Dutasteride (Avodart - GlaxoSmithKline) is now available in the US for oral treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is similar to finasteride (Proscar - Merck), which has been marketed for this indication since 1992 and also, since 1998, for alopecia (Propecia - Medical Letter 1998; 40:25).

The ViewPoint CK System (Refractec) for conductive keratoplasty (CK), previously approved by the FDA as a device for treatment of hyperopia (farsightedness), was recently approved for treatment of presbyopia (age-associated loss of ability to view near objects).

Patients are asking physicians about an article on the front page of the June 15th New York Times, in which some prostate cancer experts were quoted as suggesting that men 55 and older might be well advised to take finasteride (Proscar, and others) to prevent prostate cancer.

The recent Medical Letter article on vancomycin dosing and monitoring briefly mentioned use of an alternative antibiotic for treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin. Some readers have asked for more information on this subject.

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Web sites and blogs are advising patients that periodic "cleansing" of the colon is necessary to rid the body of toxins.

The FDA, which had previously approved intravenous (IV) administration of 5 mg of zoledronic acid (Reclast – Novartis) once a year for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2007; 49:89), has now approved the same dose for use once every 2 years to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.Clinical Studies – In an unpublished study summarized in the package insert, 224 women with osteopenia ≤5 years after menopause were given an IV infusion of zoledronic acid 5 mg or placebo; 2 years later, total hip bone mineral density (BMD) had increased by...

Transdermal fentanyl (Duragesic, and others) offers a convenient delivery system for patients with chronic pain1 but it has some drawbacks. One is that exposing the patch to heat, either from an external source, increased exertion or possibly high fever, could increase release of the drug, which might lead to an overdose and fatal respiratory depression.2 A recent article in the NY Times about this problem may have aroused the concerns of some patients using the patches.3First approved for marketing by the FDA in 19914, transdermal fentanyl provides continuous delivery of the drug for about 3...

Linagliptin (Tradjenta – Boehringer Ingelheim/Lilly), a third oral dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) enzyme inhibitor, was recently approved by the FDA for treatment of type 2 diabetes, either alone or in combination with metformin, a sulfonylurea or pioglitazone

The main purpose of vasopressors is to raise arterial blood pressure, while that of inotropes is to increase cardiac contractility. The choice of drugs is dictated by the clinical setting. Controlled trials comparing the efficacy and safety of these drugs are generally lacking.

In 2012, the FDA required manufacturers of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) to add a warning to their labels about reports of increased blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Since then, several new studies have been published.