The FDA has approved a nebulized suspension of the corticosteroid budesonide for maintenance treatment of persistent asthma in children one to eight years old.

The FDA has approved Onzetra Xsail (Avanir), a nasal powder formulation of sumatriptan, for acute treatment of migraine in adults. Nasal spray formulations of sumatriptan (Imitrex) and zolmitriptan (Zomig) have been available for many years.

In overactive bladder, involuntary bladder contractions due to detrusor overactivity result in urinary urgency, frequency, nocturia, and incontinence. The prevalence of the disorder increases with age. Nonpharmacologic treatment, including bladder training, urge suppression, pelvic floor muscle exercises, constipation management, modification of fluid intake, and avoidance of dietary irritants such as alcohol and caffeine, should be tried first.

Myocardial perfusion imaging and stress echocardiography in patients who cannot exercise may require use of drugs. Arbutamine (GenESA - Gensia Automedics), a potent synthetic sympathomimetic, has recently been approved by the FDA for use with a computerized drug-delivery system in pharmacologic stress testing.

The FDA has approved the use of tranexamic acid (Lysteda – Ferring), an oral antifibrinolytic, for treatment of menorrhagia. Tranexamic acid has been used for this purpose in Europe for decades, and is available without a prescription in some countries. It has been available in the US since 1987 for use with coagulation factors in patients with hemophilia undergoing dental extractions.

The FDA has approved ziconotide (Prialt - Elan) intrathecal infusion for management of severe chronic pain in patients who are intolerant of or refractory to other treatments. Ziconotide is a synthetic neuronal N-type calcium channel blocker. It is intended for use with a programmable implanted microinfusion device, but an external microinfusion device can be used temporarily.

The recent increase in deaths from heroin overdose in the US has led to renewed interest in the opioid antagonist naloxone, particularly in making it available as an intranasal spray to paramedics and possibly to relatives and close friends of heroin users. Intravenous (IV) administration is preferred, but peripheral venous access may be difficult to obtain in IV drug abusers, and exposure to their blood may be hazardous.

The FDA has approved zavegepant nasal spray (Zavzpret – Pfizer) for acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. Zavzpret is the first nasal spray formulation of a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist ("gepant") to become available in the US.

The EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor (Innovia Medical) is a device marketed to consumers for home detection of middle-ear effusion (MEE) in children.

An oral nonopioid analgesic is often sufficient for acute treatment of mild to moderate migraine pain without severe nausea or vomiting. A triptan is the drug of choice for treatment of moderate to severe migraine in most patients without vascular disease. Treatment of pain when it is still mild to moderate in intensity improves headache response and reduces the risk of recurrence.