22 September, 2016 AHFS

The September update to the AHFS Patient Medication Information (PMI) database has been published. Highlights of the update include:

New PMI Monographs:

Lifitegrast Ophthalmic (Xiidra^®)
- Ophthalmic lifitegrast is used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Lifitegrast is in a class of medications called lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) antagonist. Lifitegrast works by reducing the swelling in the eye tissues.
Diphenhydramine Injection (Benadryl^®)
- Diphenhydramine injection is used to treat allergic reactions, especially for people who are unable to take diphenhydramine by mouth. It is used also to treat motion sickness. Diphenhydramine injection is also used alone or along with other medications to control abnormal movements in people who have Parkinsonian syndrome (a disorder of the nervous system that causes difficulties with movement, muscle control, and balance).
Cabozantinib [advanced renal cell carcinoma] (Cabometyx^®)
- Cabozantinib (Cabometyx) is used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC; a type of cancer that begins in the cells of the kidneys) that has worsened after treatment with other chemotherapy medications.

FDA MedWatch Alerts – Monograph Revisions

Combined use of opioid and benzodiazepines resulting in slowed or difficult breathing and deaths
- Affected monographs:
  - Hydrocodone Combination Products, Chlordiazepoxide and Clidinium, Pentazocine, Hydromorphone Injection, Meperidine Injection, Metronidazole Injection, Morphine Injection, Fentanyl Transdermal Patch, Butorphanol Nasal Spray, Buprenorphine Sublingual and Buccal (opioid dependence), Diazepam Rectal, Fentanyl, Morphine Rectal, Tapentadol, Oxymorphone, Clobazam, Fentanyl Nasal Spray, Hydromorphone Rectal, Fentanyl Sublingual Spray, Buprenorphine Transdermal Patch, Hydrocodone, Buprenorphine Buccal (chronic pain), Hydromorphone, Diazepam, Oxazepam, Flurazepam, Clorazepate, Lorazepam, Codeine, Chlordiazepoxide, Meperidine, Oxycodone, Morphine, Methadone, Clonazepam, Butorphanol Injection, Alprazolam, Temazepam, Triazolam, Estazolam, Tramadol

17 August, 2016 AHFS

The August update to the AHFS Patient Medication Information (PMI) database has been published. Highlights of the update include:

Obeticholic Acid (Ocaliva^®)
- Obeticholic acid is used alone or in combination with ursodiol (Actigall, Urso) to treat primary biliary cholangitis (PBC; a type of liver disease that destroys bile ducts, which allows bile to stay in the liver and cause damage) in patients who cannot take ursodiol or in patients who were not treated successfully with ursodiol alone.
Sofosbuvir and Velpatasvir (Epclusa^®)
- The combination of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir is used alone or with ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Ribasphere) to treat chronic hepatitis C (an ongoing viral infection that damages the liver).
Atezolizumab Injection (Tecentriq^®)
- Atezolizumab injection is used to treat urothelial cancer (cancer of the lining of the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract) that has spread and cannot be removed by surgery, and has worsened after treatment with other chemotherapy medications.
Daclizumab Injection (Zinbryta^®)
- Daclizumab is used to prevent episodes of symptoms and slow the worsening of disability in people who have relapsing-remitting forms (course of disease where symptoms flare up from time to time) of multiple sclerosis (MS ; a disease in which the nerves do not function properly and people may experience weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control).

20 July, 2016 AHFS

The July update to the AHFS Patient Medication Information (PMI) database has been published. Highlights of the update include:

Uridine Triacetate (Vistogard^®)
- Uridine triacetate is used for the emergency treatment of children and adults who have either received too much of chemotherapy medications such as fluorouracil or capecitabine (Xeloda^®) or who develop certain severe or life-threatening toxicities within 4 days of receiving fluorouracil or capecitabine.
Midodrine (Orvaten^®, Proamatine^®, also available generically)
- Midodrine is used to treat orthostatic hypotension (sudden fall in blood pressure that occurs when a person assumes a standing position).
Selexipag (Uptravi^®)
- Selexipag is used in adults to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH; high blood pressure in the vessels that carry blood to the lungs) to slow down the worsening of symptoms and reduce the chance of being hospitalized for PAH.
Pimavanserin (Nuplazid^®)
- Pimavanserin is used to treat hallucinations and delusions in people with psychosis from Parkinson’s disease (PD; a disorder of the nervous system that causes difficulties with movement, muscle control, and balance).