Once the immune system has been sensitized to a drug, re-exposure to that drug can trigger this to occur
What is allergic reaction ----- Very few medications cause severe allergic reactions. The two most common drug allergies are penicillins and sulfonamides
This frequently prescribed "blood thinner" can be used to treat or prevent PAD, VTEs & prevent a stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation...
RivaroXaban (Xarelto) --- a factor Xa inhibitor
This drug, originally approved for treatment of B-cell lymphoma, is the first monoclonal antibody to be approved in the US for the treatment of cancers...
Rituximab --- a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeted against CD20 which is a surface antigen present on B cells. It acts by depleting normal as well as pathogenic B cells while sparing plasma cells and hematopoietic stem cells as they do not express the CD20 surface antigen. Also used to treat autoimmune conditions such as graft-vs-host disease, immune thrombocytopenia, RA, & autoimmune hemolytic anemia
If your patient is given bisoprolol and becomes dizzy, this terminology is used to describe this type of effect
What is a side effect ------ Side effects are fairly predictable (reported in the PIs) and usually their intensity is dose dependent
This drug, indicated for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness & sudden muscle weakness for Narcoleptics, is the sodium salt of a frequent drug of abuse in the club scene...
Xyrem™ (Sodium oxybate) is the sodium salt of γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). It's also used in Italy to treat alcohol addiction and alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Prescribers often ask their pharmacist about the safety of drug use in patients with this frequent but temporary medical "condition" can affect which drug products are safe for consumption by more than half the population during a crucial time for their families...
Pregnancy & Lactation --- In 2016 the FDA moved away from Pregnancy and Lactation "Categories" of (A, B, C, D and X), which were considered overly simplistic. The new recommendations are now in the form of drug labeling that contains increased detail but also increased complexity which should be interpreted with a pharmacy professional.
This non-absorbable, broad spectrum antibiotic is mainly used for the treatment of GI disorders, but is also an important 2nd line treatment for hepatic encephalopathy...
Rifaxamin (Xifaxan™) --- this rifamycin antibiotic with little systemic absorption works by reducing overgrowth of GI bacteria, which helps reduce ammonia levels in hepatic encephalopathy refractory to lactulose, & helps prevent Clostridium difficile relapse when oral vancomycin and/or fidaxomicin have failed
Where does the Rx symbol come from?
Symbol for the Roman god Jupiter ----- The Roman god Jupiter's blessing was invoked upon every prescription to ensure purity. Alternatively, it may be intended as an abbreviation of the Latin "recipe" which simply means "Take....". The word "prescription" can be decomposed into "pre" and "script" and literally means, "to write before" a drug can be prepared.
Adverse drug reactions are reported by this mechanism once the drug is already on the market
What is MedWatch, the FDA's medical product safety reporting program ----- Voluntary reporting by health professionals and consumers of suspected reactions is the most common way to monitor the safety and effectiveness of marketed health products to obtain information regarding ADRs. These individual reports may be the only source of information concerning previously undetected ARs or changes in product safety and effectiveness profiles to marketed health products.
This drug, developed by Otsuka and Lundbeck, is considered to be a successor of Otsuka's top-selling drug in the same class, which is touted by it's manufacturer for it's partial D2 agonist activity...
Rexulti™ (Brexpiprazole) --- Abilify™ (Aripiprazole) was responsible for 44% of all antipsychotic medication Rxs in 2021 across the global market. It's partial agonist activity is believed to be responsible for it's more favorable SE profile & efficacy in relieving the negative symptoms of schizophrenia such as avolition, communicational / emotional / relational deficits.