Drug Formulary Review Archives – August 1, 2005
August 1, 2005
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FDA approves heart failure drug specifically for black patients
The FDA has approved a drug for the treatment of heart failure specifically in self-identified black patients, the first time an approval has targeted a racial group. In an announcement, the FDA said the approval represented a step toward the promise of personalized medicine. -
ED docs uneasy using rt-PA to treat ischemic stroke
A survey of emergency department (ED) physicians found that 40% were not likely to use recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) on ischemic stroke patients, even in an ideal setting. More say they might use it, however, if they had support from other health care specialists. -
Research News: Hydroxyurea more effective than anagrelide (Agrylin)
The older drug hydroxyurea plus aspirin has shown to be more effective than the more expensive anagrelide (Agrylin) plus aspirin in treating patients with essential thrombocythemia at high risk for vascular events, according to a study published in the July 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. -
News Briefs
Patients with diabetes and high cholesterol can save the health care system millions of dollars by properly taking their medication, according to a new study from Medco Health Solutions in Franklin Lakes, NJ. -
New FDA Approvals
Tipranavir (Aptivus) by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. The FDA has approved tipranavir (Aptivus) capsules, an HIV protease inhibitor, to be given with ritonavir for treatment of HIV-1-infected adults. This is the second drug approved for patients with advanced HIV disease. -
Drug Criteria & Outcomes: Ziconotide (Prialt) Formulary Evaluation
In patients who received intrathecal (IT) doses of ziconotide greater than the maximum recommended dose (19.2 mcg/day), exaggerated pharmacological effects such as ataxia, nystagmus, dizziness, stupor, unresponsiveness, spinal myoclonus, confusion, sedation, hypotension, word-finding difficulties, garbled speech, nausea, and vomiting were observed. There is no known antidote for ziconotide.