Alfuzosin hydrochloride (Uroxatral - Sanofi-Synthelabo) is now available in the US in a new formulation for once-daily treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The drug has been used in Europe since 1987. Alpha₁-blockers cause relaxation of smooth muscle tone in the bladder neck, prostatic capsule and prostatic urethra, relieving symptoms of urinary obstruction.

Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of thromboembolic stroke. Anticoagulant therapy can reduce this risk and is recommended for patients with atrial fibrillation and one or more of the following: congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, or prior stroke or transient ischemic attack (CHADS₂ score ≥1).

The FDA has approved the oral kinase inhibitor quizartinib (Vanflyta – Daiichi Sankyo) for use in combination with standard cytarabine and anthracycline induction and cytarabine consolidation, and as maintenance monotherapy following consolidation chemotherapy in adults with FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD)-positive, newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The FDA has approved the oral, once-daily, second-generation antipsychotic brexpiprazole (Rexulti – Otsuka/Lundbeck) for treatment of schizophrenia and as an adjunct to antidepressants for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Aripiprazole (Abilify), a structurally similar second-generation antipsychotic also comarketed by Otsuka (with BMS), recently became available generically.

Levalbuterol, the R-isomer of racemic albuterol, has been approved by the FDA for prevention and treatment of bronchospasm in patients at least 12 years old.

The FDA has approved osilodrostat (Isturisa – Recordati), a cortisol synthesis inhibitor, for oral treatment of adults with Cushing's disease when surgical resection of the pituitary adenoma is not an option or has not been curative. Osilodrostat is the first cortisol synthesis inhibitor to be approved in the US for this indication. Other oral steroidogenesis inhibitors such as ketoconazole and metyrapone have been used off-label for this indication for many years.

The FDA has approved sotagliflozin (Inpefa – Lexicon), an oral sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 and 2 (SGLT1/2) inhibitor, to reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure (HF), urgent HF visits, and cardiovascular death in adults with either HF (with any left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]) or type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and other cardiovascular risk factors. Sotagliflozin is the first dual SGLT1/2 inhibitor to be approved in the US. Unlike SGLT2 inhibitors, it is not FDA-approved to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes....

Elafibranor (Iqirvo – Ipsen), a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonist, has been granted accelerated approval by the FDA for treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in adults. It is indicated for use in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (ursodiol, UDCA; Urso, and others) in patients with an inadequate response to UDCA alone and as monotherapy in those unable to tolerate UDCA.

Adults with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2 are considered overweight. Those with a BMI ≥30 are considered obese. The initial recommendation for any weight loss effort is to achieve a 5-10% reduction in weight, which has been associated with a reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Diet, exercise, and behavior modification are the preferred methods for losing weight, but long-term weight maintenance can be difficult. Several drugs and devices are FDA-approved for weight reduction and maintenance of weight...

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.