Archive for July, 2009
A proprietary combination of paracetamol (an analgesic and antipyretic), codeine (an opioid analgesic), and caffeine (a stimulant), used for the relief of migraine, headache, rheumatic pains, period pains, toothache, and the fever and pain associated with colds and influenza. It is available as capsules, tablets, or effervescent tablets and can be obtained without a prescription, but only from pharmacies.
Precautions: Solpadeine is not recommended for children.
An anabolic steroid that is sometimes used as an adjunct in the treatment of aplastic anaemias (types of anaemia resulting from a failure of the bone marrow to produce blood cells). It is available as a solution for injection on prescription only.
Side effects: include acne, oedema (accumulation of fluid in the tissues) due to sodium retention, masculinization in women, and high plasma calcium concentrations.
Precautions: nandrolone should not be used during pregnancy or in men with suspected prostate cancer or breast cancer. It should be used with caution in people with liver or kidney disease, high blood pressure,
epilepsy, migraine, or diabetes.
Proprietary preparation: Deca-Durabolin 100.
An analogue of gonadorelin used to treat endometriosis and to suppress the release of gonadotrophins by the pituitary gland
before inducing ovulation in women undergoing fertility treatment. It is also used to reduce concentrations of testosterone in the treatment of prostate cancer that requires testosterone for growth. Buserelin is available, on prescription only, as a nasal spray or a solution for injection.
Side effects: include hot flushes, loss of libido, headache, and depression; the spray may cause transient nasal irritation. In women there may also be vaginal dryness, emotional upset, changes in breast size, breast tenderness, and ovarian cysts; men may rarely experience enlargement of the breasts.
Precautions: buserelin should not be taken by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding or who have undiagnosed vaginal bleeding; a nonhormonal method of contraception should be used during treatment. The drug should be used with caution in women with osteoporosis or depression.
Proprietary preparations: Suprecur (nasal spray for endometriosis); Suprefact (nasal spray for prostate cancer).
A class I calcium antagonist used for the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension, angina, and supraventricular
tachycardia. It is available as short-acting or modified-release tablets on prescription only.
Side effects: constipation is the most common side effect.
Precautions: verapamil should not be taken by people with low blood pressure, a slow heart rate, a history of heart
failure, or certain other heart conditions.
A proprietary combination of polyethylene granules (an abrasive) and benzalkonium chloride (an antiseptic), used for the treatment of acne.
It is available in the form of a foaming face gel and can be obtained without a prescription, but only from pharmacies. It cannot be prescribed on the NHS.
Precautions: lonax Scrub should not be used by people with telangiectasia (in which spidery red spots of distended blood vessels can be seen beneath the skin).
It should not come into contact with the eyes. It should be discontinued if the skin becomes irritated.
Sodium valproate used in the treatment of all forms of epilepsy: it is a drug of choice in major, absence, and partial
seizures. It is suitable for long-term use, does not cause sedation, and can be taken with oral contraceptives. Sodium valproate is available, on prescription only, as tablets, crushable tablets, a syrup, or a liquid for oral use and as an intravenous injection.
Side effects: include gastric irritation, nausea, unsteadiness, and weight gain. Transient hair loss, oedema, and blood disorders may occur; rare side effects are liver failure and bleeding disorders.
Precautions: patients who are planning on becoming pregnant, or who are already pregnant, should seek specialist advice.
Interactions with other drugs:
Anticonvulsants: taking two or more anticonvulsants together may increase their adverse effects. Valproate often raises (but may lower) the plasma concentration of phenytoin; phenytoin often lowers the plasma concentration of valproate.
Antidepressants: reduce the anticonvulsant effect of sodium valproate.
Antimalarials: antagonize the anticonvulsant effect of sodium valproate.
Antipsycnotics: reduce the anticonvulsant effect of sodium valproate.
Aspirin: enhances the effect of sodium valproate.
Cimetidine: increases plasma concentrations of sodium valproate.
Proprietary preparations: Epilim; Orlept; Sondate 200 EC; EPILIM CHRONO (combined with valproic acid).
A weak opioid that acts as a cough suppressant but has no appreciable analgesic activity. It is therefore used for the treatment of
dry or painful coughs and is available as a linctus and as an ingredient of many cough medicines. Pholcodine is usually freely available over the counter, although some preparations can be bought only from a pharmacy, depending on the other ingredients.
Side effects: as for codeine, but side effects are rare. Pholcodine is not addictive.
Proprietary preparations: Benylin Children’s Dry Coughs; Boots Daytime Cough Relief; Famel Linctus; Galenphol, Galenphol Paediatric, and Galenphol Strong; Hill’s Balsam Dry Cough Liquid; Pavacol D; Tixylix Daytime; BOOTS CHILDREN’S I YEAR PLUS NIGHT TIME COUGH SYRUP (combined with diphenhydramine); BOOTS DAY COLD COMFORT (combined with paracetamol and pseudoephedrine); BOOTS NIGHT COLD COMFORT (combined with paracetamol, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine);
BOOTS NIGHT-TIME COUGH RELIEF (combined with diphenhydramine); EXPULIN (combined with chlorpheniramine, menthol, and pseudoephedrine); EXPULIN DRY (combined with menthol); EXPULIN PAEDIATRIC (combined with chlorpheniramine and menthol); TIXYLIX COUGH & COLD (combined with chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine); TIXYLIX NIGHT-TIME (combined with promethazine).
A muscle relaxant used for the treatment of chronic severe spasms of voluntary muscles. It is available, on
prescription only, as capsules or as a solution for injection.
Side effects: include transient drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, malaise, fatigue, diarrhoea (treatment should be stopped if this is severe), loss of appetite, nausea, headache, and rash.
Precautions: drowsiness may impair the performance of skilled tasks, and this is exacerbated by alcohol. Dantrolene should not be taken by people with liver disease or acute muscle spasms and should be used with caution in those with heart or lung disease.
Proprietary preparation: Dantrium.
