title: What's new in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics.
abstract: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several new drugs in the last few years. We have summarized a few of these that should be of interest to a primary care physician. These belong to either a new class of drugs or have a better drug profile in terms of ease of administration, prolonged duration of action, or fewer side effects. Daptomycin is a cyclic lipopeptide, active against methycillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Telithromycin is a ketolide that can be used in place of macrolide antibiotics. Rifaximin is a semi-synthetic derivative of rifampin approved by the FDA for treatment of traveller's diarrhea. Pramlintide is an injectable synthetic amylin useful in treating type 1 and 2 diabetes. Tiotropium is an anti-cholinergic bronchodilator that can be taken once a day for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Lanthanum Carbonate is useful in treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with end stage renal disease. Flumist is an intranasal influenza vaccine. Eszopiclone is a new hypnotic that has fewer side effects. Memantine is in a new class of drugs useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Ibandronate is a new bisphosphonate approved for once a month use for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Acamprosate is approved for treatment of alcohol dependence.
authors.affiliation: Professional Internal Medicine Services, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wis, USA.
authors.forename: Paramjith S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chawla
authors.forename: Mahendr S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kochar
mesh_terms: D000077443:Acamprosate; D000682:Amyloid / Q000494:pharmacology; D053961:Azabicyclo Compounds; D017576:Daptomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000494:pharmacology; D017277:Drug Approval; D006801:Humans; D000077557:Ibandronic Acid; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D048628:Ketolides / Q000494:pharmacology; D007811:Lanthanum / Q000494:pharmacology; D008559:Memantine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010601:Pharmacology, Clinical / Q000639:trends*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D012294:Rifamycins / Q000494:pharmacology; D000078262:Rifaximin; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D053961:Azabicyclo Compounds; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D048628:Ketolides; D010879:Piperazines; D012294:Rifamycins; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives; C515050:zopiclone; D013654:Taurine; C119467:lanthanum carbonate; D007811:Lanthanum; C105254:pramlintide; C106791:telithromycin; D000078262:Rifaximin; D000077443:Acamprosate; D017576:Daptomycin; D000077557:Ibandronic Acid; D008559:Memantine; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide