View the Comparison Table: Some FDA-Approved Drugs for Weight Management

View the Comparison Table: Some Oral Anticoagulants for VTE

Voriconazole (Vfend -- Pfizer), an antifungal triazole structurally related to fluconazole (Diflucan) with a spectrum of action similar to that of itraconazole, has been approved by the FDA for primary treatment of invasive aspergillosis and for refractory infection with Scedosporium apiospermum (the asexual form of Pseudallescheria boydii) or Fusarium spp.

The FDA has approved an extended-release fixed-dose combination of dextromethorphan and bupropion (Auvelity – Axsome) for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.

View the Comparison Table: Some Oral/Transdermal Opioid Analgesics

Onychomycosis is caused most commonly by Trichophyton rubrum or T. mentagrophytes. About 10% of all persons worldwide and 40% of those ≥60 years old are believed to have the disease. Risk factors include older age, diabetes, poor peripheral circulation, smoking, HIV infection, psoriasis, and immunosuppression. Left untreated, onychomycosis can cause nail plate destruction, ingrown nails, and (particularly in patients with diabetes) secondary infections. Guidelines on treatment of onychomycosis have been published.

Many different drugs are used for treatment of osteoarthritis pain, but none of them prevent progression of the disease. Nonpharmacologic approaches including weight management, exercise, tai chi, physical therapy, assistive devices, and total joint arthroplasty can also be used. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has published new guidelines for the management of osteoarthritis of the hip, hand, and knee.

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...

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). US guidelines for treatment of VTE were updated in 2020 and 2021.

A new CDC guideline for prescribing opioids for pain recently became available. Nonopioid drugs for pain were reviewed in a previous issue.