The Medical Letter - 2018
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January 1, 2018 (Issue 1537)
- Antiviral Drugs for Seasonal Influenza 2017-2018
Superseded by The Medical Letter "Antiviral Drugs for Influenza for 2020-2021" - Issue 1610, November 2, 2020Antiviral drugs can be used for treatment and prophylaxis of influenza.... - Betrixaban (Bevyxxa) for VTE Prophylaxis in Acute Medical Illness
The FDA has approved betrixaban (Bevyxxa – Portola), a once-daily, oral, direct factor Xa inhibitor, for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adults hospitalized for an acute... - Fiasp - Another Insulin Aspart Formulation for Diabetes
The FDA has approved Fiasp (Novo Nordisk), a new formulation of insulin aspart, to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes. Fiasp is described by the manufacturer as... - Triptorelin (Triptodur) for Central Precocious Puberty
The FDA has approved an extended-release intramuscular suspension formulation of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist triptorelin (Triptodur – Arbor/Debiopharm) for... - In Brief: Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for Cancers with Biomarkers (online only)
The immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda – Merck), a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitor, has been granted accelerated approval by the FDA for use in adults and...
January 15, 2018 (Issue 1538)
- Drugs for GERD and Peptic Ulcer Disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most frequent GI condition encountered in the outpatient setting; it affects about 20% of the US population. Heartburn and regurgitation are the... - Comparison Table: Drugs for GERD and Peptic Ulcer Disease (online only)
View the Comparison Table: Drugs for GERD and Peptic Ulcer Disease
January 29, 2018 (Issue 1539)
- A Two-Dose Hepatitis B Vaccine for Adults (Heplisav-B)
The FDA has approved a two-dose hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine (Heplisav-B – Dynavax) for use in adults ≥18 years old. The three other HBV vaccines marketed in the US are usually... - Semaglutide (Ozempic) - Another Injectable GLP-1 Receptor Agonist for Type 2 Diabetes
The FDA has approved semaglutide (Ozempic – Novo Nordisk), a long-acting injectable GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist, for once-weekly treatment of adults with type 2... - L-Glutamine (Endari) for Sickle Cell Disease
The FDA has approved an oral powder formulation of the amino acid L-glutamine (Endari – Emmaus) to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in patients ≥5 years old.... - Neratinib (Nerlynx) for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
The FDA has approved the oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor neratinib (Nerlynx – Puma Biotechnology) for extended adjuvant treatment of adults with early-stage, human epidermal growth factor... - In Brief: Olmesartan and Sprue-Like Enteropathy
A reader asked whether healthcare providers should avoid prescribing the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) olmesartan medoxomil (Benicar, and others) because it can cause severe GI adverse... - In Brief: Severe Hypersensitivity Reactions with Rolapitant IV Emulsion (Varubi)
The FDA has warned that the IV emulsion formulation of the substance P/neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor antagonist rolapitant (Varubi) has been associated in postmarketing reports with serious...
February 12, 2018 (Issue 1540)
- Nonopioid Drugs for Pain
Nonopioid drugs can be used in the treatment of many nociceptive and neuropathic pain conditions. Use of opioids for pain will be reviewed in a future issue. - Comparison Table: Some Nonopioid Analgesics for Pain (online only)
View the Comparison Table: Some Nonopioid Analgesics for Pain
February 26, 2018 (Issue 1541)
- Benralizumab (Fasenra) for Severe Eosinophilic Asthma
The FDA has approved benralizumab (Fasenra – AstraZeneca), a humanized monoclonal antibody selective for the interleukin-5 (IL-5) receptor, for add-on maintenance treatment of severe... - Once-Monthly Subcutaneous Buprenorphine (Sublocade) for Opioid Use Disorder
The FDA has approved a subcutaneous (SC) extended-release formulation of the mu-opioid receptor partial agonist and kappa-opioid receptor antagonist buprenorphine (Sublocade –... - Odactra - Sublingual Immunotherapy for House Dust Mite-Induced Allergic Rhinitis
The FDA has approved Odactra (ALK), a sublingual allergen extract, for immunotherapy in adults 18-65 years old with house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic rhinitis, with or without... - Haegarda - A Subcutaneous C1 Esterase Inhibitor for Prevention of Hereditary Angioedema
The FDA has approved Haegarda (CSL Bering), a human plasma-derived C1 esterase inhibitor (C1INH), for prophylaxis against hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in adolescents and adults....
March 12, 2018 (Issue 1542)
- Drugs for Treatment and Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism
Anticoagulants are the drugs of choice for treatment and prevention of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), collectively referred to as venous thromboembolism (VTE). Updated... - Comparison Table: Some Parenteral Anticoagulants for VTE (online only)
View the Comparison Table: Some Parenteral Anticoagulants for VTE - Comparison Table: Some Oral Anticoagulants for VTE (online only)
View the Comparison Table: Some Oral Anticoagulants for VTE
March 26, 2018 (Issue 1543)
- Delafloxacin (Baxdela) - A New Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic
The FDA has approved delafloxacin (Baxdela – Melinta), an anionic fluoroquinolone antibiotic, for oral and parenteral treatment of adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure... - Secnidazole (Solosec) for Bacterial Vaginosis
The FDA has approved secnidazole oral granules (Solosec – Symbiomix/Lupin) for single-dose treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in adult women. - Voretigene Neparvovec-rzyl (Luxturna) for Inherited Retinal Dystrophy
The FDA has approved voretigene neparvovec-rzyl intraocular suspension (Luxturna – Spark), an adeno-associated virus vector-based gene therapy, for treatment of confirmed biallelic... - Dapagliflozin/Saxagliptin (Qtern) for Type 2 Diabetes
The FDA has approved Qtern (AstraZeneca), a fixed-dose combination of the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor dapagliflozin (Farxiga) and the dipeptidyl peptidase-4... - In Brief: Two New Drugs for AML (online only)
The FDA has approved two new drugs for treatment of specific subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Vyxeos (Jazz Pharmaceuticals) is a liposomal fixed-dose combination of daunorubicin and... - Comparison Table: Some Systemic Fluoroquinolones (online only)
View the Comparison Table: Some Systemic Fluoroquinolones (online only) - Comparison Table: Some Antibiotics for MRSA Skin and Skin Structure Infections (online only)
View the Comparison Table: Some Antibiotics for MRSA Skin and Skin Structure Infections
April 9, 2018 (Issue 1544)
- Opioids for Pain
Use of nonopioid drugs for pain was reviewed in a previous issue. For many types of moderate to severe acute pain, acetaminophen and/or an NSAID may be as effective as an opioid. Immediate-release... - Comparison Table: Some Oral/Topical Opioid Analgesics (online only)
View the Comparison Table: Some Oral/Topical Opioid Analgesics - Correction: Antiplatelet Effects of Diflunisal
In issue 1540 on nonopioid drugs for pain (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2018; 60:24), we said that nonacetylated salicylates such as diflunisal and salsalate do not interfere with platelet aggregation. That...
April 23, 2018 (Issue 1545)
- Deutetrabenazine (Austedo) for Huntington's Chorea and Tardive Dyskinesia
The FDA has approved deutetrabenazine (Austedo – Teva), a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor, for treatment of chorea associated with Huntington's disease and, more... - Ibalizumab-uiyk (Trogarzo) for Multidrug-Resistant HIV
The FDA has approved ibalizumab-uiyk (Trogarzo – Theratechnologies/TaiMed), a CD4-directed monoclonal antibody, for IV treatment of multidrug-resistant HIV-1 (MDR-HIV) infection in... - Ertugliflozin for Type 2 Diabetes
The FDA has approved the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor ertugliflozin (Merck) for treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes, both alone (Steglatro) and in fixed-dose... - Nebulized Glycopyrrolate (Lonhala Magnair) for COPD
The FDA has approved an inhalation solution formulation of the long-acting antimuscarinic agent (LAMA) glycopyrrolate (Lonhala Magnair – Sunovion) for maintenance treatment of chronic... - Brigatinib (Alunbrig) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (online only)
The FDA has approved brigatinib (Alunbrig – Takeda), an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor, for treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell... - Copanlisib (Aliqopa) for Relapsed Follicular Lymphoma (online only)
The FDA has granted accelerated approval to copanlisib (Aliqopa – Bayer), an intravenously administered phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, for treatment of adults with...
May 7, 2018 (Issue 1546)
- Adult Immunization
The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends routine use of the following vaccines in adults residing in the US: influenza, tetanus/diphtheria alone (Td) and in... - Expanded Table: Some Vaccines Recommended for Use in Adults (online only)
View the Expanded Table: Some Vaccines Recommended for Use in Adults
May 21, 2018 (Issue 1547)
- In Brief: Auvi-Q Epinephrine Auto-Injector for Infants and Toddlers
The FDA has approved a lower-dose epinephrine auto-injector (Auvi-Q 0.1 mg – Kaléo) for emergency treatment of anaphylaxis in children weighing 7.5-15 kg (16.5-33 lbs). It is the first... - Clenpiq - A Low-Volume Sodium Picosulfate-Based Colonoscopy Preparation
The FDA has approved Clenpiq (Ferring), a low-volume oral solution that contains sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and anhydrous citric acid, for colon cleansing prior to colonoscopy in... - Trelegy Ellipta - A Three-Drug Inhaler for COPD
The FDA has approved Trelegy Ellipta (GSK), a fixed-dose combination of the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) fluticasone furoate, the long-acting antimuscarinic agent (LAMA) umeclidinium, and... - Clarithromycin in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
The FDA has warned that use of the macrolide antibiotic clarithromycin (Biaxin, and generics) may increase the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with heart disease. - In Brief: Restrictions on Essure
Essure (Bayer) is the only nonsurgical, permanent contraceptive available in the US. The coil-like devices are placed hysteroscopically in both fallopian tubes and, after several months,... - Inotuzumab Ozogamicin (Besponsa) - An Antibody-Drug Conjugate for ALL (online only)
The FDA has approved inotuzumab ozogamicin (Besponsa – Pfizer), a humanized anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody conjugated to the cytotoxic antibiotic calicheamicin, for treatment of...
June 4, 2018 (Issue 1548)
- Diet, Drugs, Devices, and Surgery for Weight Management
Adults with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2 are considered overweight. Those with a BMI ≥30 are considered obese. The initial recommendation for any weight loss effort is... - Comparison Table: Some FDA-Approved Drugs for Weight Management (online only)
View the Comparison Table: Some FDA-Approved Drugs for Weight Management
June 18, 2018 (Issue 1549)
- Andexxa - An Antidote for Apixaban and Rivaroxaban
Coagulation factor Xa (recombinant), inactivated-zhzo (andexanet alfa; Andexxa – Portola) has received accelerated approval from the FDA for urgent reversal of the anticoagulant effect... - Erenumab (Aimovig) for Migraine Prevention
The FDA has approved erenumab-aooe (Aimovig – Amgen/Novartis), a once-monthly, subcutaneously-injected, monoclonal antibody against the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor, for... - Meropenem/Vaborbactam (Vabomere) for Complicated Urinary Tract Infection
The FDA has approved a fixed-dose combination of meropenem, a carbapenem antibiotic, and vaborbactam, a new beta-lactamase inhibitor (Vabomere – Melinta), for IV treatment of adults with... - In Brief: A Potentially Fatal Immune Reaction to Lamotrigine
The FDA has warned that the antiepileptic and mood-stabilizing drug lamotrigine (Lamictal, and generics) can rarely cause hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a serious and potentially... - In Brief: Pitavastatin Magnesium (Zypitamag) for Hyperlipidemia
The FDA has approved the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) pitavastatin magnesium (Zypitamag – Zydus) for use in adults with primary hyperlipidemia or mixed dyslipidemia. The FDA... - A New Amphetamine Oral Suspension (Adzenys ER) for ADHD (online only)
The FDA has approved an extended-release oral suspension formulation of amphetamine (Adzenys ER – Neos) for treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in patients ≥6... - In Brief: Another Insulin Lispro (Admelog) for Diabetes (online only)
The FDA has approved Admelog (Sanofi-Aventis), an insulin lispro product similar to Humalog (Lilly), which went off patent in 2013.Approval of Admelog was based on...
July 2, 2018 (Issue 1550)
- Drugs for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Management of both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) is based on disease severity. Disease location (proctitis, left-sided colitis, or extensive colitis) also plays a role in drug... - Table: Drugs for Ulcerative Colitis (online only)
View Table: Drugs for Ulcerative Colitis - Table: Drugs for Crohn's Disease (online only)
View Table: Drugs for Crohn's Disease - Table: Safety of Drugs for IBD in Pregnancy (online only)
View Table: Safety of Drugs for IBD in Pregnancy - Expanded Table: Some Drugs for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (online only)
View Expanded Table: Some Drugs for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
July 16, 2018 (Issue 1551)
- Lofexidine (Lucemyra) for Opioid Withdrawal
The FDA has approved lofexidine (Lucemyra – US WorldMeds/Salix), a centrally acting alpha2 receptor agonist, to manage withdrawal symptoms in adults abruptly stopping opioid... - Two New Drugs for Glaucoma
The FDA has approved two new ophthalmic drugs for reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension: latanoprostene bunod (Vyzulta –... - Baricitinib (Olumiant) for Rheumatoid Arthritis
The FDA has approved the Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor baricitinib (Olumiant – Lilly) for oral treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that has... - Firvanq - Vancomycin Oral Solution
The FDA has approved vancomycin oral solution (Firvanq – Cutis Pharma) for treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea and enterocolitis caused by Staphylococcus... - Correction: Abuse-Deterrent Opioids
In our article on abuse-deterrent opioids (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2017; 59:95), the information on Targiniq ER in Table 1 is incorrect. The drug, which is not available in the US, is a... - Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Yescarta) for B-Cell Lymphoma (online only)
The FDA has approved axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta – Kite) for treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory CD19+ large B-cell lymphoma after ≥2 lines of systemic therapy.... - Apalutamide (Erleada) for Prostate Cancer (online only)
Apalutamide (Erleada – Janssen) has received accelerated approval from the FDA for treatment of nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. It is the first drug to be approved in...
July 30, 2018 (Issue 1552)
- Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are used for initial treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to achieve clinical remission and prevent irreversible joint damage (see Table 1).... - Expanded Table: Conventional DMARDs for Rheumatoid Arthritis (online only)
View Expanded Table: Conventional DMARDs for Rheumatoid Arthritis - Expanded Table: Biologic Agents for Rheumatoid Arthritis (online only)
View Expanded Table: Biologic Agents for Rheumatoid Arthritis
August 13, 2018 (Issue 1553)
- Sunscreens
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is associated with sunburn, photoaging, and skin cancer. Sunscreens are widely used to reduce these risks, but some questions remain about... - Biktarvy - Another INSTI-Based Combination for HIV
The FDA has approved Biktarvy (Gilead), a once-daily, fixed-dose combination of bictegravir, a new integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), and the nucleoside reverse transcriptase... - Ciprofloxacin Otic Suspension (Otiprio) for Acute Otitis Externa
The FDA has approved a 6% otic suspension formulation of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin (Otiprio – Otonomy) for single-dose treatment of acute otitis externa... - In Brief: More Fluoroquinolone Warnings
The FDA has required changes in the labeling of all systemic fluoroquinolone antibiotics to strengthen warnings about the risk of severe hypoglycemia and mental health effects associated with their...
August 27, 2018 (Issue 1554)
- Management of Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
Pharmacologic management of opioid withdrawal symptoms can reduce the intensity of drug craving and improve treatment retention in patients with opioid use disorder who will receive maintenance... - Two New Intra-Articular Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis
The FDA has approved a single-injection hyaluronic acid gel (Durolane – Bioventus) and an extended-release (ER) formulation of the synthetic corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide... - Expanded Table: Some Drugs for Management of Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms (online only)
View Expanded Table: Some Drugs for Management of Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
September 10, 2018 (Issue 1555)
- Roxybond - An Abuse-Deterrent Formulation of Short-Acting Oxycodone
The FDA has approved Roxybond (Daiichi Sankyo), an short-acting (SA) oxycodone formulation with abuse-deterrent properties, for treatment of pain requiring management with an opioid.... - Imvexxy - Another Estradiol Vaginal Insert for Dyspareunia
The FDA has approved an estradiol softgel vaginal insert (Imvexxy – TherapeuticsMD) for treatment of postmenopausal women with moderate to severe dyspareunia due to vulvovaginal atrophy... - Osmolex ER - Another Extended-Release Amantadine for Parkinson's Disease
The FDA has approved an extended-release tablet formulation of amantadine (Osmolex ER – Vertical/Osmotica) for once-daily treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) and drug-induced... - Obiltoxaximab (Anthim) for Inhalational Anthrax
The FDA has approved obiltoxaximab (Anthim – Elusys Therapeutics), a toxin-targeting monoclonal antibody, for treatment of inhalational anthrax in combination with antibacterial drugs... - A Mometasone-Eluting Sinus Implant (Sinuva) for Nasal Polyps
The FDA has approved Sinuva (Intersect ENT), a sinus implant that gradually releases the corticosteroid mometasone furoate over a 90-day period, for treatment of nasal polyps in adults who... - Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate (Lutathera) for Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (online only)
The FDA has approved lutetium Lu 177 dotatate (Lutathera – Advanced Accelerator Applications), a radiolabeled somatostatin analog, for treatment of somatostatin receptor-positive...
September 24, 2018 (Issue 1556)
- Antiviral Drugs for Varicella-Zoster Virus and Herpes Simplex Virus Infections
The recommendations for treatment of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections are listed in tables 1 and 2. Vaccination against VZV was reviewed in a previous issue. - Hydrogen Peroxide 40% (Eskata) for Seborrheic Keratoses
The FDA has approved hydrogen peroxide 40% topical solution (Eskata – Aclaris Therapeutics) for treatment of raised seborrheic keratoses (SKs) in adults. It is the first drug to be... - Elagolix (Orilissa) - An Oral GnRH Antagonist for Endometriosis Pain
The FDA has approved elagolix (Orilissa – AbbVie), an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist, for management of moderate to severe pain associated with endometriosis. - Table: Mechanisms of Drug Interactions (online only)
View Table: Mechanisms of Drug Interactions
October 8, 2018 (Issue 1557)
- Choice of Contraceptives
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) and the etonogestrel implant are the most effective reversible contraceptive methods available. Hormonal oral contraceptives, patches, rings, and injectables are also...
October 22, 2018 (Issue 1558)
- Influenza Vaccine for 2018-2019
Superseded by The Medical Letter "Influenza Vaccine for 2020-2021" - Issue 1607, September 21, 2020Routine annual vaccination against influenza A and B viruses is recommended for everyone... - Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor (Symdeko) for Cystic Fibrosis
The FDA has approved the fixed-dose combination of tezacaftor and ivacaftor (Symdeko – Vertex) for oral treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients ≥12 years old who are homozygous... - OTC Brimonidine (Lumify) for Ocular Redness
The FDA has approved an over-the-counter (OTC) 0.025% ophthalmic formulation of the selective alpha2-adrenergic agonist brimonidine tartrate (Lumify – Bausch & Lomb) for...
November 5, 2018 (Issue 1559)
- Fremanezumab (Ajovy) and Galcanezumab (Emgality) for Migraine Prevention
The FDA has approved two subcutaneously injected calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists, fremanezumab-vfrm (Ajovy – Teva) and galcanezumab-gnlm (Emgality – Lilly),... - Plazomicin (Zemdri) - A New Aminoglycoside Antibiotic
The FDA has approved the new aminoglycoside antibiotic plazomicin (Zemdri – Achaogen) for IV treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs). Plazomicin is active... - Cannabidiol (Epidiolex) for Epilepsy
The FDA has approved cannabidiol oral solution (Epidiolex – Greenwich Biosciences) for treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in patients ≥2... - In Brief: Acalabrutinib (Calquence) for Mantle Cell Lymphoma (online only)
The FDA has approved the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor acalabrutinib (Calquence – AstraZeneca) for oral treatment of relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma. Acalabrutinib is... - In Brief: Brentuximab Vedotin (Adcetris) for Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma (online only)
The FDA has approved the anti-CD30 antibody-drug conjugate brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris – Seattle Genetics) for use in combination with chemotherapy for IV treatment of adults with...
November 19, 2018 (Issue 1560)
- Vaccines for Travelers
Persons planning to travel outside the US should be up to date on routine vaccines and, depending on their destination, duration of travel, and planned activities, may also receive certain... - Expanded Table: Some Vaccines for Travelers (online only)
View the Expanded Table: Some Vaccines for Travelers - Tickborne Encephalitis and Dengue Vaccines (online only)
No vaccines against tickborne encephalitis (TBE) or dengue are available in the US, but vaccines have been licensed in some other countries.
December 3, 2018 (Issue 1561)
- Baloxavir Marboxil (Xofluza) for Treatment of Influenza
The FDA has approved baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza – Shionogi/Genentech), the first polymerase acidic (PA) endonuclease inhibitor, for single-dose, oral treatment of acute uncomplicated... - Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) plus Aspirin for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events
The FDA has approved a new 2.5-mg formulation of the direct factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban (Xarelto – Janssen) for use in combination with low-dose aspirin to reduce the risk of major... - Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (Lokelma) for Hyperkalemia
The FDA has approved sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (Lokelma – AstraZeneca), an oral potassium binder that exchanges hydrogen and sodium for potassium in the gastrointestinal (GI) lumen,... - Angiotensin II (Giapreza) for Septic Shock
The FDA has approved (Giapreza) (La Jolla), an IV formulation of synthetic angiotensin II, to increase blood pressure in adults with septic or other vasodilatory shock, such as... - Clarification: Management of Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
Some readers have questioned our characterization of opioid withdrawal as not life-threatening (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2018; 60:137). While death during opioid withdrawal is unusual, it is possible —... - IV Aprepitant (Cinvanti) for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (online only)
The FDA has approved Cinvanti (Heron), an IV emulsion formulation of the substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist aprepitant, for prevention of acute and delayed... - Juluca - A Two-Drug Complete Regimen for HIV (online only)
The FDA has approved Juluca (ViiV Healthcare/Janssen), a fixed-dose combination of the integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) dolutegravir (Tivicay) and the non-nucleoside...
December 17, 2018 (Issue 1562)
- Drugs for Chronic Insomnia
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is recommended for initial treatment of chronic insomnia. Pharmacologic treatment should be used in addition to CBT-I when CBT-I alone is not... - Drugs for Cough
Acute cough (<3 weeks in duration) generally does not require pharmacologic treatment, especially in children. Suppression of productive cough may be harmful. Management of patients with cough... - Expanded Table: Some Oral Hypnotics for Insomnia (online only)
View the Expanded Table: Some Oral Hypnotics for Insomnia - 2018 Annual Index (Online Only)
View the 2018 Annual Index