Two new fixed-dose combinations are now available for management of type 2 diabetes. Metaglip (Bristol-Myers Squibb), a combination of metformin and glipizide, is approved for initial therapy or as second-line treatment when control is not adequate on metformin or a sulfonylurea alone. Avandamet (GlaxoSmithKline), a combination of metformin and rosiglitazone, is approved by the FDA only as second-line therapy for patients who are not well controlled on metformin alone, or are already taking both metformin and rosiglitazone. Glucovance (Bristol-Myers Squibb), a combination of metformin and...

Gemifloxacin (Factive - Oscient), a new oral fluoroquinolone antibiotic, has been approved by the FDA for 5 days' treatment of acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (ABECB) and 7 days' treatment of mild to moderate community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults. For the next 6-8 months it will only be available, presumably for commercial reasons, in states east of the Rocky Mountains.

Bepotastine besilate 1.5% ophthalmic solution (Bepreve - ISTA Pharmaceuticals), an H₁-antihistamine, has been approved by the FDA for topical treatment of itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis in patients ≥2 years old. Bepotastine was first developed in an oral systemic formulation and has been used as such for treatment of allergic rhinitis in Japan.

The FDA has approved ezogabine (ee-ZOE-ga-been; Potiga – GSK/Valeant) for oral adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults. Ezogabine is available in Europe as retigabine (Trobalt).

The FDA has approved ponesimod (Ponvory – Janssen), a sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator, for treatment of adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), including clinically isolated syndrome (initial neurological episode), relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Ponesimod is the fourth oral S1P receptor modulator to be approved in the US for once-daily treatment of relapsing forms of MS; ozanimod (Zeposia) and siponimod (Mayzent) are also approved for use in adults, and fingolimod (Gilenya) is indicated for use in patients...

The drugs of choice for treatment of common cardiac arrhythmias are listed in Tables 1 and 2. Some drugs are recommended for indications that have not been approved by the FDA.

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 travel-specific vaccines. Tickborne encephalitis and dengue vaccines, which are not available in the US, are reviewed in a separate article available online. Detailed advice for travel to specific destinations is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at www.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list. Recommendations for administration of vaccines as part of routine...

Anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and various phobias) are the most common form of psychiatric illness. They can be treated effectively with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or pharmacotherapy.

Pregabalin (Lyrica - Pfizer) is the first drug approved by the FDA for management of fibromyalgia. When it was first marketed, pregabalin, which is structurally similar to gabapentin (Neurontin, and others), was approved for treatment of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy and for adjunctive treatment of partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy. It has also been prescribed off-label for other types of neuropathic pain such as sciatica.

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 years old. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid constituent of the marijuana plant (Cannabis sativa). It is the first natural marijuana product to be approved by the FDA for any indication and the first drug to be approved in the US for treatment of Dravet syndrome. Stiripentol (Diacomit), which is not a marijuana product, was also recently approved by the FDA for treatment of Dravet syndrome in...