Amiodarone hydrochloride intravenous injection (Faulding Pharmaceuticals) is now available to initiate treatment for, and to prevent, frequently occurring ventricular fibrillation and hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia in patients who have not responded to other therapies. Patients for whom oral amio-darone is indicated but who cannot take drugs orally are also suitable candidates for the injectable form. generic [...]
An experimental vaccine has been found to be 100% effective in preventing the mortality associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV), now considered to be the cause of all cases of cervical cancer. It is expected that the vaccine will be marketed within five years. Cervical cancer affects almost 450,000 women throughout the world each [...]
Two drugs have been approved for the treatment of opiate addiction. Buprenor-phine hydrochloride (Subutex®, Reckitt Benckiser) and buprenorphine hydro-chloride plus naloxone hydrochloride (Suboxone®, Reckitt Benckiser) tablets prevent symptoms of withdrawal from heroin and other opiates. Subutex® and Suboxone® are the first narcotic drugs for treating opiate dependence that can be prescribed in an office setting [...]
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved frovatriptan succinate (Frova, Elan Corporation, plc/UCB Pharma, Inc.) for the treatment of acute migraine attacks with or without aura in adults. Frovatriptan succinate is the newest drug in the triptan class; it is unique because it has a half-life of 26 hours, which means its active ingredient [...]
Since 1993, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) has been giving hope to patients with spinal injuries, according to a study at the Specialties Hospital in Mexico City. Twenty-seven patients were randomly assigned to receive either oral 4-AP 5 mg/day, increased to a maximum of 30 mg/day, or placebo for 12 weeks. Patients were then switched to the opposite [...]
Emtricitabine (Emtriva™, Gilead) is a newly approved 200-mg, one-capsule, once-daily nucleoside reverse transcrip-tase inhibitor (NRTI) for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in adults in combination with other antiretroviral medications. This drug has been evaluated in clinical trials of both newly and previously treated HIV patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [...]
FDA has approved a new form of testosterone hormone replacement therapy for men (Striant™, Columbia) that is delivered through the gum surface. In clinical trials, most patients achieved a steady, consistent level of testosterone within 10 to 12 hours after beginning treatment. This novel delivery mechanism provides controlled therapeutic levels of testosterone. Until now, patients [...]
