A proprietary combination of vitamins used to prevent vitamin deficiency in people with metabolic disorders.
It is available as tablets or a liquid; these can be taken together as a vitamin supplement by people on special diets that lack vitamins.
The tablets, which are available on prescription only, contain ascorbic acid, members of the vitamin B complex (including inositol, riboflavin, and thiamine), and alpha tocopheryl acetate. The liquid contains vitamin A, ergocalciferol (vitamin D2), and the B vitamins choline chloride and cyanocobalamin; it can be obtained from pharmacies without a prescription.
An anticonvulsant drug used for the treatment of partial seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. It is available, on prescription only, as tablets or dispersible tablets.
Side effects: include rashes, fever, malaise, influenza-like symptoms, drowsiness, and (rarely) liver disorders.
Precautions: people taking lamotrigine should be closely monitored initially: liver, kidney, and blood-clotting functions should be assessed. If rashes, influenza-like symptoms, or drowsiness occur, or if the drug becomes less effective in controlling seizures, treatment may need to be stopped. When stopping medication, lamotrigine should be withdrawn gradually over a two-week period.
Interactions with other drugs: Other anticonvulsants: taking two or more anticonvulsants together may
enhance their toxicity.
Proprietary preparation: Lamictal.
An antiviral drug that prevents retro virus replication: it is a nucleoside analogue that inhibits reverse transcriptase. One of the oldest antiviral drugs, zidovudine is used, in combination with other antivirals, for the treatment of HIV infection and to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to fetus. Zidovudine is available, on prescription only, as capsules, a syrup, or a solution for injection.
Side effects: include anaemia, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, indigestion, headache, rash, fever, aching muscles, pigmentation of the skin, nails, and mouth, and reduced production of white blood cells.
Precautions: zidovudine should not be given to people with severe anaemia or a very low white-blood-cell count; blood tests may be required during the first three months of treatment. It should be used with caution in those with kidney or liver disease and in pregnant women; breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment.
Interactions with other drugs:
Aciclovir: causes extreme lethargy.
Clarithromycin: reduces the absorption of zidovudine,
Gancidovir: greatly reduces production of blood cells in the bone marrow.
Methadone: increases the plasma concentration (and therefore side effects) of zidovudine.
Fhenytoin: the plasma concentration of phenytoin is altered.
Frobenecid: increases the plasma concentration of zidovudine.
Proprietary preparations: Retrovir; COMBIVIR (combined with lamivudine).
A drug that blocks the action of progesterone, a hormone that is essential for maintaining a pregnancy. Mifepristone is used to induce abortion up to the 20th week of pregnancy. It is taken by mouth under medical supervision; if the pregnancy is more advanced than 9 weeks gemeprost pessaries may need to be given in addition. Mifepristone is also used for softening and dilating the cervix (neck of the uterus)
before mechanical termination of pregnancy. It is available as tablets on prescription only.
Side effects: include malaise, faintness, headache, nausea, vomiting, rashes, vaginal bleeding (sometimes severe), and (especially after gemeprost) pain in the uterus.
Precautions: mifepristone should not be used if an ectopic pregnancy is suspected or in women with chronic adrenal failure or taking long-term corticosteroids or anticoagulants. It should not be used in combination with gameprost by women over 35 who smoke. Alcohol and smoking must be avoided for two days before gemeprost treatment and on the day of this treatment. Mifepristone should be used with caution by women with asthma, heart, liver or kidney disease, and during breastfeeding. Interactions with other drugs: Aspirin and NSAIDs: should not be taken for at least 8-12 days after mifepristone treatment.
Proprietary preparation: Mifegyne.
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).
