Archive for the ‘FDA medcine’ Category

Amaryl.

Thursday, September 20th, 2007

Amaryl (generic name: glimepiride) is an oral blood sugar-lowering drug in a class of medicines for controlling diabetes called sulfonylureas. Glimepiride is related to other sulfonylureas including glyburide (Micronase; Diabeta), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase) and tolazamide (Tolinase).Glimepiride is used in type II diabetes, the most common type of diabetes that is found in 90% of patients with diabetes. In type II diabetes, insulin usually is not necessary to control the blood sugar. Instead, diet and oral medications often are sufficient. Intolerance to sugar that results in elevated blood sugar is caused by reduced insulin secretion by the pancreas and resistance to insulin’s effects by the body’s cells. Glimepiride lowers the sugar level in the blood by stimulating insulin to be secreted from the pancreas into the blood. Insulin causes sugar to leave the blood and enter cells throughout the body. 

Amaryl is an oral medication used to treat type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes when diet and exercise alone fail to control abnormally high levels of blood sugar. Like other diabetes drugs classified as sulfonylureas, Amaryl lowers blood sugar by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin. Amaryl is often prescribed along with the insulin-boosting drug Glucophage. It may also be used in conjunction with insulin and other diabetes drugs.

Always remember that Amaryl is an aid to, not a substitute for, good diet and exercise. Failure to follow a sound diet and exercise plan may diminish the results of Amaryl and can lead to serious complications such as dangerously high or low blood sugar levels. Remember, too, that Amaryl is not an oral form of insulin, and cannot be used in place of insulin.Do not take more or less of this medication than directed by your doctor. Amaryl should be taken with breakfast or the first main meal. If you miss a dose… Take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the one you missed and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take 2 doses at the same time.

 
Storage instructions.. Amaryl should be stored at room temperature in a well-closed container.
 

Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, tell your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Amaryl.Less common side effects may include:
Anemia and other blood disorders, blurred vision, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, itching, liver problems and jaundice, muscle weakness, nausea, sensitivity to light, skin rash and eruptions, stomach and intestinal pain, vomiting.

Amaryl, like all oral antidiabetics, can result in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). The risk of hypoglycemia can be increased by missed meals, alcohol, fever, injury, infection, surgery, excessive exercise, and the addition of other medications such as Glucophage or insulin. To avoid hypoglycemia, closely follow the dietary and exercise regimen suggested by your doctor.Symptoms of mild low blood sugar may include:
Blurred vision, cold sweats, dizziness, fast heartbeat, fatigue, headache, hunger, light-headedness, nausea, nervousness.

Symptoms of more severe low blood sugar may include:
Coma, disorientation, pale skin, seizures, shallow breathing.

Adalat.

Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

 Adalat is used to treat angina due to coronary heart disease. Adalat is also used to treat hypertension. Note that Adalat should not be used for the relief of sudden attacks of angina.

  Adalat contains the active substance nifedipine. This medication belongs to a group of medicines called calcium channel blockers which inhibit the movement of calcium into cells within the heart and vessels, without changing the levels of calcium in the blood. Calcium is an important component for contraction of muscle cells within the body. Adalat acts specifically on cells within blood vessels to stop them from contracting, in order to dilate blood vessels. This lowers the tension in the walls causing a lowering in blood pressure. This is the main mechanism that Adalat treats hypertension.

 In addition, Adalat dilates blood vessels supplying the heart so the heart muscle gets more oxygen. Dilation of all peripheral vessels also reduces the load on the heart to pump against the resistant vessels. (Think of how much harder you would have to pump to water through a tight hose compared to a wider one!) This is how it is thought to relieve angina. Remember that this is a disease caused by insufficient oxygen reaching the heart muscle to meet its demands.

  Adalat comes as pink-grey coloured round tablets that should be swallowed whole with water. They can be taken with or without food. Two doses are currenly available namely Adalat 10 and Adalat 20, containing 10mg and 20 mg of the active component nifedipine, respectively. Your doctor will decide the appropriate dose of Adalat for your condition but the usual dosage is 10-20mg twice daily. These doses should be taken 12 hours apart (that is one dose early in the morning and the next prior to going to bed). If necessary your doctor may increase your dose to 40 mg twice daily. The maximum dose of 80 mg (daily) should not be exceeded. You should always take Adalat as prescribed by your doctor.

 If you are taking other blood pressure lowering medications or if you have liver dysfunction, a lower dose of Adalat may be prescribed. In these cases your response will be closely monitored. You should continue taking Adalat for as long as your doctor recommends. Do not cease Adalat suddenly because you may experience adverse effects. If the medication needs to be ceased your doctor will tell you how to titrate your doses down slowly.