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A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
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A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
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…Other alerts were issued about paracetamol tablets, docetaxel injection, Baxter potassium-chloride-containing intravenous infusions, and Emerade adrenaline auto-injectors.…
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Calcium salts (either calcium chloride or calcium gluconate) are used to stabilise the myocardium and prevent cardiac arrest in patients experiencing severe hyperkalaemia. However, the two salts are not equivalent in terms of calcium dose.…
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We remind healthcare professionals that accidental use of glucose-containing solutions as flush fluid for arterial lines may contaminate blood samples and result in falsely high glucose readings. This may lead to inappropriate insulin administration and subsequent hypoglycaemia.…
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A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
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New recommendations are being introduced to minimise the risk of serious hypersensitivity reactions with ferumoxytol.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
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Letters were sent about tofacitinib (Xeljanz▼), Trisenox (arsenic trioxide), lapatinib (Tyverb), direct-acting oral anticoagulants, and Lartruvo▼ (olaratumab). Alerts were issued about Epanutin (phenytoin) oral solution, Mac…
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A summary of letters and drug alerts recently 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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A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
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…As a result, it can only be diluted with either dextrose 5% solution or sodium chloride 0·9% solution
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines
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Severe infusion-related hypersensitivity reactions have occurred in patients receiving temsirolimus.
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A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals, including recommendations to reduce handling errors with leuprorelin-containing depot medicines.
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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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High intravenous doses of methylthioninium chloride (methylene blue) should be avoided for patients being treated with serotonergic antidepressants (eg, SSRIs, clomipramine, and venlafaxine).
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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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Healthcare professionals may have more responsibility to accurately prescribe an unlicensed medicine or an off-label medicine than when they prescribe a medicine within the terms of its licence.
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Canagliflozin may increase the risk of lower-limb amputation (mainly toes) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Evidence does not show an increased risk for dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, but the risk may be a class effect. P…
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Use has been restricted to 48 hours’ maximum parenteral use under specialist supervision, after a European safety review.
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SGLT2 inhibitor treatment should be interrupted in patients who are hospitalised for major surgical procedures or acute serious medical illnesses and ketone levels measured, preferably in blood rather than urine. Treatment m…
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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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Test for raised ketones in patients with acidosis symptoms, even if plasma glucose levels are near-normal.
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A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
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Do not use in children aged 16 years or less, except in specialist settings under expert medical supervision.
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The authorisation holder for dapagliflozin has withdrawn the indication for type 1 diabetes mellitus. The removal of the type 1 diabetes indication is not due to any new safety concerns and the other indications of dapaglifl…
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…GLP-1 receptor agonists are not substitutes for insulin, and any reduction of insulin should be done in a stepwise manner with careful glucose self-monitoring.…
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Test for raised ketones in patients with ketoacidosis symptoms, even if plasma glucose levels are near-normal.
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Letters were sent about alemtuzumab (Lemtrada), Selenase (sodium selenite pentahydrate), and Erelzi▼ (etanercept).…
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A signal of increased lower limb amputation (primarily of the toe) in people taking canagliflozin compared with placebo in a clinical trial in high cardiovascular risk patients is currently under investigation.
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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 letters and recent medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
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Letters were sent to healthcare professionals about Lartruvo▼ (olaratumab), quadrivalent influenza vaccine (split virion, inactivated), SGLT2 inhibitors, and carbimazole and thiamazole (synonym: methimazole)-containing produ…
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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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If Fournier’s gangrene is suspected, stop the SGLT2 inhibitor and start treatment urgently (including antibiotics and surgical debridement). Fournier’s gangrene is a rare but potentially life-threatening infection that requi…
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A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
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Patients who use products that contain maltose, xylose, or galactose should use glucose-specific monitors.
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False blood glucose readings when used to flush arterial lines leading to incorrect insulin administration and potentially fatal hypoglycaemia.
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…Drug alerts were issued about Accord losartan potassium containing products and Ozurdex implants.…
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Careful monitoring of serum sodium important, co-administration of other drugs that may increase serum sodium not recommended.
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The maximum adult daily dose of hydroxyzine is now 100 mg. Do not prescribe hydroxyzine to people with a prolonged QT interval or risk factors for QT interval prolongation.
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A clinically significant interaction between carbapenems and valproic acid results in reduced valproate plasma concentrations with potential for inadequate seizure control. Concomitant use of these agents is not recommended,…
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Not for use in pregnancy unless there is no effective alternative.
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Monitor glucose levels closely in patients with diabetes during direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C, particularly within the first 3 months of treatment, and modify diabetes medication or doses when necessary.…
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Alerts were issued about FreeStyle Libre flash glucose sensors and Arjo Minstrel passive floor lifts (portable hoist).
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New warnings due to risk of hyperkalaemia, hypotension, and impaired renal function have been agreed following an EU-wide review.
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Data suggests that long-term use of carbamazepine, phenytoin, primidone, and sodium valproate is associated with decreased bone mineral density that may lead to osteopenia, osteoporosis, and increased fractures.
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…We also remind you of an alert about Accu-Chek blood glucose test strips.