Olmesartan medoxomil (Benicar - Sankyo), a substituted imidazole, is the seventh oral angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) approved by the FDA for treatment of hypertension.

The FDA has approved the marketing of extended release (ER) ranolazine (Ranexa - CV Therapeutics) for treatment of chronic angina in patients who have not achieved an adequate response with other antianginal drugs. It should be used in combination with a nitrate, a beta-blocker or the dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker amlodipine (Norvasc), and appears to be more effective in men. The labeling for ranolazine specifies amlodipine as the calcium-channel blocker of choice because the use of other dihydropyridines with ranolazine has not been studied, and use with diltiazem (Cardizem, and...

The results of a recently published study suggest that taking the oral direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa) with either simvastatin (Zocor, and others) or lovastatin (Altoprev, and others) increases the risk of major hemorrhage.

Patients with frequent, severe or disabling migraine headaches may benefit from taking a drug to prevent the attacks. Beta-blockers traditionally have been the prophylactic treatment of choice, but in recent years some antiepileptic drugs such as valproate (Depakote, and others) and topiramate (Topamax) have also been used for this indication. Valproate was approved by the FDA for such use in 1996. Now topiramate has also been approved.

The FDA has approved eptinezumab-jjmr (Vyepti – Lundbeck), a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonist administered IV once every 3 months, for migraine prevention in adults. It is the fourth monoclonal antibody to be approved for this indication; erenumab (Aimovig), fremanezumab (Ajovy), and galcanezumab (Emgality), which are all given subcutaneously once monthly (fremanezumab can also be given once every 3 months), were approved earlier.

The FDA has approved Byvalson (Allergan), a fixed-dose combination of the beta blocker nebivolol (Bystolic) and the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) valsartan (Diovan, and generics), for treatment of hypertension. It is the only combination product that contains nebivolol, and the first to combine a beta blocker with an ARB.

The FDA has approved mavacamten (Camzyos – MyoKardia/BMS), a modulator of cardiac myosin, to improve functional capacity and symptoms in adults with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or III obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) who have a baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥55%. Mavacamten is the first drug in its class to become available in the US.

The FDA has approved erenumab-aooe (Aimovig – Amgen/Novartis), a once-monthly, subcutaneously-injected, monoclonal antibody against the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor, for preventive treatment of migraine in adults. It is the first drug in its class to be approved by the FDA.

Ziac (Lederle), a combination of the beta-blocker bisoprolol fumarate and a very low dose (6.25 mg) of the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, has been approved for treatment of hypertension by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bisoprolol, a new cardioselective beta-blocker with no intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, has also been marketed as a single drug (Zebeta - Lederle). The manufacturer is promoting the combination for initial treatment of hypertension with the claim that the low doses of the two drugs used together are effective in lowering blood pressure, but are each too low ...

Many nitrates, beta-blockers, and calcium-channel blockers have now been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of stable angina pectoris. The table beginning on page 112 lists the individual drugs, their dosage, and their cost.