000 mg twice daily for 1 day; or 250 mg twice a day for up to 1 year for suppression; or 250 mg 3 times a day for 7 days for initial episode. People with reduced kidney function take the same dose but less often, as infrequently as once every 2 days. HIV-infected people should take 500 mg twice a day for 7 days.
Cold Sores
Adult (age 18 and over): 1500 mg as a single dose. Initiate therapy at the earliest sign or symptom of a cold sore (tingling, itching, or burning).
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of famciclovir ovecdose. Overdose victims should be %Mn to a hospital emergency room for treatment. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Famciclovir treatment should be started as soon as shingles is diagnosed. For maximum benefit, be sure to complete the full week of treatment.
Famciclovir is not a cure for genital herpes and it is not known if it will prevent the transmission of the herpes virus to another person. Avoid sexual intercourse when herpes lesions are present even while taking famciclovir for genital herpes.
Begin taking famciclovir at the first sign of a herpes attack (symptoms include pain, tenderness, burning, itching, tingling, ulcers, or scabs). The effectiveness of starting famciclovir 6 hours or more after symptoms or lesions appear has not been established.
Call your doctor if you experience any unusual or intolerable side effects.
If you forget a dose of famciclovir, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot. Do not take a double dose. Call your doctor if you forget more than 2 doses in a row.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Famciclovir should only be taken by a pregnant woman if it is absolutely necessary and the possible benefits outweigh the risks to the fetus.
In animal studies, penciclovir (the active form of famciclovir) passed into breast milk in high concentrations but it is not known if this holds true for humans. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors clear famciclovir from the bloodstream more slowly than younger people and should have their dosage adjusted according to their level of kidney function.

Generic Name
Famotidine (fam-OE-tih-dine) 91
Brand Names
Fluxid   Pepcid AC
Pepcid   Pepcid Complete
Type of Drug Histamine H2 antagonist.
Prescribed For
Ulcers of the stomach and duodenum (upper intestine). This drug is also used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),
stress ulcer, and other conditions characterized by the production of large amounts of gastric fluids; to prevent stress ulcer and stomach and upper intestinal bleeding; and to stop the production of stomach acid during surgery. Pepcid AC is approved for heartburn.
General Information
Histamine H2 antagonists work by turning off the system that produces stomach acid and other secretions. Famotidine is effective in treating the symptoms of ulcer and preventing complications of the disease, although an ulcer that does not respond to another histamine H2 antagonist will probably not respond to famotidine. Histamine H2 antagonists differ only in their potency. Cimetidine is the least potent; 1000 mg are roughly equal to 300 mg of either nizatidine or ranitidine, or 40 mg of famotidine. All these drugs have roughly equivalent success rates in treating ulcer disease and comparable risk of side effects.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take famotidine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or to any histamine H2 antagonist.
People with kidney or liver disease should take famotidine with caution because 1/3 of each dose is broken down in the liver and the rest passes out of the body through the kidneys.
Do not self-treat with over-the-counter (OTC) forms of famotidine without the advice and supervision of your doctor.
Possible Side Effects
✓   Most common: headache.
✓   Less common: dizziness, mild diarrhea, and constipation.
✓   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
•   T-_Meat-coated tablets should not be taken with famotidine. The change in stomach acidity that famotidine produces causes the tablets to disintegrate prematurely in the stomach.
•   Antacids, anticholinergics, and metoclopramide may slightly reduce the amount of famotidine absorbed into the blood. No special precaution is needed.
Food Interactions
Famotidine may be taken without regard to food or meals.
Usual Dose
Adult 20-40 mg at bedtime, or 20 mg twice a day for 4-8 weeks. Dosage should be reduced in people with severe kidney disease.
Child (age 1-16): 0.23-0.45 mg per lb. of body weight, at bedtime or in 2 divided doses, up to 40 mg a day.
Child (under age 1): Consult your doctor.
Over-the-counter forms of famotidine such as Pepcid AC or Pepcid Complete should only be used for the temporary relief of heartburn, and are not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Do not take more than 2 capsules or chewable tablets in 24 hours.
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of famotidine overdose, but victims may experience exaggerated side effects. Your local poison control center may advise giving ipecac syrup—available at any pharmacy—to induce vomiting and remove any remaining drug from the stomach. Victims who have definite symptoms should be taken to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Take famotidine exactly as directed and follow your doctor’s instructions regarding diet and other treatment in order to get the maximum benefit from the drug. Antacids may be taken together with famotidine if needed.
Do not take the maximum dose continuously for more than 2 weeks without the consent and supervision of your doctor.
Cigarettes worsen stomach ulcers and may reduce famotidine’s effectiveness.
Call your doctor at once if you develop any unusual side eiiecls such as bleeding or bruising,’ iWness, diarrhea, dizziness, or rash. &’A&, tarry stools or vomiting material that resembles coffee grounds may indicate your ulcer is bleeding.
If you forget a dose of famotidine, take 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 take a double dose.
Special Populations   revealed no Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Although animal studies
damage to the fetus, famotidine should be avoided by women who are or might be pregnant. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its possible benefits must be carefully weighed against
its risks.
Famotidine may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who
must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may need lower doses due to loss of kidney function and may be more susceptible to side effects.

Generic Name
Felbamate (FEL-bam-ate)
Brand Name Felbatol
Type of Drug Anticonvulsant.
Prescribed For
Partial seizures and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in children.
General Information
Felbamate is related to the older sedative meprobamate. Exactly how felbamate works is not known, but it raises the seizure threshold and prevents the seizure impulse from spreading in the brain, as do other anticonvulsants. Felbamate should only be used when other seizure drugs have failed because of the risks associated with it. About half of each dose passes out of the body through the kidneys; the other half is broken down and eliminated by the liver.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take felbamate if you am allergic or sensitive to any of its ‘Irigredlents or to any related drugs such as meprobamate.
Felbamate is associated with an increase in the risk of aplastic anemia, a potentially fatal condition.
Possibly fatal liver failure occurs in people taking felbamate much more often than normal. Regular liver function tests are recommended. People with liver disease should not take felbamate.
Felbamate is not recommended as first-line epilepsy treatment. Felbamate should be used only by those with severe epilepsy for whom the benefits outweigh the risks. Doctors prescribing felbamate should be thoroughly familiar with the drug and must obtain written, informed consent from patients before prescribing.
Felbamate should never be suddenly stopped or seizures may become more frequent. Dosage should be gradually reduced or replaced by another anticonvulsant.
Felbamate may cause increased sensitivity to the sun. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen while taking this drug. People with kidney disease may require lower doses.
Possible Side Effects
Adult
♦   Most common: sleeplessness, sleepiness, fatigue, headache, dizziness, nervousness, upset stomach, vomiting, constipation, nausea, and appetite loss.
V Common: anxiety, tremors, walking unusually, depression, tingling in the hands or feet, diarrhea, liver inflammation, abdominal pains, respiratory infections, abnormal vision, and taste changes.
✓   Less common: weakness, dry mouth, stupor, abnormal thinking, rash, sinus irritation, sore throat, muscle aches, fever, and chest pain.
♦   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.
Child
✓   Most common: abdominal pain, fever, respiratory infections, sleeplessness, sleepiness, nervousness, vomiting, constipation, and black-and-blue marks.
✓   Common: headache, appetite loss, hiccups, sore throat, coughing, middle ear infections, fatigue, weight loss, temporary loss of urine control, qak”,,NbNW)ng unusually, weak-))855, abnormal thinking, emotional instability, pinpoint pupils, rash, upset stomach, and low white-blood-cell count.
✓   Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if your child experiences any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•   Combining felbamate and other antiseizure drugs usually requires dosage adjustments due to the risk of drug interaction. Dosage of felbamate should be reduced by 20-33% to reduce the risks of associated side effects.
•   Combining felbamate and carbamazepine reduces blood levels of both drugs by roughly half. Dosage adjustments are necessary.
•   Combining phenobarbital and felbamate increases the amount of phenobarbital in the blood and decreases felbamate levels. Dosage adjustments are necessary.
•   If you combine felbamate and phenytoin, your phenytoin dosage may have to be reduced by as much as 40%. This combination also decreases felbamate blood levels by almost 50%.
•   Felbamate increases blood levels of valproic acid and methsuximide.
Food Interactions
Felbamate is best taken on an empty stomach but may be taken with food if it causes upset stomach.
Usual Dose
Adult and Child (age 14 and over): 1200-3600 mg a day, divided into 3-4 doses.
Child (age 2-13): 6.8-20.5 mg per lb. a day, divided into 3-4 doses.
Overdosage
Overdose symptoms may include upset stomach, increased heart rate, and felbamate side effects. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for more information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Do not take more felbamate than your doctor has prescribed. Felbamate can cause drowsiness; be careful when, driving perfQ(ft g
Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun while taking felbamate. Call your doctor if you develop any bothersome or persistent side effect.
Maintain good dental hygiene while taking felbamate and use extra care when brushing or flossing because this drug can cause swollen gums. See your dentist regularly.
km ,s %2& nq6re concentration.
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, take 1 dose right away and another in 3 or 4 hours, then go back to your regular schedule. Do not take
a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: This drug may cross into fetal circulation. When the drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
Felbamate passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should consider using infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with liver, kidney, or heart disease, may be more sensitive to the effects of this drug and should receive lower doses.

Generic Name
Felodipine (feh-LOE-dih-pene) 91
Brand Name Plendil
Combination Product
Generic Ingredients: Enalapril + Felodipine Lexxel
Type of Drug
Calcium channel blocker.
Prescribed For High blood pressure.
General Information
Felodipine is one of many calcium channel blockers available in the U.S. Its once-daily dosage schedule makes it particularly stilted to treating high blood Felodipine blocks the passage of calcium, an essential factor in muscle contraction, into the heart and smooth muscles. Such blockage interferes with the contraction of these muscles, which in turn dilates (widens) the veins and vessels that supply blood to them. This dilating effect reduces blood pressure, the amount of oxygen used by the heart muscle, and the risk of blood vessel spasm. Felodipine is therefore useful in
treating not only high blood pressure but also angina pectoris (brief attacks of chest pain), a condition related to poor oxygen supply
to the heart muscles.
Felodipine only affects the movement of calcium into muscle cells-, it has no effect on calcium in the blood.
Lexxel is a combination of felodipine and enalapril, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take felodipine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
On rare occasions, felodipine may cause very low blood pressure that may lead to stimulation of the heart and rapid heartbeat and can worsen angina. This reaction may happen when treatment is first started, when dosage is increased, or if the drug is rapidly withdrawn; it may be avoided by reducing dosage gradually.
Studies have shown that people taking calcium channel blockers—usually those taken several times a day, not those taken only once daily—have a greater chance of having a heart attack than do people taking beta blockers or other medications for the same purpose. Discuss this with your doctor to be sure you are receiving the best possible treatment.
Patients taking a beta-blocking drug who begin taking felodipine may develop heart failure or increased angina.
People with severe liver disease may require dosage adjustments.
People taking felodipine who have had a heart attack and have lung congestion may experience worsened heart failure, since this drug can actually reduce the force of each heartbeat.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects produced by calcium channel blockers are generally mild and rarely cause people to stop taking them. Side effects are more common with higher doses and in older patients.
I Most common: swelling in the ankles, feet, or legs; dizziness; lightheadedness; muscle weakness or cramps; facial flushing; and headache.
V Less common: respiratory infections, cough, tingling in the hands or feet, upset stomach, abdominal pains, chest pains,
stomach, , heart palpitations,
Drug Interactions
•   Felodipine may increase the amount of beta-blocking drugs in the bloodstream. This can lead to heart failure, very low blood pressure, or an increased incidence of angina. However, in many cases these drugs have been taken together with no problem.
•   Felodipine increases the effects of other blood-pressurelowering drugs. Such drug combinations are often used to treat hypertension.
•   Cimetidine, ranitidine, and azole antifungals such as ketoconazole and itraconazole increase the amount of felodipine in the blood and may account for a slight increase in the drug’s effect.
•   Phenytoin and other hydantoin antiseizure medicines, carbamazepine, and barbiturate sleeping pills and sedatives may decrease the amount of felodipine in the blood, reducing its effect on the body.
•   Erythromycin and cyclosporine may increase the side effects of felodipine.
•   Felodipine may increase the effects of digoxin, theophylline (prescribed for asthma and other respiratory problems), and oral anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drugs.
•   Felodipine may also interact with quinidine (prescribed for abnormal heart rhythm) to produce low blood pressure, very slow heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms, and swelling in the arms or legs.
•   Qd(Gii= Channel blockers may cause bleeding when taken alone or combined with aspirin.
Food Interactions
You may take felodipine with food if it upsets your stomach. Avoid taking felodipine with grapefruit juice—it doubles the amount of drug absorbed.
Possible Side Effects (continued) nausea, constipation, diarrhea
throat, runny nose, back pain,   rash.
and
♦ Rare: Rare side effects can affect the heart,
blood, and joints. It can affect   and
your mood, sex drive,
urinary tract. Contact your do   you experience side effect not listed above.
ctor if   any Usual Dose
2.5-10 mg a day. No patient should take more than 20 mg a day. Do not stop taking felodipine abruptly. The dosage should be reduced gradually over a period of time.
Overdosage
Felodipine overdose can cause low blood pressure. If you think you have taken an overdose of felodipine, call your doctor or go to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Call your doctor if you develop constipation, nausea, very low blood pressure, breathing difficulties, increased heart pain, dizziness, or lightheadedness, or if other side effects are bothersome or persistent.
Swelling of the hands or feet may develop within 2 or 3 weeks of starting felodipine. The chances of this happening depend on age and dosage. It occurs in less than 10% of people under age 50 taking 5 mg a day and in more than 30% of those over age 60 taking 20 mg a day.
Be sure to continue taking your medication even if you feel well, and follow any instructions for diet restriction or other treatments to help maintain lower blood pressure.
Do not break or crush felodipine tablets.
It is important to maintain good dental hygiene while taking felodipine and to use extra care when using your toothbrush or dental floss because of the chance that the drug will make you more susceptible to certain infections.
If you forget to take a dose of felodipine, 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
Pregnancy1filreast-feeding. Animal studies of felodipk”e have shown that it crosses RAW the Zeta) circulation and causes birth iNlfEcls. Women who are or who might become pregnant while taking this drug should not take it without their doctor’s approval. The potential benefit of taking felodipine must be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if felodipine passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who take felodipine should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with liver disease, are more sensitive to the effects of this drug.

Tags: abdominal pain, anticonvulsant, appetite, appropriate diet, channel, cholesterol lowering agents, cholesterol lowering medicines, diarrhea, dizziness, drug interaction, elevated liver enzyme, epilepsy, erythromycin, exercise, ezetimibe, ezetimibe simvastatin, familial hypercholesterolemia, felbamate, function, GENERIC, generic ingredients, good cholesterol, hardening of the arteries, Headache, heart failure, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, information, Interactions, intercourse, Lennox-Gastaut, liver disease, maximum, muscle ache, muscle disorder, nervousness, placebo, pregnancy, rare genetic disorders, statin drugs, stomach, supervision, theophylline, upset stomach, vomiting

Aug

13

Entecavir - Guaifenesin - Epoetin - Sildenafil Citrate - Ergoloid Mesylates

August 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Generic Name
Entecavir (m-M-ah-veer)
Brand Name Baraclude
Information in this monograph also applies to:
Generic Ingredient: Telbivudine Tyzeka
Type of Drug Antiviral.
Prescribed For
Chronic hepatitis B infection in adults.
General Information
Entecavir is a prescription medicine for adults with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in which the virus is multiplying and damaging the liver. Entecavir can reduce the amount of virus in the body, make it harder for new liver cells to be infected by the virus, and improve the general condition of the liver. They work by attacking HBV polymerase, an enzyme essential to the reproduction of the hepatitis B virus inside an infected cell. These drugs are eliminated from the bodj,4kalbe kidney. Telbivudine does not wGCK alg4msl HIV infection and can be taken together with HIV drug therapy. These medicines do not cure HBV or stop you from spreading HBV to others, generally through sexual contact or exposure to infected blood. The HBV virus can live outside the body for one week.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take these medicines if you are allergic or sensitive to any
of their ingredients.
Entecavir should be used with caution in people who have both HIV and HBV because of possible HIV resistance developing after entecavir is taken.
Severe worsening of HBV has occurred in people who stopped taking this medication.
These drugs can lead to further liver damage. In rare cases, they have been associated with liver failure that resulted in death. The safety of this drug in people who have had a liver transplant is not known.
These drugs are eliminated through the kidneys. People with kidney disease may require lower doses.
Telbivudine has also been associated with lactic acidosis, a condition in which excess lactic acid in the body causes the blood to become acidic. Feeling very weak or tired, experiencing unusual Muscle pain, difficulty breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, feeling cold—especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and a fast or irregular heartbeat may be signs of lactic acidosis. It is a medical emergency and must be treated in the hospital. This has happened in some people taking these medications.
Possible Side Effects
Entecavir
♦    Most common: headache, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea.
✓    Less common: diarrhea, upset stomach, vomiting, tiredness, and sleeplessness.
✓    Rare: Rare side effects may affect almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Telbivudine
✓    Most common: upper respiratory infection, latigue, not feeling well, missO2 tenderness or weakness, abdominal pain, nasal irritation, and sore throat.
♦    Common: flu or flu-like symptoms, diarrhea or loose stools, and throat pain.
✓    Less common: fever, joint pain, rash, back pain, dizziness, muscle ache, sleeplessness, and upset stomach.
Drug Interactions     low in-
•    These drugs do not affect liver enzymes and have a
teraction potential.
•    Drugs that affect kidney function may affect blood concentrations of entecavir and telbivudine.
•    Other hepatitis B treatments (lamivudine, adefovir, cy-
closporine, and pegylated interferon-alpha 2a) do not affect
either entecavir or telbivudine and are not affected by them. Food Interactions
Take entecavir at least 2 hours after a meal and 2 hours before the next meal. Telbivudine may be taken without regard to food or meals. Usual Dose
Entecavir
Adult and Child (age 16 and over): 0.5-1 mg once daily. People with kidney failure may be treated with as little as 0.05-0.1 mg a day. Child (under age 16): not recommended.
Telbivudine
Adult and Child (age 16 and over): 600 mg once daily. People with moderate to severe kidney failure may be treated with a single 600 mg dose every 2, 3, or 4 days depending on the seriousness of kidney disease.
Child (under age 16): not recommended.
Overdosage
There are no reports of entecavir overdose. People taking single doses up to 40 mg or multiple doses up to 20 mg per day for up to 14 days had no unusual side effects. One person accidentally took an overdose with no consequences. People taking up to 1800 mg a day of telbivudine had no increase in side effects. Overdose victims should be taken to a hospital emergency room for treatment, where dialysis may be necessary to remove the drug from the blood. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Call your doctor il you develop muscle aches, pains, or weakness; ‘it your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow; if your urine becomes dark; if your bowel movements turn light in color; if you don’t feeling like eating food for several days or longer; if you become nauseous; or if you have lower stomach pain. These can be signs of a serious liver problem called hepatotoxicity, which has occurred in some people taking these medications.
Your hepatitis B may get worse or become very serious if you stop taking these medications. Do not stop taking them or change your daily dose without talking to your doctor.
If you forget to take your daily entecavir dose, take it as soon as you remember but do not take a double dose. Call your doctor if you forget to take 2 or more doses in a row.
Entecavir oral solution is a ready-to-use product and should not be mixed with water or any other liquid product. Each bottle of the oral solution comes with a dosing spoon that is calibrated in 1 -mL increments, up to 10 mL. Hold the spoon upright and gradually fill it to the mark next to the prescribed dose. Drink the liquid directly from the dosing spoon. Your pharmacist can help you properly measure your medication dose. Rinse the dosing spoon with water after each daily dose and allow it to air dry.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Animal studies of entecavir revealed slowed development of the skeleton. Animal studies of telbivudine did not reveal any effects on the developing fetus. However, it is not known if either medicine is safe to use during pregnancy or if it helps prevent the hepatitis B virus from passing on to a developing fetus. If your doctor considers entecavir or telbivudine crucial for you, potential benefits must be carefully weighed against their risks. A data bank has been established to collect information from doctors on pregnant women who do take these medicines.
These medicines may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take these drugs should use infant formula.
Seniors: Dosage reduction may be needed in seniors because of normal declines in kidney function.

Brand Name
Entex PSE
Generic Ingredients
Guaifenesin + Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride M
Other Brand Names
Anatuss LA    Coldmist Jr.
Aquatab D Dosepack    Coldmist LA
Coldmist    Congess Jr.
Congess SR    Nasabid
Congestac    Nasabid-SR
Deconsal LA    Nasatab LA
D-Feda 11    PanMist
Durasal U    PanMist-Jr.
Duratuss AM/PM    PanMist LA
Dynex    Profen 11
Endal-SR    Pseudovent
Guaimax-D    Sudal 60/500
Guaipax PSE    SudaI120/600
Guaitab    Sudal SR
Guaituss PE    Syn-RX
Guai-Vent PSE    Touro LA
losal El    Tuss-LA
Maxifed    V-Dec-M
Maxifed G    Versacaps
Med-RX    Zephrex
Miraphen PSE    Zephrex LA
The information in this profile also applies to the following drugs:
Generic Ingredients: Guaifenesin + Ephedrine Hydrochloride 19 Broncholate    Bronkaid
Generic Ingredients: Guaifenesin + Phenylephrine Hydrochloride 91
Deconsal Il    PhenaVent
Deconsal Pediatric    PhenaVent D
Endal    PhenaVent LA
Entex LA    PhenaVent PED
Liquibid D    Rescon GG
Liquibid-D 1200    Sinupan
Liquibid-PD    Sinuvent PE
Type of Drug
Decongestant and expectorant combination.
Prescribed For
Cold or allergy and for nasal congestion, runny nose and cough associated with other upper respiratory conditions.
General Information
The decongestant ingredient in Entex PSE, pseudoephedrine, dramatically reduces congestion and stuffiness. The decongestant ingredients ephedrine and phenylephrine act similarly. The expectorant, guaifenesin, is used to help loosen thick mucus that may contribute to chest congestion; the effectiveness of guaifenesin and other expectorants has not been established. There are other drugs on the market using this same general formula—an expectorant plus a decongestant—but they use different decongestant ingredients or a combination of decongestants plus guaifenesin. Nothing cures a cold or allergy, but Entex PSE may provide relief from symptoms.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take Entex PSE if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Entex PSE may cause anxiety or nervousness or interfere with sleep.
Do not use Entex PSE if you have ventricular tachycardia (quickened heartrate), or hypertension (high blood pressure).
Entex PSE should be used with extreme caution in those with heart disease, other heart rhythm disorders, thyroid disease, diabetes, glaucoma, stomach ulcer, urinary blockage, or a prostate condition.
Entex PSE should not be used over extended periods of time to treat persistent or chronic cough especially one that may be caused by cigarette smoking, asthma, or emphysema.
Possible Side Effects
Mritl common: anxiety, restlessness, sleeplessness, tension, excitation, dizziness, drowsiness, and headache.
♦ Less common: nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, low blood pressure, heart palpitations, chest pain, rapid or slow heartbeat, abnormal heart rhythms, irritability, euphoria (feeling Possible Side Effects (continued)
“high”), eye irritation and tearing, hysterical reaction, appetite loss, kidney stones, urinary difficulties in men with a prostate condition, weakness, loss of facial color, and breathing difficulties.
Drug Interactions
•    Entex PSE should be avoided if you are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAGI) antidepressant for depression or hypertension because the MAGI may cause a very rapid rise in blood pressure or increase side effects such as dry mouth or nose, blurred vision, and abnormal heart rhythms.
•    The decongestant in Entex PSE may interfere with bloodpressure-lowering medication.
Food Interactions
Take Entex PSE with food if it upsets your stomach.
Usual Dose
Adult and Child (age 12 and over): 1 tablet or capsule twice a day or 2 tsp. of liquid 4 times a day.
Child (age 6-11):1/2-1 tablet or 1 capsule twice a day or 1 tsp. of liquid 4 times a day.
Overdosage
Most cases of overdose are not severe. Symptoms include sedation, sleepiness, increased sweating, and increased blood pressure. Hallucinations, convulsions, nervous system depression, and breathing difficulties are more prominent in older adults. Most cases of overdose are not severe. Induce vomiting with ipecac syrup—available at any pharmacy. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room before doing this. If you lseey, treatment. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
-SIDt’dial Information
Call your doctor if your side effects are severe or gradually become intolerable.
If you forget a dose, take 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 take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Women who are or might be pregnant should avoid Entex PSE. When your doctor considers this drug crucial, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed
against its risks.
The decongestant in Entex PSE may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take Entex PSE should consider using in-
fant formula.
Seniors: Seniors are more sensitive to the effects of Entex PSE.

Generic Name
Epoetin (EE-poh-eh-tin)
Brand Names Epogen
Type of Drug
Red-blood-cell growth stimulator.
Prescribed For
Anemia; may also be used for reducing the need for blood or redblood-cell transfusions.
General Information
Epoetin is a natural hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. It is used for anemia that does not respond to iron supplements. In most cases of anemia, there are plenty of red blood cells circulating, but they lack iron. People who need epoetin do not have enough red blood cells. Epoetin stimulates the production of new red blood cells to carry needed oxygen.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use epoetin if you are allergic or sensitive to albumin or products manufactured from animal cells.
People with urtvaRtmliked high blood pressure should not use epoetin.
Some people with chronic kidney failure and severe anemia should not take epoetin. Epoetin is not a replacement for emergency blood transfusion.
Epoetin is not intended for anemia caused by folate or iron deficiency, hemolysis, or gastrointestinal bleeding.
Procrit People using epoetin may require anticoagulant medicine to prevent blood clotting during treatment. Tell your doctor it you have any blood-clotting disorders.
In rare cases, people taking epoetin may have seizures. Avoid driving or any other activities where a sudden seizure could be dangerous. Do not take epoetin if you have a history of seizures or strokes.
Epoetin should be avoided in patients with blood cancers such as lymphoma, because it can act as a growth factor for the tumor.
If your hemoglobin levels become too high, your chance of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, blood clots, and death is increased. It is important to have your blood tested and adjust dosage of epoetin accordingly throughout treatment.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects reported in studies of epoetin were similar to those reported with an inactive placebo (sugar pill).
♦    Most common: high blood pressure, headache, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, joint pain, fever, fatigue, itching, rash, and difficulty breathing.
✓    Common: swelling, vomiting, chest pain, skin reactions at the site of injection, weakness, dizziness, urinary infections, diarrhea, upset stomach, blood clots, anxiety, tingling in the hands or feet, and trunk pain.
✓    Rare: stroke and heart attack. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Food and Drug Interactions None known.
Usual Dose
Adult: starting dose-23-69 units per 1b. of body weight 3 times a week by intravenous or subcutaneous injection. Final dose is based on response and need. Surgery patients take 138 units per lb. for 10 days before Surgery or 276 units once a week for 3 weeks before surgery and another dose on the day of surgery. Dialysis patients take epoetin once a week.
Child (under age 12): 23 units per lb. of body weight 3 times a week by intravenous or subcutaneous injection. Final dose is based on response and need.
Child (under 1 month): not recommended.
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of epoetin overdose. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription container.
Special Information
People taking epoetin should have regular blood tests to assure the drug is working well. Your doctor may want to take blood samples twice a week for several weeks and then test your blood regularly.
Epoetin has been used by athletes to enhance physical performance. This is called blood doping and has resulted in several deaths because the percentage of red blood cells in a blood sample can reach hazardous levels.
Epoetin must be stored in a refrigerator.
Most patients will need to take iron supplements with this drug.
This drug can be given by injection under the skin. For more in-
formation on how to properly administer this drug, see page 1242.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Animal studies suggest that epoetin may enter fetal circulation. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if epoetin passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take it should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may use this product without special precaution.

Type of Drug
Erectile Dysfunction Drugs
Generic Ingredient: Sildenafil Citrate
Viagra    Revatio
Generic Ingredient: Tadalafil Cialis
Generic Ingredient: Vardenafil Levitra
Prescribed For
Erectile dysfunction (ED). sildenafil is also prescribed for pulmonary
hypertension.
General Information
The chemical nitric oxide is released in the penis during sexual stimulation. Nitric oxide causes the release of an enzyme called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which increases blood flow into the penis, producing an erection. cGMP is broken down by the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5). In men with low levels of cGMP, these medicines help achieve and maintain an erection by inhibiting PDE5, thus causing higher levels of cGMP. ED can be the result of nerve, blood vessel, or psychological problems. These drugs, which are effective in about 70% of men, only help when poor blood flow is the cause of the dysfunction. Women have reported some benefit from sildenafil, although it has been widely studied only in men. Vardenafil and tadalafil are intended only for men. These medicines start working in 30-60 minutes and their effects usually last from 2-4 hours, although some have noted an effect for 24 hours or more. Some drug interactions and kidney or liver diseases extend this time. Tadalafil begins working in 30-60 minutes and can remain in the body for more than 2 days, much longer than the other medicines in this group. Low-dose tadalafil may be taken every day for chronic ED.
Pulmonary hypertension, a rare disease in which high pressure in the blood vessels moves from the heart to the lungs, is sometimes treated with sildenafil.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take ED drugs if you are allergic or sensitive to any of their ingredients.
These medicines lower blood pressure and should be avoided if you have high (greater than 170/100) or low (less than 90/50) blood pressure. Several people have died from a sudden blood-pressure drop after combining erectile dysfunction medications with other medications that can reduce blood pressure.
These Medicines should never be taken by those taking heart medications called nitrates, as fatal reactions have occurred.
People with heart disease may experience heart problems with sildenafil or vardenafil, including a heart attack. These reactions can occur during or shortly after sexual activity.
Avoid these medicines if you have had a heart attack, stroke, or life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms in the past 6 months, or if you have heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, damage to the penis, or a progressive eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. Blindness is a rare side effect of sildenafil and may be a problem with all of these medications.
People taking sildenafil or vardenafil have experienced difficulties seeing blue or green colors and may see things with a blue tinge surrounding them. This happens because they affect an enzyme in the eye. The effect clears up after the drug passes out of the body.
People with kidney or liver damage retain these medicines in their bodies longer than people whose kidneys and liver function normally. People with kidney or liver problems should always begin with the lowest possible dosage.
People with priapism (painful erection lasting more than 6 hours) or a condition that predisposes them to priapism—such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, or sickle cell anemia—should be cautious about taking these medicines.
Vardenatil and sildenafil should be avoided by people with stomach or bleeding ulcers because its effect on these conditions is not known.
Possible Side Effects
Sildenafil
✓    Most common: headache and flushing.
♦    Less common: upset stomach, stuffy nose, urinary tract infection, diarrhea, rash, dizziness, seizure, anxiety, prolonged and possibly painful erection, double vision, visual changes, bloodshot eyes, burning eyes, swelling in the eye, and blood vessel diseases in the retina.
✓    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.
Tadalafil
I Most common: headache.
✓    Common: upset stomach. Back pain and muscle aches can develop 12-24 hours after taking tadalafil and go away on their own after 2 days.
Possible Side Effects (continued)
♦    Less common: flushing, nasal congestion, and arm or leg
pain.
♦    Rare-. prolonged or painful erections. Other rare side ef-
fects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact
your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed
above.
Vardenafil
✓    Most common: headache and flushing.
✓    Less common: upset stomach, sinus infection, flu-like symptoms, dizziness, and nausea.
♦    Rare: prolonged or painful erection. 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
•    Do not combine any of these drugs with nitrates (such as nitroglycerin) and other drugs that lower blood pressure. The combination can cause a sudden, rapid drop in blood pressure.
•    Do not take vardenafil if you are taking an alpha blocker (such as alfuzosin, doxazosin, prazosin, tamsulosin, or terazosin). Tadalafil may be taken only with tamsulosin. You may take sildenafil at its lowest possible dose with an alpha blocker, but you must separate the doses by at least 4 hours.
•    Combining cimetidine and sildenafil leads to a substantial (more than 50%) increase in the amount of sildenafil in the blood.
•    Erythromycin, itraconazole, ketoconazole, and protease inhibitors (used to combat HIV) can cause sildenafil blood levels to almost double. Vardenafil levels can increase by 400-1000% when combined with these medicines. It you are taking one of these medicines, do not take more than the %west possible dose of your ED drug. Do not take tadalafil more than once every 3 days if you are also taking one of these medicines.
•    Rifampin can be expected to reduce the effect of ED medicines by reducing the amount of drug in the blood. Other
drugs that may reduce the effects of these drugs are carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and phenytoin.
•    Dihydrocodeine—a widely used prescription pain reliever—may increase the effects of sildenafil, yielding substantially prolonged erections, sometimes lasting for hours.
•    Do not combine sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil. The effects of combining these drugs are not known.
•    Do not take vardenafil if you are taking any medicine to treat an abnormal heartbeat, including amiodarone, procainamide, quinidine, and sotalol.
•    Combining sildenafil with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or tacrolimus may increase the risk of sildenafil side effects.
•    Alcohol adds to the blood-pressure-lowering effects of these medicines.
Food Interactions
Grapefruit juice may increase the amount of these drugs in the blood. Taking sildenafil with a high-fat meal reduces the amount of drug absorbed. Tadalafil and vardenafil may be taken without regard to food or meals.
Usual Dose
Sildenafil
Adult: 50 mg taken about 1 hour before sexual activity. Individual doses can range from 25-100 mg. The maximum dosing frequency is once a day.
Senior: Begin with 25 mg and gradually increase dosage as needed.
Tadalafil
Adult: 10 mg taken about 1 hour before sexual activity. Individual doses can range from 2.5-20 mg. Do not take more than 1 dose of tadalafil a day.
Senior: Begin with 5 mg and gradually increase dosage as needed.
Adult: 10 mg taken about 1 hour before sexual activity. Individual doses can range from 5-20 mg.
Senior: Begin with 5 mg and gradually increase dosage as needed.
Overdosage
sildenafil and tadalafil overdose are likely to produce exaggerated drug side effects. Vardenafil overdose may cause neck pain, muscle aches, or vision changes. Call your local poison control center or hospital emergency room for more information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Call your doctor and do not engage in sexual activity if the erection produced by ED drugs is painful or lasts 4 or more hours, or if you experience dizziness, nausea, or chest pain after taking an ED drug. In rare cases, men taking ED drugs have reported a sudden decrease or loss of vision and/or hearing. Call your doctor right away if you experience this adverse side effect.
People who use organic nitrates for gardening or other purposes can experience a severe and dangerous blood pressure drop if they take sildenafil or vardenafil. It is not known how long you have to wait to resume nitrate use.
These drugs do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: There is no evidence that sildenafil or vardenafil harm the fetus; however, they are not intended for pregnant women or nursing mothers.
Seniors: Men age 65 and over eliminate these drugs more slowly than younger men and should begin with the lowest possible dosage.

Generic Name
Ergoloid Mesylates (ER-goe-loid
MES-il-ates) (GI
Brand Names Caerimal
Hydergine
Type of Drug Psychotherapeutic agent.
Hydrogenated Ergot Alkaloids
Prescribed For
Age-related decline in mental capacity.
General Information
Ergoloid mesylates are used to treat decreased mental capacity of unknown cause in people over age 60. These drugs should not be used for any condition that is treatable with another drug or that may be reversible. People who respond to ergoloid mesylates are likely to have Alzheimer’s disease or some other cause of dementia. Nobody knows exactly how ergoloid mesylates produce their effect, but they improve the supply of blood to the brain in test animals, reduce their heart rate, and improve muscle tone in blood vessels. Some studies show the drugs to be very effective in relieving mild symptoms of mental impairment, while others find it to be only moderately effective. They are most beneficial in people whose symptoms are due to the effects of high blood pressure in the brain.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take ergoloid mesylates if you are allergic or sensitive to any of their ingredients or you have psychotic symptoms or psychosis.
Ergoloid mesylates should be used with caution in people with liver disease, low blood pressure, or slow heartbeat.
Possible Side Effects
Ergoloid mesylates do not produce serious side effects.
♦ Common: When taken under the tongue, these drugs may
cause irritation, nausea, or upset stomach. Other side ef-
fects are drowsiness, slow heartbeat, and rash.
Drug Interactions None known.
Food Interactions
Do not eat, drink, or smoke while you have an ergoloid mesylates pill under your tongue.
Usual Dose
Starting dose is 1-2 mg 3 times a day. Increase as needed. Do not exceed 12 mg a day.
Overdosage
Symptoms include blurred vision, dizziness, fainting, flushing, headache, appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and stuffy nose. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
The effects of ergoloid mesylates are gradual and frequently not seen for up to 6 months. A 6-month period of treatment with ergoloid mesylates is recommended before your doctor can fully evaluate your response to the drug. Your doctor should periodically reevaluate your condition to determine if ergoloid mesylates treatment is still needed and that it is working for you.
Dissolve sublingual tablets under the tongue. Do not chew or crush them; they are not effective if swallowed whole.
If you forget a dose, skip it and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose. Call your doctor if you miss 2 or more consecutive doses.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Ergoloid mesylates may interfere with fetal development. When these drugs are considered crucial by your doctor, their potential benefits must be carefully weighed against their risks.
Ergoloid mesylates pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take these drugs should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors are more likely to develop side effects, especially hypothermia (low body temperature).
Generic Name
Erythromycin (eh-rith-roe-MYE-sin) 10
Brand Names
Akre-mycin    Eryderm
Arr/S    Erygel
E-Base    Ery-Tab
E-Glades    Erythra-derm
E-Mycin    PCE Eryc
The information in this profile also applies to all forms of erythromycin:
Generic Ingredient: Erythromycin Estolate LN
Generic Ingredient: Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate E.E.S.    Pediamycin EryPed
Generic Ingredients: Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate + Sulfisoxasole
Eryzole    Pediazole
Generic Ingredient: Erythromycin Stearate Erythrocin Stearate
Type of Drug Macrolide antibiotic.
Prescribed For
Infections of virtually any part of the body: upper and lower respiratory tract infections; sexually transmitted diseases; urinary tract infections; infections of the mouth, gums, or teeth; and infections of the nose, ears, or sinuses. It is prescribed for acne and may be used for mild to moderate skin infections. Erythromycin is effective against diphtheria and dysentery. It is also prescribed for legionnaires’ disease, rheumatic fever, whooping cough, and bacterial endocarditis. It is prescribed to patients with pelvic inflammatory disease as an alternative to penicillin. The eye ointment is used to prevent newborn gonococcal or chlamydial eye infections.
General Information
Erythromycin and other macrolide antibiotics are either bactericidal (bacteria-killing) or bacteriostatic (inhibiting bacterial growth), depending on the organism in question and amount of antibiotic present. Erythromycin is deactivated by stomach acid, so the tablet form is made to bypass the stomach and dissolve in the intestine.
Since the action of this antibiotic depends on its concentration in the invading bacteria, kk is crucial that you follow your doctor’s ISNVKi10ns regarding the spacing of doses as well as the number of days you must take the medication—otherwise, this antibiotic may be much less effective.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take erythromycin if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or to any macrolide antibiotic.
Erythromycin is excreted primarily through the liver. People with liver disease or damage should consult their doctors. Those on long-term therapy with erythromycin should have periodic blood tests. If you restart erythromycin after having experienced liver damage, it is likely that symptoms will recur within 48 hours.
Erythromycin estolate has occasionally produced liver problems (symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and fever). If you are susceptible to stomach problems, erythromycin may cause mild to moderate stomach upset; discontinuing the drug will reverse this condition.
Colitis (bowel inflammation) has been associated with all antibiotics and can range from mild to life-threatening (see “Possible Side Effects”),
Possible Side Effects
•    Most common: nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Colitis (symptoms include severe abdominal cramps and severe, persistent, and possibly bloody diarrhea) may develop. Side effects of the topical erythromycin include peeling, dryness, itching, and oiliness.
♦    Less common: hairy tongue, itching, irritation of the anal or vaginal region, eye irritation, and skin tenderness. If any of these symptoms appear, call your physician immediately.
♦    Rare: hearing loss—which reverses itself after the drug is stopped and occurs most often in people with liver and kidney problems—and abnormal heart rhythms. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Antacids may slightly affect the release of erythromycin from your body. This effect is not considered important.
•    Do not combine erythromycin with astemizole or terfenadine.
•    Erythromycin may slow the breakdown of carbamazepine (an anticonvulsant prescribed for seizures). Avoid this combination.
•    Mixing erythromycin with rifabutin or rifampin can interfere with the antibiotic’s effect and increase the risk of intestinal side effects.
•    Do not combine erythromycin and pimozide. Two people died after combining pimozide and a macrolide antibiotic.
•    Erythromycin may neutralize penicillin. It may also neutralize the antibiotics lincomycin and clindamycin.
•    Erythromycin interferes with the elimination of theophylline
from the body, possibly leading to theophylline overdose.
•    Mixing erythromycin with a statin cholesterol-lowering drug increases the risk of developing a potentially fatal condition involving severe muscle pain and destruction.
•    Do not mix erythromycin with sparfloxacin, ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole, diltiazem, verapamil, troleandomycin, mibefradil, nefazodone, or clarithromycin. These mixtures can lead to severe, possibly fatal, abnormal heart rhythms. Grepafloxacin (another fluoroquinolone) should only be mixed with erythromycin in hospitalized patients whose hearts can be monitored during treatment.
•    Combining erythromycin and alfentanil (an injectable pain reliever), bromocriptine, buspirone, digoxin, disopyramide, ergotamine, cyclosporine, methylprednisolone (a corticosteroid), tacrolimus, vinblastine, or benzodiazepines (such as alprazolam, diazepam, midazolam, and triazolam) increases the risk of drug side effects.
•    Erythromycin estolate may increase the liver side effects of other drugs that affect the liver.
•    Erythromycin may increase the anticoagulant (blood-thinning) effects of warfarin in people who take it regularly, especially older adults. People taking this combination should be tested regularly.
•    Erythromycin may increase the effects of caffeine.
Food Interactions
Grapefruit juice slows the breakdown of erythromycin, increasing the amount of drug in the blood. For optimum effectiveness, take erythromycin base and erythromycin stearate on an empty stomach with a 6-8 oz. glass of water 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals. Other forms of erythromycin can be taken without regard to food or meals.
\huall Dose
Tablet and Suspension
Adult: 250-400 mg every 6 hours, taken 1 hour before meals, or 500 mg every 12 hours. Maximum dose is 4 g a day.
Child: 15-25 mg per lb. of body weight a day in divided doses depending on age, weight, and severity of infection.
Eye Ointment 1/2 inch 2-6 times a day.
Topical Solution: Apply morning and night.
Doses of erythromycin ethylsuccinate are 60% higher due to differences in chemical composition.
Overdosage
Overdose may cause severe side effects, especially nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Mild hearing loss, ringing or buzzing in the ears, or fainting may also occur. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for more information. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Erythromycin is used instead of penicillin for mild to moderate infections in people who are allergic to penicillin. Erythromycin is not the antibiotic of choice for severe infections.
Erythromycin products should be stored at room temperature, except for oral and topical liquids, which should be kept in the refrigerator.
Call your doctor if you develop nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; stomach cramps; severe abdominal pain; rash, itching, or redness; dark or amber-colored urine; yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes; or any severe or persistent side effect.
If you forget a dose of oral erythromycin, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, space the next 2 doses over 4-6 hours, then continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Remember to complete the full course of therapy prescribed even if you feel well before you finish the medication.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Erythromycin passes into the fetal circulation. Erythromycin estolate has caused mild liver inflammation in about 10% of pregnant women who took it and should not be used if you are or might be pregnant. Other forms of erythromycin have been used sale)y without difficulty.
Erythromycin passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take erythromycin should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors with liver disease should use caution. Seniors taking high doses of erythromycin may be at an increased risk of hearing loss.

Tags: Allergy, arms and legs, bacteria, baraclude, blood, chronic hepatitis, dizziness, entecavir, gastrointestinal, GENERIC, Headache, hepatitis b, hepatitis b virus, hiv drug, hiv infection, hiv resistance, hypertension, info, kidney disease, lactic acidosis, liver damage, liver transplant, lower respiratory tract, monoamine, nausea and vomiting, percentage, pregnancy, prescription medicine, priapism, rash, refrigerator, stomach, stomach pain, System, Tadalafil, upset stomach, vardenafil

Aug

1

Chlorzoxazone

August 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Generic Name
Chlorzoxazone (klor-M-uh-zone)
Brand Names
Parafon Forte DSC    Strifon Forte DSC
Type of Drug
Skeletal muscle relaxant.
Prescribed For
Pain and spasm of muscular conditions, including strain, sprain, bruising, and lower back problems.
General Information
Chlorzoxazone works primarily on the spinal cord level and on the brain, acting as a mild sedative. This results in fewer spasms, less pain, and greater mobility. Chlorzoxazone provides only temporary relief and is not a substitute for other types of therapy, such as rest, surgery, and physical therapy.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take chlorzoxazone if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients, or if you have a condition known as porphyria.
People with poor liver or kidney function should take this drug with caution because serious liver toxicity has rarely occurred in people using chlorzoxazone.
Chlorzoxazone may interact with other drugs that cause nervous system depression (see “Drug Interactions”).
Because it is possible to become dependent on this drug, people with a history of substance abuse should take chlorzoxazone with caution.
Possible Side Effects
♦    Most common: dizziness, drowsiness, lightheadedness, malaise, and aveTStimulation,
♦    Less common: headache, stomach cramps or pain, diar-
rhea, constipation, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting.
•    Rare: internal bleeding, liver problems, severe allergic-type skin reactions, and breathing problems. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• The depressive effects of chlorzoxazone may be enhanced by taking it with alcohol, sedatives, sleeping pills, or other nervous system depressants. Avoid these combinations.
Food Interactions
Take this drug with food if it upsets your stomach. The tablets may be crushed and mixed with food.
Usual Dose
Adult: 250-750 mg 3-4 times a day. Child: 125-500 mg 3-4 times a day.
Do not take more medication than is prescribed.
Overdosage
Early signs of chlorzoxazone overdose may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, and headache. Victims may also feel sluggish or sickly and lose the ability to move their muscles. Breathing may become slow or irregular, and blood pressure may drop. Contact a doctor immediately or go to a hospital emergency room for treatment. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Chlorzoxazone may make you drowsy or reduce your ability to concentrate. Be extremely careful while driving or operating hazardous equipment. Avoid alcoholic beverages.
Chlorzoxazone may turn your urine orange to purple-red; this is not dangerous.
Call your doctor if you develop drowsiness, weakness, an allergic reaction, skin rash or itching, breathing difficulties, black or tarry stools, vomiting of material that resembles coffee grounds, liver problems, or any other severe or bothersome side effect.
4f you miss a dose of chlorzoxazone by more than an hour, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: The safety of chlorzoxazone in pregnant women has not been established. Pregnant women should only take chlorzoxazone after carefully weighing its potential benefits against its risks.
It is not known if chlorzoxazone passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers should consider using infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with severe liver disease, are more sensitive to the effects of chlorzoxazone.

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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.

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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.

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Jul

16

Acitretin

July 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Generic Name
Acitretin (ah-sih-TREH-tin)
Brand Name
Soriatane
Type of Drug Antipsoriatic.
Prescribed For
Severe psoriasis; also prescribed for a variety of other skin conditions.
General Information
Acitretin is related to vitamin A and prescription drugs such as etretinate and isotretinoin. Acitretin is produced when etretinate is broken down in the body and its effects are very similar to etretinate. The way that acitretin works is not known. Its full benefit is not likely to be seen until you have taken it for 2 or 3 months. Your doctor is urged to use this medication only in cases of severe psoriasis that have not responded to other treatments because of the risks associated with acitretin.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take acitretin if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients. Women who take acitretin must not be pregnant during treatment or for 3 years after the completion of treatment. It is not known if acitretin taken by men before conception is also a risk to the fetus.
A small number of people taking this drug have developed liver damage including jaundice (symptoms include yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes). Acitretin has also been associated with hepatitis. People with kidney failure have much less acitretin in their blood than people with normal kidneys. Caution is advised for people with liver or kidney damage.
Cholesterol levels rise in 25-560/6 of people taking acitretin. Very large increases in triglycerides may be responsible for the few cases of pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation) that have been reported. Your doctor should measure your blood fat levels before you start taking acitretin and monitor them weekly or biweekly until your response to the medication has been determined. People with diabetes, who are obese, or who have a history of these conditions are at increased risk for high cholesterol levels as are people who drink alcohol excessively.
Drugs similar to acitretin have been associated with pseudo-tumor cerebri (increased pressure in the brain). Symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri include visual disturbances, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Report these or any unusual symptoms to your doctor at once.
People taking acitretin who had spine or bone—including knee or ankle—problems before starting the drug may find that their problems worsen while on the drug.
People with diabetes may find it more difficult to control their blood sugar while on acitretin.
Possible Side Effects
✓    Most common: hair loss or change in texture, peeling skin, and inflammation of the lips.
✓    Common: dry eyes, chills or stiffness, dry skin, fingernail problems, itching, rash, tingling in the hands or feet, increased sensory awareness, loss of some sections of skin, sticky skin, and runny nose.
✓    Less common: drying and thickening of eye tissue; eye irritation; eyebrow or eye lash loss; changes in appetite; swelling; fatigue; hot flashes; flushing; sinus irritation; headache; pain; earache; insomnia; depression; Bell’s palsy; crusting of the eyelids; blurred vision; conjunctivitis (pinkeye); double vision; itchy eyes or eyelids; cataracts; swelling inside the eye; unusual sensitivity to bright light; dry mouth; nausea; stomach pain; diarrhea; bleeding gums; joint; back; and muscle pain; and worsening of existing spinal problems.
✓    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
• People combining acitretin and glyburide (an antidiabetic) may have unusually low blood-sugar levels. Your doctor may have to adjust your diabetic treatment program while you are taking acitretin.
•    Combining acitretin with methotrexate increases the risk of liver damage.
•    Acitretin reduces the effectiveness of low-progestin oral contraceptives (the “mini-pill”). If you are taking one of these contraceptives, switch to another type of birth control and use at least one other contraceptive method for at least 3 years after treatment is completed.
•    Combining alcohol with acitretin produces acitretin’s parent compound, etretinate. Etretinate stays in the body much longer than acitretin and may therefore affect the fetus for an even longer period of time than might acitretin. Avoid alcoholic beverages.
•    Do not take a vitamin A supplement that has more than the standard minimum daily requirement (1000 mcg). Excess vitamin A plus acitretin exposes you to possible vitamin A toxicity.
•    Combining acitretin with tetracyclines may increase the risk of severe pressure on the brain.
•    Notify your doctor if you are taking etretinate, isotretinoin, oral or topical tretinoin, or cyclosporine.
Food Interactions
Acitretin is best absorbed when taken with food or meals. Usual Dose
Adult: 25-50 mg a day with your main meal. Dosage may increase after 4 weeks to 25-75 mg a day. Dosage must be individualized to your specific needs.
Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Symptoms of acitretin overdose include vomiting, headache, and vertigo. Call your local hospital emergency room or local poison control center for more information. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Contact your doctor at once if you become pregnant while taking acitretin or in the 3 years following treatment. The risk of birth defects persists as long as the drug is in your body. In one case,

small amounts of etretinate were found in blood plasma and fatty tissue more than 5 years after treatment.
Some people have experienced decreased night vision while taking acitretin. Be careful when driving at night.
Report visual disturbances, headache, nausea, vomiting, or anything unusual to your doctor at once.
Do not drink any alcoholic beverages during acitretin treatment and for at least 2 months after treatment has been completed. Avoid excess vitamin A (see “Drug Interactions”).
Some birth control methods, including low-dose progestin contraceptives and tuba) ligation may fail while taking this drug. Use at least one additional form of contraception while taking acitretin to avoid pregnancy.
You may have problems tolerating contact lenses while you are taking acitretin.
Do not donate blood while taking acitretin or for 3 years afterwards because your blood might be given to a pregnant woman.
Avoid exposure to excessive sunlight or to sunlamps because of unusual sensitivity caused by acitretin.
If you forget to take a dose of acitretin, take it with food 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 take a double dose.
A worsening of psoriasis may initially occur with treatment, and the full benefit of acitretin may not be seen for 2-3 months.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Acitretin causes birth detects and may damage the fetus. Women who take acitretin must be sure they are not pregnant before starting therapy by using reliable contraception for at least 1 month before starting the drug and taking a pregnancy test within 1 week of starting treatment. Women must use 2 reliable contraceptive methods during treatment and for 3 years following the completion of treatment.
Acitretin may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors have twice as much acitretin in their blood as do younger adults but may take acitretin without special precaution.

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Jul

16

Acetaminophen

July 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Generic Name
Acetaminophen (uh-SEE-tuh-MIN-uh-fen) RE
Brand Names
Acephen    Mapap-
Aceta    Mapap Children’s
Acetaminophen Uniserts    Mapap Extra Strength
Apacet    Mapap Infant Drops
Aspirin Free Anacin Maximum    Maranox
Strength    Neopap
Aspirin Free Pain Relief    Oraphen-PD
Dynafed, Children’s JR    Panadol*
Dynafed EX    Redutemp
Dynafed Extra Strength    Silapap
Feverall    Silapap Children’s
Feverall, Infants    Silapap Infants
Genapap”    Tapanol
Genebs    Tempra*
Liquiprin    Tylenol*
*Some products in this brand-name group are alcohol- or sugar-free. Consult your pharmacist.
Type of Drug
Antipyretic and analgesic.
Prescribed For
Relief of pain and fever for people who cannot or do not want to take aspirin or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Acetaminophen may be given to children about to receive a

DTP vaccination to reduce the fever and pain that commonly follow the vaccination.
General Information
Acetaminophen is generally used to relieve pain and fever associated with the common cold, flu, viral infections, or other disorders where pain or fever may occur. It is also used to relieve pain in people who are allergic to aspirin, or those who cannot take aspirin because of potential interactions with other drugs such as oral anticoagulants. It can be used to relieve pain from a variety of sources, including arthritis, headache, muscle ache, menstrual cramping, and tooth and periodontic pain, although it does not reduce inflammation.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take acetaminophen if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients. Do not take acetaminophen for more than 10 days in a row (5 days for children) unless directed by your doctor. Do not take more than is prescribed or recommended on the package.
Use this drug with extreme caution if you have kidney or liver disease or viral infections of the liver. Large amounts of alcohol increase the liver toxicity of large doses or overdoses of acetaminophen. Avoid alcohol if you regularly take acetaminophen. Some people are more sensitive to this effect than others.
Possible Side Effects
This drug is relatively free from side effects when taken in recommended doses. For this reason it has become extremely popular, especially among those who cannot take aspirin. V Rare: large doses or long-term use may cause liver dam-
age, rash, itching, fever, lowered blood sugar, stimulation,
yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, and/or a change
in the composition of your blood. Contact your doctor if
you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
o Large doses of barbiturate drugs, carbamazepine, phenytoin and similar drugs, izoniazid, rifampin, and sulfinpyrazone may increase the chances of liver toxicity if taken with acetaminophen.

• Alcoholic beverages increase the chances for liver toxicity
and possible liver failure associated with acetaminophen.
Food Interactions
None known.
Usual Dose
Adult and Child (age 12 and over): 325-650 mg 4-6 times a day,
or 1000 mg 3-4 times a day. Avoid taking more than 4 g (twelve
325-mg tablets) a day for long periods of time. Child (age 11): 480 mg 4-5 times a day. Child (age 9-10): 400 mg 4-5 times a day. Child (age 6-8): 320 mg 4-5 times a day. Child (age 4-5): 240 mg 4-5 times a day. Child (age 3): 160 mg 4-5 times a day. Child (age 1-2): 120 mg 4-5 times a day.
Child (age 4-11 months): 80 mg 4-5 times a day. Child (under age 4 months): 40 mg 4-5 times a day.
Overdosage
Acetaminophen is a commonly used ingredient in many over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Always check the list of ingredients when using more than one OTC medication to ensure that the combined dosage is within guidelines and to avoid accidental overdose.
Acute acetaminophen overdose may cause nausea, vomiting, sweating, appetite loss, drowsiness, confusion, abdominal tenderness, low blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, and liver and kidney failure. Liver damage has occurred with 12 extra-strength tablets or 18 regular-strength tablets, but most people need larger doses-20 extra-strength or 30 regular-strength tablets—to damage their livers. Regular use of large doses for long periods-30004000 mg a day for a year—can also cause liver damage, especially if alcohol is involved. In case of overdose, induce vomiting as soon as possible with ipecac syrup—available at any pharmacy —and take the victim to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the acetaminophen bottle or container.
Special Information
Unless abused, acetaminophen is a beneficial, effective, and relatively nontoxic drug. Follow package directions and call your doctor if acetaminophen does not relieve pain in 10 days for adults or 5 days for children. Call your doctor if fever gets worse or persists longer than 3 days.
Alcoholic beverages will worsen the liver damage that acetaminophen can cause. People who take this drug on a regular basis should limit their alcohol intake.
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is within an hour of 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: Acetaminophen ‘is considered safe during pregnancy when taken in usual doses. Taking continuous high doses of the drug may cause birth defects or interfere with fetal development. Three cases of congenital hip dislocation appear to have been associated with acetaminophen. Check with your doctor before taking this drug if you are or might be pregnant.
Small amounts of acetaminophen may pass into breast milk, but the drug is considered harmless to nursing infants.
Seniors: Seniors may take acetaminophen as directed by a doctor.

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Jul

15

Recovery from Prostate Surgery.

July 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Recovery from Prostate Surgery

Whatever anyone tells you, a prostatectomy is a major operation and you need to allow yourself sufficient time to recover from it bupropion. Men are notoriously impatient, especially if they have to go back to work, but you must accept that you will probably have to slow down for a while. Don’t expect miracles, and don’t be too hard on yourself. You may not have had a leg amputated, but you have nevertheless had a major operation and you must make allowances for this. You must not expect too much of yourself during your recovery period in order to give yourself the best chance to get better as quickly as possible. Any impatience may, in
the long run, only make matters worse and set you back on your road to recovery. Exactly how long it takes you to get yourself back to a state of good health depends to a large extent on how fit you were before you had the operation. It also depends on how large your prostate gland was, and on whether or not there were any complications as a result of surgery.

Remember that old cliche about time being the great healer? It may not be very original but, like a lot of cliches, it’s true. So grit your teeth and take things easy for a while. It may take as long as three months before you feel completely well again, but once you do, you’ll be utterly convinced that it was worth every minute!

Your bladder

In the first few weeks after your operation, don’t be surprised if your symptoms do not seem any better than before. They may even seem worse. This doesn’t mean that the operation hasn’t been a success - only that you haven’t healed yet. It can take anything up to about six weeks for the cut surface inside the prostate to heal over completely. Expecting everything to work perfectly before this happens is unrealistic. Until then, you will have to be prepared to make allowances. Even when your urinary system returns to a state of good health, do not be surprised if you have problems getting used to this. You’ve probably spent a long time - years maybe - getting used to having to empty your bladder all too frequently, and it may take a long time -several weeks, probably, or even months - before you succeed in unlearning those habits. Be patient and you will gradually build up confidence in your bladder again until you are able to forget about it completely.

Medication

You will probably still be taking a course of antibiotics when you leave hospital. You must be disciplined about taking these. Remember to finish the course, and don’t just stop taking the pills as soon as you feel better. This could set you back a long way and allow any leftover bacteria to multiply and mount another attack just when you’re least expecting it and you’re congratulating yourself on getting better .

AFTER AN OPEN PROSTATECTOMY

If you’ve had an open prostatectomy, you will have stitches in your abdomen and you will have been given strict instructions on what you can and can’t do. You will be tired after your general anaesthetic and you will need to look after your wound. A district nurse will probably come to your house every other day to change the dressing, and she will take the stitches out when necessary. You will have been told what movements you can make to avoid putting too great a strain on both the scar and the surrounding muscles. You should also:
• Avoid carrying anything at all heavy - even a full kettle may be too heavy, so fill it only half full.
• Get out of your chair cautiously and gently by wriggling your way to the edge of the chair before getting up.
• Build up slowly to normal activities.
• Use your common sense at all times and don’t attempt to do too much.
• STOP immediately if you suspect you are doing too much.
Even when you’ve had the stitches removed, you will still need to be careful. It takes a good six weeks for the wound to heal itself, and several months before the abdominal muscles get back to their full strength.

AFTER A TRANSURETHRAL PROSTATECTOMY (TURP)

If, on the other hand, you’ve had the more common transurethral prostatectomy (TURP), you won’t have any visible signs of your operation, like a scar, and it’s all too easy to forget that you’ve actually had an operation at all. But you have, and you mustn’t forget it. Any operation puts a great physical strain on the body and, as a result, takes a surprisingly long time for you to get over. In hospital, you will have spent most of your time sitting or lying in bed. You probably won’t have done anything more strenuous than reading or watching television. As soon as you get home, the temptation will be to resume all your favourite occupations - going for a walk in the park, perhaps, or doing a bit of gardening. But it is not a good idea to get back into the swing of things too soon. This should be a slow and gradual process, and you must be careful not to push yourself too far, or to do more than you can genuinely cope with. In the meantime, make sure that you get plenty of rest. Get up late, have a rest whenever you feel you need one, and go to bed early. Whenever you are sitting, remember that a firm seat is more comfortable than a soft one that can press upwards between the buttocks.
The problem is obviously greater for people who live alone and who are looking after themselves. But even where this is the case -perhaps even more so, in fact, because you can’t risk driving yourself so hard that you make yourself ill - you must restrict yourself at First to doing the essentials. You’ll obviously need to do the cooking and washing, but most other things can wait. There is absolutely no shame in spoiling yourself at a time like this. Your priority is to get well, and everything else comes second to that average.

BLADDER CONTROL

The great majority of prostatectomies are successful, and recovery is usually straightforward. Having said that, though, recovery can sometimes be slow, and efficient urination is something you may have to work at will.
Just after the operation, the urethra may be swollen, which may in turn be painful. This pain can make the urethral muscles contract from time to time, which can mean that the flow of urine is either slow or intermittent. Bruising of the tissues around the urethra can also prevent the muscles surrounding the urethra working properly, which can mean that the urethra neither opens nor closes completely. This can result in a low stream of urine, of continual leakage of urine. Such problems are, of course, unpleasant and debilitating, but they should disappear as soon as the swelling and bruising get better, which should take only a fortnight or so.
Another problem following the operation may be that you suffer from just as bad - if not worse - a degree of frequency and urgency of urination as you did before the operation. This is likely to be brought about by inflammation of the prostate and urethra, and may continue until the cut surface of the prostate is completely healed, which can take as long as six to eight weeks. It can last even longer 11′ you develop a urinary tract infection, which is a good reason to have your urine tested at your six-week check-up. It may surprise you to know that the opposite problem of an absence of urgency can, contrary to what you might expect, be
even more worrying than its presence. This is because if you suffered from chronic retention of urine before your operation, your bladder may have become so accustomed to holding a large amount of urine that it does not send the right signal when it is full. The danger, in this case, is that the bladder may become so full that it will be unable to contract properly and empty itself efficiently. You will have to empty it by the clock - say every hour or so - until you begin to feel the natural urge to urinate. This should happen spontaneously, if gradually. In short, you can expect your bladder to behaving abnormally for up to six weeks or so after the operation.

Bladder training

You will probably benefit from training - or retraining - your bladder to hold more urine and to last comfortably for longer periods of time. This should help reduce increased frequency and urgency of urination, as well as night-time urination.
Start by making a urination chart, or frequency/volume chart, detailing the time and amount of urine each time you go to the toilet. Equip yourself with a measuring jug, of the type you can buy in hardware or kitchen equipment shops, so as to measure the volume of urine. Continue keeping this chart while you are bladder training. You will probably be used to emptying your bladder each time you feel the slightest urge to do so, or even each time you pass a toilet ‘just in case’. Stop doing this and gradually increase the time between visits to the toilet. Start by holding on for another two minutes after you feel the need to go to the toilet, then increase this to five minutes, then another five minutes, and so on. All this is easier said than done, but there are a few ‘tricks’ that should make it easier for you to hold on between visits.
• Sit rather than stand when you feel the desire to urinate.
• Keep still rather than moving around.
• Pull up your pelvic floor muscles.
• Cross your legs.
• Hold your penis, if you can do this discreetly .
• Take regular, slow, deep breaths.
• Think about something else to keep your mind off your bladder.
• Try to do something else to take your mind off your bladder, such as making a telephone call, or reading the newspaper.
You will find that you can gradually manage to hold on for longer and longer intervals. Aim, ultimately, for an interval of three to four hours.
Bladder training can achieve a lot for most people in just four weeks. Try to keep it up for three months or, even better, six months. Don’t expect to have dealt with all your problems even after six months. Symptoms can continue to improve for as long as a year -or even longer.

RESUMING SEXUAL ACTIVITY

You can resume sexual activity as soon as you feel up to it. Some doctors are wary of advising patients to do this, in case of disturbing clots and scabs, others say that the passage of semen cannot do any more harm than the passage of urine. Be alert to how you feel, and follow your natural inclinations. You may, however, not feel like sex for some time after the operation. If this happens to you, you shouldn’t worry It does not mean that you have lost your sex drive or your potency as a result of the operation - it simply means that you have a natural degree of fatigue after what is, after all, a major operation side affects. This is even more likely if you have had a general anaesthetic.

Retrograde ejaculation

You are unlikely to ejaculate in quite the same way as you did before the operation and may experience retrograde ejaculation. This means that semen goes backwards up the urethra into the bladder, rather than forwards and down into the urethra. This often has the effect of making you sterile, and a lot of men find this a very difficult hurdle to deal with, even if they do not actually want to father any more children. In their eyes, the fact that they are now sterile seems to emasculate them in some way, to make them less of a man. It is important that a man is told that this is a likely side-effect of a prostatectomy before the operation, as this seems to help them deal with it better. Even if you do have retrograde ejaculation, this cannot guarantee that your partner won’t become pregnant and you should still use some form of contraception if this is an issue. You cannot rely on a prostatectomy to give you a reliable form of contraception medicare. It is estimated that between 5 and 10 per cent of men are still fertile afterwards. If you want a reliable and permanent method of contraception, you may want to discuss the possibility of having a vasectomy with your surgeon, as this can easily be done at the same time as a prostatectomy. Your urine will probably look a little cloudy after intercourse, as the semen that went into the bladder is washed out. You may also find that you bleed slightly after intercourse during the first six weeks or so after the operation - just as you notice a little blood in your urine - but as long as this is not a large amount of blood, you should not have anything to worry about.

YOUR SIX-WEEK CHECK-UP

By six weeks after the operation, most of your symptoms should have cleared up, though you may still be suffering from frequency and urgency of urination. You will probably have a check-up after six weeks, which is your opportunity to discuss anything that is worrying you. It is particularly important to have a test done on a urine sample, just to check that you are free of any urine infection. Some hospital clinics also like to repeat the urine flow test, which will indicate that the operation has been successful.

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Jul

5

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) side-effects and downsides

July 5, 2009 | Leave a Comment

NSAID Nastiness

The biggest recognized drawback to NSAIDs has always been their tendency to cause digestive tract distress. That’s because of how they work in the body. These drugs block the manufacture of a class of chemicals called prostaglandins. These hormonelike compounds have a profound impact on cells throughout the body. If you sprain your ankle, have a tooth extracted, or develop arthritis, you will experience pain, redness, warmth, and inflammation. This is in large measure due to prostaglandins made by a protein called cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Blocking their formation with NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen means there is less inflammation and pain.
But some prostaglandins made by another protein, COX-1, are beneficial. They protect the stomach lining from damage. If you disrupt their production by blocking COX-1 with NSAIDs, many people complain of symptoms such as nausea, indigestion, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea. It is estimated that more than half of the people taking NSAIDs experience unpleasant gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Far more worrisome are ulcers, which can bleed or, in the worst case, perforate. A bleeding ulcer or a hole in the stomach wall can very quickly turn into a life-threatening crisis. All too often there are no early warning symptoms that someone is on the verge of disaster. Although it is hard to know exactly how many people are affected each year, experts estimate that more than 100,000 are hospitalized because of complications caused by NSAIDs and more than 16,000 die.’ The researchers admit these numbers are probably conservative.
Although most physicians have known for a long time that NSAIDs can be hard on the stomach, they didn’t realize that the same drugs can be disastrous for the small intestine. That’s because until recently the small intestine could not be examined directly. Now a small video camera the size of a capsule can be swallowed and the image it transmits can be monitored on a television as the capsule passes into the small intestine.
“If deaths from gastrointestinal toxic effects of NSAIDs were tabulated separately in the National Vital Statistics reports, these effects would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the United States. Yet these toxic effects remain largely a ’silent epidemic,’ with many physicians and most patients unaware of the magnitude of the problem. 70 Furthermore, the mortality statistics do not include deaths ascribed to the use of over-the-counter NSAIDs ”
The New England Journal of Medicine, 1999

Investigators discovered in a preliminary study that 71 percent of the patients taking NSAIDs had erosions or ulcers in their small intestine, compared to only 10 percent of those not taking these drugs. This unexpected finding suggests that NSAID damage to the intestinal tract is even more common and serious than previously suspected. Frequently, aspirin is sold with an enteric coating that protects the stomach from harm. The coating is designed to dissolve in the small intestine instead, releasing the aspirin there. When we asked gastroenterologist Waqar Qureshi, MD, chief of endoscopy at Baylor University and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, about such formulations, he said, “Enteric-coated drugs might, in fact, cause more damage than regular medications.”" This is because the damage occurs in the small intestine, where the tissue is less resistant to irritating chemicals than the stomach is and where the damage may go undetected.

The COX-2 Catastrophe

With such GI toxicity associated with_ NSAIDs, it’s hardly any wonder that doctors and patients were excited to learn about COX-2 inhibitors. Vioxx, Bextra, and Celebrex were introduced with the idea that they would be gentler on the stomach than other NSAIDs. That’s because these newfangled members of the class were supposed to be “selective.” They would block only the COX-2 enzyme, relieving inflammation as well as aspirin or other NSAIDs do. By sparing the COX-1 enzyme, prostaglandins would be created to protect the stomach from irritation. The promise: pain relief with much less risk of digestive upset or stomach ulcers.
As soon as COX-2 inhibitors were introduced in 1999, they took off like rocket ships. Aggressive advertising directed at consumers and enthusiastic prescribing by physicians turned Celebrex and Vioxx into overnight sensations. Tens of millions of people started popping these pills in the hope that they would relieve pain without the usual problems.
There was just one big oops. By selectively blocking the COX-2 enzyme to relieve inflammation, a crucial prostaglandin called prostacyclin was also reduced. This compound is our friend. It dilates blood vessels and keeps the sticky part of blood, called platelets, from clumping together to form clots. Without adequate amounts of prostacyclin circulating throughout the body, there is an increased risk of blood clots that can trigger heart attacks and strokes. Early in the development of COX-2 inhibitors some researchers worried that there could be cardiovascular dangers. In 2000, a large Vioxx study suggested that the pain reliever could cause an increased risk of heart attacks and other vascular complications.
Neither the FDA nor the manufacturer acted on those early warning flags. In one of the darkest hours in the history of American medicine, millions were allowed to continue taking COX-2 inhibitors until the fall of 2004. By then the handwriting was on the wall. First Vioxx and then Bextra were pulled off the market. In the interim, it is estimated that more than 100,000 people who had been taking COX-2 inhibitors suffered heart attacks and strokes.75 According to FDA safety officer David Graham, MD, as many as 40,000 people may have died .

The Broken Promise

If COX-2 inhibitors like Vioxx, Bextra, and Celebrex had truly protected the digestive tract from damage, it might have been easier to justify their approval, aggressive marketing tactics, and high prices. But an editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association described the science behind COX-2 inhibitors as a “house of cards” based on wishful thinking. They were marketed “with unrealistic expectations about pain relief, marked gastrointestinal protection, and safety.” Canadian researchers tracked hospital admissions caused by gastrointestinal bleeding before and after the introduction of COX-2 inhibitors (Vioxx, Celebrex, and Mobic). Instead of dropping when the new drugs became available, as investigators had expected, the rate of hemorrhage and hospitalization for older people paradoxically rose by 10 percent .78 British researchers asked a similar question: Would COX-2 inhibitors be easier on the stomach than traditional NSAIDs?

Other NSAID Troubles

No sooner did the FDA wake up to the risk of heart attacks and strokes associated with COX-2 inhibitors than the agency had to deal with the possibility that other NSAIDs might pose a similar problem. Decades after these drugs began to be marketed, the FDA reviewed the data and decided that all such prescription pain relievers should carry a stronger black-box warning.

The FDA goes on to warn that people with risk factors for cardiovascular disease are especially vulnerable to these life-threatening problems. That includes almost everyone with arthritis. If you accumulate enough birthdays to develop osteoarthritis, you are bound to have some hardening of the arteries. But that’s not all. The FDA has gone on to emphasize other problems with NSAIDs as well. It is easy for your eyes to glaze over when looking at such a list. You may also assume that some of these potential side effects are rare events, but that could be a dangerous assumption. A study of older and potentially sicker patients revealed a startling incidence of kidney damage associated with Celebrex. More than 20 percent of the people taking this COX-2 inhibitor experienced kidney toxicity (fluid retention, high blood pressure, and kidney failure).81 If patients had some kidney impairment before the study started (a common situation in older people), the likelihood of kidney toxicity jumped to more than 50 percent! We assume other NSAIDs are likely to have a similar effect on kidney function.

OTHER NSAID ADVERSE EFFECTS
•    High blood pressure
•    Fluid retention, edema
•    Congestive heart failure
•    Stomach ulcer (bleeding)
•    Perforation of the stomach
•    Perforation of the small intestine
•    Perforation of the large intestine
•    Kidney damage
•    Severe allergic reaction
•    Skin rash (toxic)
•    Itching
•    Stevens-Johnson syndrome
•    Liver damage
•    Blood disorders (anemia)
•    Asthma worsening

NSAID Survival Strategy

By now it should be clear that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including the COX-2 inhibitors, can be trouble with a capital T! They aren’t all that effective for arthritis, especially of the knee. Some NSAIDs may actually contribute to joint deterioration if they are taken for years. Then there’s the risk of serious side effects like bleeding ulcers, hypertension.

Aspirin
Aspirin prevents blood clots and lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Unlike other NSAlDsJt does not raise blood pressure.
Aspirin remains the best buy for pain relief. At pennies a day, it reduces the inflammation that is at the root of so many chronic ailments, including arthritis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Regular aspirin users seem to develop fewer cancers of the colon, rectum, prostate, pancreas, ovary, skin, lung, and breast.
Downside: Damage to the stomach lining. The potential for indigestion, gastritis, and ulcers makes this drug inappropriate for many. Bleeding or perforated ulcers can be life threatening. Anyone on long-term aspirin therapy must be under medical supervision.
Cost: Approximately $2 to 5 per month.

ASPIRIN AND BAKING SODA

Although it will not be identical to Alka-Seltzer, you can create your own buffered, soluble aspirin. In a glass, combine:
•   2 uncoated aspirins
•   8 ounces club soda or sparkling water
•   Juice from 1/4 wedge lemon
Wait till the aspirins dissolve and then drink. This formula is not appropriate for people on a sodium-restricted diet.
attacks, strokes, and kidney or liver damage. Why would anyone in his or her right mind take such medicine?
The most obvious answer is that there aren’t very many pharmaceutical alternatives. Doctors have relatively little to offer beyond NSAIDs when it comes to pain and inflammation. And sometimes you hurt so much that you need something to help you move your bones around. When used in the short-term and with appropriate safeguards, it may be possible to take an NSAID. But which one should you consider?
Aspirin remains our first choice by far. No other NSAID or OTC pain reliever has ever been proven more effective. In addition, aspirin reduces the risk of heart attacks and thrombotic (clotting) strokes. As a bonus, there is growing evidence that aspirin may diminish the likelihood of developing many common cancers. We discourage the use of enteric-coated aspirin because this merely moves the aspirin to the small intestine, where it can do serious damage.
Our preferred method for taking aspirin is as a liquid. In Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and dozens of other countries you can find several soluble, effervescent aspirin products. Brands like Aspro and Disprin are very popular because all you do is drop the aspirin tablets into a glass of water, where they fizzle and dissolve within seconds. This makes them a little faster acting and possibly a little less irritating to the stomach (though there is no guarantee of protection).
Soluble aspirin never really caught on in the United States, except in the form of Alka-Seltzer. It is a combination of as-pirin, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid advertised for relief of “acid indigestion, sour stomach, heartburn with headache, body aches and pains.” The trouble with Alka-Seltzer is that it’s way more expensive than plain aspirin and there’s too much sodium for folks who have congestive heart failure or salt-sensitive hypertension.
If you would prefer not to pay an arm and a leg for fizzy aspirin, you could make your own soluble aspirin for a fraction of the cost. All you have to do is buy some club soda or sparkling water. Drop two regular-strength aspirin tablets in the fizzy water and let them dissolve. It will take a couple of minutes.

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Jul

3

Allergy Medications: Antihistamines

July 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Antihistamines

Antihistamines have been the mainstay of allergy treatment for decades. The so-called first-generation drugs like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), brompheniramine (Dimetane, Dimetapp), and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton) are linked to drowsiness and cognitive impairment 47 Second-generation antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), desloratadine (Clarinex), fexofenadine (Allegra), and loratadine (Claritin) have been promoted as nonsedating. Because they were supposed to be so much safer and better tolerated than the old-fashioned drugs, many came with a very steep price tag ($2 to $3 per pill). But there is growing concern that when given in doses that are adequate to relieve allergy symptoms, even these newer compounds may cause some sedation in some patients and produce mild impairment.48 Researchers now believe that “a clear and consistent distinction between sedating and nonsedating antihistamines does not exist.”‘
What this means is that the allergy victim is truly caught on the horns of a dilemma. Suffering with allergies makes you spacey, sleepy, and irritable and can impair your ability to function. Antihistamines can also cause sedation and impair performance. If such drugs only partially control symptoms (a fairly common situation), then you may end up with the worst
Claritin used to be the most widely prescribed antihistamine on the market. When it lost patent protection, the company took it OTC. Compared to many of the older nonprescription antihistamines, loratadine is probably less likely to cause drowsiness at recommended doses. We have seen no data to suggest that it is less effective than pricier prescription antihistamines.

Side effects: Headache, sleepiness, dry mouth, fatigue, jitteriness, and stomach upset. Liver problems may be a rare adverse reaction. Downside: More expensive than old-fashioned antihistamines. Insurance companies may deny you affordable access to drugs like Allegra now that loratadine is available OTC. Loratadine may cause sedation and impair driving in susceptible people. Do not assume you are safe behind the wheel. Cost: Approximately $5 to $10 for a month’s supply when purchased generically in bulk. The brand-name Claritin can cost two to four times that much.

In such a confusing situation, we would normally suggest that the allergy sufferer experiment with a variety of antihistamines to try and determine which one works best and is least troublesome in terms of side effects. The difficulty is that people are notoriously bad at assessing their level of impairment. There is a warning on the label of Benadryl and many other OTC allergy medicines reminding users that “marked drowsiness may occur” and urging them to “be careful when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery.” Such cautions are as meaningless as telling a drunk to be careful behind the wheel. In fact, researchers have reported that diphenhydramine”had a greater impact on driving than alcohol did. These scientists discovered that “drowsiness ratings were not a good predictor of impairment, suggesting that drivers cannot use drowsiness to indicate when they should not drive.”
By the way, did you know that you could be arrested for driving while impaired after taking an OTC allergy pill? If your driving skills are not up to par, an officer can give you a ticket even though you have no alcohol in your system.
So, dear reader, we have no easy answers. We would like to say, if you have allergies, do not drive, especially if you are taking antihistamines. That would be the only prudent thing. We know that some people will disobey such a suggestion, however. Some experts believe that fexofenadine (Allegra) may be one of the least sedating and safer antihistamines to take if you must drive. Others point out that even this non-sedating antihistamine may pose problems at higher doses. If driving or operating machinery is essential or if you must make important decisions, we encourage you to look for other options besides oral antihistamines.
There is now a prescription antihistamine nasal spray called azelastine (Astelin). It is fairly fast acting but has the disadvantage of requiring twice-daily nasal spritzing. Some data suggest it may be as effective as oral antihistamines. Side effects may include a bitter taste in the mouth (20 percent of patients), headache, drowsiness (11 percent of patients), nasal burning or inflammation, sore throat, dry mouth, sneezing, fatigue, and dizziness. A 1 -ounce bottle can cost $75 to $85. Not exactly a perfect solution to the problem, eh?

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