View the Comparison Table: Some Antibiotics for MRSA Skin and Skin Structure Infections

Bepridil hydrochloride (Vascor - McNeil Pharmaceutical/Wallace Laboratories), a calcium-channel blocking agent chemically unrelated to verapamil (Calan, and others), nifedipine (Procardia, and others), or other drugs in this class, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris. Because of its potential adverse effects, the labeling recommends reserving the drug for patients who fail to respond optimally to or are intolerant of other antianginal agents.

Modafinil (Provigil), a benzhydryl sulfinylacetamide non-amphetamine stimulant that has been used in Europe since 1995, has now been approved by the FDA for treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy.

View the Comparison Table: Some Oral/Transdermal Opioid Analgesics

Combination antiretroviral therapy including protease inhibitors has dramatically changed the treatment of HIV infection and the prognosis of those affected (Medical Letter Handbook of Antimicrobial Therapy, 1998, page 122). Due to limitations and failures with these drugs in many patients, however, three new drugs, none of them protease inhibitors, have rapidly come into wide use in clinical trials or 'expanded access' programs. They are abacavir (Ziagen - Glaxo Wellcome), adefovir (Preveon - Gilead) and efavirenz (Sustiva - DuPont). Efavirenz was recently approved for treatment of...

The FDA has approved selexipag (Uptravi – Actelion), an oral selective prostacyclin IP receptor agonist, for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Treprostinil (Orenitram), an oral prostacyclin analog, was approved earlier for this indication.

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.

Misoprostol (Cytotec - Searle), a synthetic methyl analog of prostaglandin E1, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for prevention of gastric ulcers in high-risk patients taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In other countries, the drug is also marketed for treatment of idiopathic peptic ulcers unrelated to NSAIDs.

View the Comparison Table: Drugs for Parkinson's Disease

Nabumetone (Relafen - SmithKline Beecham), a new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The drug has been available in the United Kingdom since 1987. The manufacturer claims that nabumetone is as effective as other NSAIDs and causes a relatively low incidence of peptic ulcers.