Clopidogrel (Plavix), which prevents arterial thrombosis by inhibiting platelet activation, is commonly prescribed (usually with aspirin) for months after acute coronary syndromes and stent implantation. It may also, however, increase the risk of bleeding. Therefore, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) such as omeprazole (Prilosec, and others) is often given concurrently to decrease the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Some reports have suggested that omeprazole may interfere with the antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are widely used in patients at risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) because these devices have been highly successful in terminating life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and in increasing survival.

An old conjugated estrogens vaginal cream (Premarin Vaginal Cream - Wyeth) has been newly approved by the FDA specifically for treatment of moderate to severe dyspareunia due to vulvar and vaginal atrophy associated with menopause. Synthetic conjugated estrogens A vaginal cream (Barr) has also been approved for this indication, but has not yet been marketed.

Rufinamide (Banzel - Eisai), a triazole derivative structurally unrelated to other marketed antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), has been approved by the FDA for treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in patients ≥4 years old.

The FDA has approved the proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) dexlansoprazole (Kapidex - Takeda), a delayed release formulation of the R-enantiomer of lansoprazole (Prevacid - Takeda), for treating and maintaining healing of erosive esophagitis and for treatment of heartburn associated with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The FDA has approved the marketing of fenofibric acid (Trilipix - Abbott) to reduce triglycerides and increase HDL-C in patients with mixed dyslipidemia on optimal doses of a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) who have, or have risk factors for, coronary heart disease. It is the first fibrate approved by the FDA specifically for combined use with a statin. Trilipix is also approved as monotherapy for hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and low HDL-C. The patent for Tricor, Abbott's older formulation of fenofibrate, will expire in 2011.

The FDA has approved the marketing of fesoterodine (Toviaz - Pfizer), a muscarinic receptor antagonist, for treatment of overactive bladder. It is the sixth antimuscarinic drug approved for this indication.

Febuxostat (Uloric - Takeda), a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for chronic management of hyperuricemia in patients with gout. It is the first drug marketed for treatment of gout in 40 years. Febuxostat is structurally unrelated to allopurinol, the only other commercially available inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors decrease serum urate concentrations by decreasing urate synthesis.

Milnacipran (Savella - Forest), an oral selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), is the third drug approved by the FDA for management of fibromyalgia. The 2 others are pregabalin, a gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA) analog also approved for treatment of diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia and epilepsy, and duloxetine, an SNRI also approved for treatment of depression, diabetic neuropathy and generalized anxiety disorder.

Golimumab (Simponi - Centocor), a fully humanized anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a antibody, has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of: (1) moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in combination with methotrexate; (2) active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) alone or in combination with methotrexate; and (3) active ankylosing spondylitis (AS).