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Updated advice on use of nicorandil as second-line treatment for stable angina - some ulcers may progress to complications unless treatment is stopped.
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A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals
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From October 2014 Dexamethasone 4 mg/ml injection (Organon Laboratories Limited) will be replaced by Dexamethasone 3.8 mg/ml solution for injection (Aspen Pharma Trading Limited).
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Letters were sent about Insuman insulin products, mecasermin, and valproate medicines. Recalls were issued about ranitidine medicines and Paclitaxel.
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Insufficient evidence to confirm a link between oral bisphosphonate use and an increased risk of oesophageal cancer.
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Measure serum immunoglobulin levels if recurrent infections develop. Consider bronchiectasis or pulmonary fibrosis if patients develop persistent respiratory symptoms.
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There have been reports of necrotising and haemorrhagic pancreatitis in people taking exenatide some of which were fatal - stop exenatide treatment if pancreatitis is diagnosed.
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Letters were sent to healthcare professionals about Jext adrenaline autoinjectors, rivaroxaban, Ozurdex 700 micrograms intravitreal implant, sildenafil, hydrochlorothiazide, and Epilim Chronosphere (sodium valproate).…
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Severe infusion-related hypersensitivity reactions have occurred in patients receiving temsirolimus.
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There is no known interaction between oseltamivir and aspirin but aspirin must not be given to anyone younger than 16 year.
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Letters were issued about parenteral nutrition products, ranibizumab, ingenol mebutate gel, adrenaline auto-injectors, and fingolimod. Recall alerts were recently issued about ranitidine, aripiprazole, and bisacodyl.
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New contraindications and warnings for combination of aliskiren (Rasilez) with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).
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Valproate medicines must no longer be used in women or girls of childbearing potential unless a Pregnancy Prevention Programme is in place. Ensure all women and girls (and their parent, caregiver, or responsible person, if n…
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A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
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Letters were sent about ellaOne, ERWINASE, Eperzan▼, Ocaliva▼, Velcade, Esmya, and Bleo-Kyowa.
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Care needed to minimise risk of error, including training for patients.
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We ask healthcare professionals to support new guidance for users of diabetes management equipment, their families, care givers and representatives.
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Atypical femoral fractures reported rarely with bisphosphonate therapy, mainly in patients receiving long-term treatment for osteoporosis.
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N-acetylcysteine may interfere with assays from Siemens ADVIA Chemistry and Dimension/Dimension Vista instruments, leading to false-low biochemistry test results.
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There have been reports of cardiac events including QT prolongation, torsades de pointes, and cardiac arrest in patients who have taken high or very high doses of loperamide as a drug of abuse or for self-treatment of opioid…
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Updated contraindications and maximum dose recommendations when taken with a number of other medicines.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
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Cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy have been reported in patients taking dimethyl fumarate for multiple sclerosis, who all had prolonged lymphopenia.
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A falsified version of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) KwikPen 15mg solution for injection has been found supplied through one online pharmacy in the UK. The falsified product is labelled with batch D873576 and applies to Mounjaro Kw…
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Use a filter needle when drawing up reconstituted dantrolene solution.
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Caution is required if prescribing febuxostat in patients with pre-existing major cardiovascular disease, particularly, in those with evidence of high urate crystal and tophi burden or those initiating urate-lowering therapy…
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A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices
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Disabling, long-lasting or potentially irreversible adverse reactions affecting musculoskeletal and nervous systems have been reported very rarely with fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Fluoroquinolone treatment should be discont…
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Preliminary HPS2-THRIVE trial failed to show benefit outweighs risks
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Letters were sent about Myocrisin (sodium aurothiomalate), Cerliponase alfa (Brineura▼), Darzalex▼(daratumumab), retinoids▼, and febuxostat (Adenuric). A recall alert was issued for medicines that were taken out of the regulated medicines supply chain during distribution.…
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Prescribers should be alert for neuropsychiatric reactions in patients taking montelukast and carefully consider the benefits and risks of continuing treatment if they occur.
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MHRA has received a small number of reports suggesting lack of efficacy (thromboembolic events) in patients taking 15 mg or 20 mg rivaroxaban on an empty stomach; remind patients to take 15 mg or 20 mg rivaroxaban tablets wi…
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
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The maximum recommended dose for simvastatin in conjunction with amlodipine and diltiazem is now 20 mg/day.
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A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals
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Topical oral salicylate gels are no longer indicated for people younger than 16 years for pain associated with infant teething, orthodontic devices, cold sores, or mouth ulcers.
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Monitoring of blood electrolytes is essential in patients coprescribed a potassium-sparing diuretic and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) for heart failure.
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Alerts were issued about Rocket and NuSurgix fetal blood sampling (FBS) amnioscopes and kits, Philips Efficia professional-use defibrillators/monitors, and CME T-34 3rd edition syringe driver pumps. A notice was also issued …
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Several new high strength insulin products are now on the market. The European Medicines Agency is consulting on guidance to minimise the risk of medication error.
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Healthcare professionals prescribing montelukast should be alert to the risk of neuropsychiatric reactions in all patients including children and adolescents. Reported neuropsychiatric reactions include sleep disorders, hall…
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Use restricted to adults with advanced or metastatic breast cancer only.
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Information on the newly launched Safer Medicines in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Consortium and a new report on optimising data on medicines used during pregnancy.
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Reporting suspected adverse reactions experienced by the woman or child associated with medicines taken during pregnancy.
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…Alerts were issued about ranitidine, paracetamol, omeprazole, mitomycin-C Kyowa, folic acid, and Emerade adrenaline auto-injectors.…
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Fatal cases of tumour lysis syndrome (TLS) have been reported, some occurring in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia receiving the lowest venetoclax dose used in the dose-titration schedule. For all patients, it is i…
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices, and information about the publication of two recent Device Safety Information pages. The article also includ…
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices and details of two recent MHRA National Patient Safety Alerts to remove from service Philips Health Systems V…
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Dental examination and appropriate preventive dentistry should be considered before treatment, especially for patients also treated with an intravenous bisphosphonate.
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Healthcare professionals are reminded to inform patients about the common and serious side effects associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs).