-
A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
-
Updated advice on use of nicorandil as second-line treatment for stable angina - some ulcers may progress to complications unless treatment is stopped.
-
…Drug alerts were issued about Accord losartan potassium containing products and Ozurdex implants.…
-
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.
-
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 o…
-
Tazocin (piperacillin/tazobactam) has been reformulated to meet European Pharmacopoeia requirements on particle size.
-
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.
-
Monitor serum phosphate levels in patients treated with multiple high-dose administrations, or those on long-term treatment, and in those with pre-existing risk factors for hypophosphataemia. Re-evaluate ferric carboxymaltose treatment in patients with persistent hypophosphataemia.…
-
New warnings due to risk of hyperkalaemia, hypotension, and impaired renal function have been agreed following an EU-wide review.
-
Use has been restricted to 48 hours’ maximum parenteral use under specialist supervision, after a European safety review.
-
…Other alerts were issued about paracetamol tablets, docetaxel injection, Baxter potassium-chloride-containing intravenous infusions, and Emerade adrenaline auto-injectors.…
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
We have launched a public consultation on the proposal to reclassify codeine linctus to a prescription-only medicine.
-
Fingolimod can cause persistent bradycardia, which can increase the risk of serious cardiac arrhythmias. New contraindications have been introduced for patients with pre-existing cardiac disorders.
-
Letters were sent about methotrexate, modafinil, Ecalta, Picato, Nexplanon, valproate medicines, e-cigarettes, and Lemtrada. Alerts were issued about finasteride, codeine/paracetamol, and Picato.
-
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…
-
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).
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
Repeat enhanced cardiovascular monitoring when restarting fingolimod after treatment interruption,
-
Overall benefits of long-acting β-agonists (LABAs) in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) continue to outweigh any risks.
-
New advice for extended early monitoring for those with significant bradycardia or heart block after first dose.
-
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…
-
New recommendations following a recent clinical trial which found that in patients with type 1 hepatorenal syndrome terlipressin may cause serious or fatal respiratory failure at a frequency higher than previously known, and…
-
Fingolimod is associated with an increased risk of major congenital malformations including cardiac, renal, and musculoskeletal defects, when used in pregnancy. Women of childbearing potential must use effective contraceptio…
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
-
Patient reminder cards about the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw are being introduced; denosumab 120 mg is now contraindicated in patients with unhealed lesions from dental or oral surgery.
-
Osteonecrosis of the external auditory canal has been reported very rarely (fewer than 1 in 10 000 patients) with bisphosphonates, mainly in association with long-term therapy (2 years or longer).
-
Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the November 2021 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 3 December 2021.
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.