Archive for June, 2009
An oestrogen antagonist used for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women in which oestrogens stimulate growth of the tumour. It is available as tablets on prescription only.
Side effects: include hot flushes, vaginal bleeding or discharge, sweating, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fluid retention, and chest or back pain. Vaginal bleeding or discharge or pelvic pain should be reported to a doctor promptly to exclude the possibility of cancer of the endometrium (womb lining).
Precautions: toremifene should not be taken by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding or by those who have severe liver disease, hyperplasia (overgrowth) of the endometrium, or a history of severe thromboembolic disease.
Interactions with other drugs:
Anticoagulants: toremifene increases the effects of warfarin and
nicoumalone (acenocoumarol).
Antiepileptic drugs: the effects of toremifene may be reduced by
carbamazepine, phenobarbitone
Thiazide diuretics: increase the risk of high concentrations of calcium in the blood, especially in women in whom the cancer has spread to the
bones.
Proprietary preparation: Fareston.
A synthetic progestogen that is used as a progestogen-only orai contraceptive. In combination with an oestrogen, it is used to provide postcoital (‘morning-after’) contraception or for treating symptoms of the menopause and preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women
Proprietary preparations: Neogest (contraceptive pill); SCHERING PC4 (combined with ethinyloestradiol).
A class II calcium antagonist that relaxes the cerebral arteries, which supply blood to the brain. It is used to prevent spasm of these arteries following a subarachnoid haemorrhage (bleeding into the
spaces around the brain caused by a rupture of one of the cerebral arteries), and thus prevents further interruption of the blood supply to the brain. Nimodipine is available, as tablets or a solution for infusion, on
prescription only.
Side effects: include low blood pressure, flushing, headache, and gastrointestinal upset (including nausea).
Precautions: nimodipine should be used with caution in patients with swelling of the brain, raised pressure within the brain, or poor kidney function.
Proprietary preparation: Nimotop.
A proprietary preparation consisting of a combination of the analgesics paracetamol and codeine phosphate and the antiemetic antihistamine buclizine hydrochloride in the form of pink tablets, packaged with a combination of paracetamol and codeine phosphate (yellow tablets), used for the treatment of migraine. Two pink tablets taken at the start of a migraine attack are followed by two yellow tablets at four-hourly intervals. Migraleve can be obtained without a prescription, but only from pharmacies.
Side effects: Migraleve causes drowsiness.
Precautions: Migraleve should not be taken by children under 10 years old, except under medical supervision.
A non-nucleoside antiviral drug that inhibits reverse transcriptase by binding directly to the enzyme, thus blocking the synthesis of retroviral DNA and preventing viral replication. It is used in
combination therapy for the treatment of infections in patients with advanced or progressive HIV disease. Nevirapine is available as tablets on prescription only.
Side effects: include rash (which should be reported to a doctor), nausea, fatigue, fever, headache, somnolence, and hepatitis.
Precautions: nevirapine should be used with caution in people with kidney or liver disease and in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Interactions with other drugs:
Ketoconazole: nevirapine reduces the plasma concentration of ketoconazole and the two drugs should not be taken together.
Oral contraceptives: their contraceptive effect is reduced.
Proprietary preparation: Viramune.
A proprietary combination of ibuprofen (an NSAID) and codeine (an opioid analgesic), used to relieve the symptoms of colds and influenza, rheumatic and muscular pain, backache, migraine, headache, toothache, and period pains. It is available as tablets and can be obtained without a prescription, but only from pharmacies.
Precautions: Solpaflex is not recommended for children.
A proprietary combination of nalidixic acid (a quinolone antibiotic), sodium citrate, citric acid, and *sodium bicarbonate (all alkalizing agents), used for the treatment of cystitis and other infections of the lower urinary tract. It is available, on prescription only, as effervescent granules.
Side effects: include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, visual disturbances, seizures, and allergic reactions.
Precautions: Mictral should not be taken by people with a history of epilepsy or seizures, poor kidney function, or by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. People who are taking Mictral should avoid
exposure to sunlight.
