Drugs Information Center(DIC)

Outbreaks of chloramphenicol-resistant typhoid stimulated a search for alternative oral antibiotic therapies and accelerated efforts to develop a new generation of better-tolerated, efficacious typhoid vaccines. The efforts bore fruit when live oral S. Typhi vaccine strain Ty21a and parenteral Vi polysaccharide vaccine were licensed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Despite extensive data documenting the safety, efficacy, and practicality of the Vi and Ty21a vaccines, these preparations have not been widely applied programmatically in developing countries. The limited use of the Vi vaccine has been partly due to doubts about the programmatic feasibility and effect of Vi vaccination in public health programs, as well as questions about whether the vaccine is protective in children between the ages of 2 and 5 years and whether it can confer herd immunity. According to the Sur et al. report, the Vi vaccine conferred an adjusted vaccine effectiveness in preschool children of 80% after two...

The FDA warned prescribers about the risk of serious liver injury associated with the use of the anti-thyroid drug propylthiouracil (PTU). FDA’s warning highlights: There is an increased risk of liver injury with propylthiouracil (PTU) when compared to methimazole. Monitor for symptoms and signs of liver injury when propylthiouracil is chosen as anti-thyroid therapy. This should be emphasized during the first six months after initiating therapy. Subscribe to Drugs Information Center by Email

Insulin is injected into the fatty tissue. The body areas that can be used for injections are shown in the picture below. Insulin absorption varies with the body area that is used. The abdomen has the fastest rate of absorption followed by the arms, legs and buttocks. Randomly changing the body areas used for injections may result in variability in blood sugar levels. It is best that injection sites be changed within one body area instead of between body areas. The body area used for each routine injection (for example, before breakfast) should be the same every day. Abdomen - stay 2 inches away from the navel (belly button) or scars and go sideways to the hips. You can go above or below the waist if there is good tissue. Arms - measure one hand width down from the shoulder and one hand width up from the elbow. Use the fleshy outer surface. Legs - measure one hand width down from the groin and one hand width up from the knee. Use the top and outer part of the leg staying away from the ...

India has become a dumping ground for banned drugs; also the business for production of banned drugs is booming. Plz make sure that u buy drugs, only if prescribed by a doctor (Also, ask which company manufactures it, this would help to ensure that u get what is prescribed at the Drug Store) and that also from a reputed drug store. Not many people know about these banned drugs and consume them causing a lot of damage to themselves. 1. PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE: cold and cough. Reason for ban : stroke. Brand name : Vicks A 2. ANALGIN: This is a pain-killer. Reason for ban: Bone marrow depression. Brand name: Novalgin 3. CISAPRIDE: Acidity, constipation. Reason for ban : irregular heartbeat Brand name : Ciza, Syspride 4. DROPERIDOL: Anti-depressant. Reason for ban : Irregular heartbeat. Brand name : Droperol 5. FURAZOLIDONE: Antidiarrhoeal. Reason for ban : Cancer. Brand name : Furoxone, Lomofen 6. NIMESULIDE: Painkiller, fever. Reason for ban : Liver failure. Brand name : Nise, Nimulid 7. NI...

Treatment regimens for uncomplicated malaria in adults _ Oral quinine sulphate 600 mg/8 h for 5e7 days plus doxycycline 200 mg daily (or clindamycin 450 mg/8 h for pregnant women) for 7 days _ Atovaquoneeproguanil (Malarone_): 4 ‘standard’ tablets daily for 3 days or _ Co-artem ((artemetherelumefantrine_): if weight > 35 kg, 4 tablets  then 4 tablets at 8, 24, 36, 48 and 60 h   Child Initial dose 10 mg/kg/base then 5 mg/kg  base 6e8 h later and on days 2 and 3   However, both of these newer regimens need to be taken for only 3 days. In contrast, quinine needs to be taken for 5e7 days and is often associated with ‘‘cinchonism’’ (nausea, deafness and ringing in the ears), which often results in poor adherence. Although international recommendations suggest that quinine should be  taken for 7 days in endemic areas, 2  UK experience suggests  that 5 days treatment is adequate for the vast majority of cases. Quinine should be combined with a second drug (doxycycline for adults or clindam...

Treatment regimens for uncomplicated malaria in adults _ Oral quinine sulphate 600 mg/8 h for 5e7 days plus doxycycline 200 mg daily (or clindamycin 450 mg/8 h for pregnant women) for 7 days _ Atovaquoneeproguanil (Malarone_): 4 ‘standard’ tablets daily for 3 days or _ Co-artem ((artemetherelumefantrine_): if weight > 35 kg, 4 tablets  then 4 tablets at 8, 24, 36, 48 and 60 h   Child Initial dose 10 mg/kg/base then 5 mg/kg  base 6e8 h later and on days 2 and 3   However, both of these newer regimens need to be taken for only 3 days. In contrast, quinine needs to be taken for 5e7 days and is often associated with ‘‘cinchonism’’ (nausea, deafness and ringing in the ears), which often results in poor adherence. Although international recommendations suggest that quinine should be  taken for 7 days in endemic areas, 2 UK experience suggests  that 5 days treatment is adequate for the vast majority of cases. Quinine should be combined with a second drug (doxycycline for adults o...

The treatment of choice for non-falciparum malaria is a 3-day course of oral chloroquine, to which only a limited proportion of P. vivax strains have gained resistance. Dormant parasites (hypnozoites) persist in the liver after treatment of P. vivax or P. ovale infection: the only currently effective drug for eradication of hypnozoites is primaquine. This must be avoided or given with caution under expert supervision in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD), in whom it may cause severe haemolysis. Uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria can be treated orally with quinine, atovaquone plus proguanil (Malarone _) or co-artemether (Riamet_); quinine is highly effective but poorly tolerated in prolonged dosage and is always supplemented by additional treatment, usually with oral doxycycline.  ALL patients treated for P. falciparum malaria should be admitted to hospital for at least 24 h, since patients can deteriorate suddenly, especially early in the course of treat...