Treprostinil sodium (tre prost' in il; Remodulin - United Therapeutics), a prostacyclin analogue, has been approved by the FDA for continuous subcutaneous (SC) treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension who have dyspnea on more than minimal exertion (NYHA Class II-IV).

The FDA has approved patiromer (Veltassa – Relypsa), an oral potassium binder, for treatment of hyperkalemia. It is the first drug to be approved for this indication since the cation-exchange resin sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate, and others) in 1958. Patiromer is not indicated for emergency correction of life-threatening hyperkalemia. Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate, another oral potassium binder, is currently being reviewed by the FDA; a decision on its approval is expected in May 2016.

The FDA has approved Duzallo (Ironwood), a fixed-dose combination of the uric acid transporter 1 (URAT1) inhibitor lesinurad (Zurampic) and the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol (Zyloprim, and generics), for once-daily treatment of gout-associated hyperuricemia in patients who have not achieved target serum uric acid levels with allopurinol alone.

The FDA has approved Duaklir Pressair (Circassia), a fixed-dose combination of the long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) aclidinium bromide and the longacting beta₂-adrenergic agonist (LABA) formoterol fumarate, for maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Aclidinium/formoterol is the fifth LAMA/LABA combination to be approved in the US for this indication.

Recently published guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Diabetes Work Group recommend addition of the oral nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) finerenone (Kerendia) to standard treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Many commonly used drugs can interfere with sexual function in both men and women, causing loss of libido, interfering with erection or ejaculation in men, and delaying or preventing orgasm in women. Drug-related effects on sexual function may be difficult to distinguish from the effects of depression or disease, but most are reversible when drug use is stopped and sometimes when dosage is decreased. Since many patients are reluctant to talk about sexual difficulties, physicians may wish to ask about the possibility of drug-induced sexual dysfunction, particularly when they have...

Levalbuterol, the R-isomer of racemic albuterol, has been approved by the FDA for prevention and treatment of bronchospasm in patients at least 12 years old.

Canagliflozin (kan" a gli floe' zin; Invokana – Janssen), a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for oral treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The FDA has approved an inhaled fixed-dose combination (Breo Ellipta – GSK/Theravance) of the corticosteroid fluticasone furoate and the long-acting beta₂-adrenergic agonist (LABA) vilanterol trifenatate for once-daily treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The FDA has approved Dyloject (Hospira), an IV formulation of the NSAID diclofenac sodium, for use in adults. It can be administered alone for treatment of mild to moderate pain or in combination with opioid analgesics for moderate to severe pain. Dyloject is the first injectable formulation of diclofenac to become available in the US.