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Healthcare professionals should warn patients that compulsive behaviour with dopamine agonists may be dose-related.
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New warnings and contraindications for ergot-derived dopamine agonists due to risk of fibrosis associated with chronic use.
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Do not prescribe ergots to patients who have had fibrosis in the heart, lungs, or abdomen.
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Patients receiving apomorphine and domperidone require an assessment of cardiac risk factors and ECG monitoring to reduce the risk of serious arrhythmia related to QT-prolongation.
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Take particular care when prescribing or dispensing medicines that could be confused with others (ie, they sound-alike or look-alike).
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Liver function tests should be carried out at treatment initiation, during treatment, and also when the dose is increased.
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Indication restricted to nausea and vomiting, new contraindications, and reduced dose and duration of use.
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Overall benefits of long-acting β-agonists (LABAs) in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) continue to outweigh any risks.
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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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Patients who require a liquid oral formulation of a β-agonist should be switched to a more-selective short-acting β2-agonist such as salbutamol or terbutaline.
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Physicians should remain vigilant for pneumonia and other infections of the lower respiratory tract (ie, bronchitis) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are treated with inhaled products that contain steroids
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Patients should be transferred to alternative bronchodilator therapy.
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Benefits of these medicines used in conjunction with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in the control of asthma symptoms in children outweigh any apparent risks.
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We remind healthcare professionals that elderly patients are at an increased risk of adverse neurological and cardiac effects when being treated with haloperidol for delirium. The lowest possible dose of haloperidol should b…
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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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Cases of interstitial lung disease and pneumonitis have been reported in patients receiving CDK4/6 inhibitors indicated for some breast cancers.…
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Cases of serotonin syndrome have been identified in associated with bupropion, especially in overdose or when bupropion is administered with other drugs with a serotonergic effect.
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Cold-chain storage and distribution system now been fully implemented by manufacturer.
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Licensed doses and differences in potency between different inhaled corticosteroids; advice for use with spacer device.
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Domperidone is no longer licensed for use in children younger than 12 years or those weighing less than 35 kg. Results from a placebo-controlled study in children younger than 12 years with acute gastroenteritis did not show…
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Taking warfarin and tramadol together can cause harmful drug interactions, which can raise the International Normalised Ratio (INR), and result in severe bruising and bleeding, which in some patients could be fatal.
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Use of a nebuliser purchased independently of medical advice for use in the home to deliver nebulised asthma rescue medications to children can mask a deterioration in the underlying disease and may increase the risk of potentially fatal delays in seeking medical attention if asthma deteriorates…
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Please be vigilant as life-threatening errors may occur
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People now need to have a medical assessment before taking domperidone to determine if it is suitable for them due to the risk of cardiac side effects.
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Risk of psychological and behavioural side effects.
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Systemic cardiovascular effects including bradycardia, hypotension, and dizziness have been reported after application. It is important to avoid application to irritated or damaged skin, including after laser therapy.
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Mirabegron is now contraindicated in patients with severe uncontrolled hypertension; advice about regular monitoring is being introduced because of cases of severe hypertension.
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There have been a small number of reports of serious and life-threatening anticholinergic side effects associated with hyoscine hydrobromide patches, particularly when used outside the licence. Healthcare professionals, pati…
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Long-acting β2 agonists (LABA) should only be prescribed in conjunction with inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of moderate to severe asthma.
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We are aware of reports of serious liver injuries and deaths in patients with primary biliary cholangitis with pre-existing moderate or severe liver impairment who were not adequately dose-adjusted. Follow dose reduction and…
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Prescribers should be alert for neuropsychiatric reactions in patients taking montelukast and carefully consider the benefits and risks of continuing treatment if they occur.
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Healthcare professionals prescribing montelukast should be alert to the risk of neuropsychiatric reactions in all patients including children and adolescents. Reported neuropsychiatric reactions include sleep disorders, hall…
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If bilirubin and/or creatinine test results are inconsistent with clinical observations, request re-testing using another method to determine the validity of the result.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines, and a recent National Patient Safety Alert highlighting the risk of deaths and serious injuries from entrapment or falls relatin…
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Several new high strength insulin products are now on the market. The European Medicines Agency is consulting on guidance to minimise the risk of medication error.
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Restricted indication and new monitoring requirements.
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Prescribing information has been updated to help to minimise the risk of serious adverse reactions in patients with cardiac disease.
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We inform healthcare professionals of new risk minimisation measures for JAK inhibitors used to treat chronic inflammatory disorders, consistent with the measures introduced for tofacitinib (Xeljanz) in 2020 and 2021. This a…
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Risk of tuberculosis - screen all patients before starting treatment and monitor them closely.
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Use of aliskiren can cause angioedema, a rare and serious side effect, and or acute renal failure.
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Caution is required if prescribing febuxostat in patients with pre-existing major cardiovascular disease, particularly, in those with evidence of high urate crystal and tophi burden or those initiating urate-lowering therapy.…
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New monitoring instructions to detect these side effects as soon as possible.
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All patients with cancer should have a dental check-up before bisphosphonate treatment.
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Reminder to monitor and manage weight, glucose, and lipid levels.
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The Commission on Human Medicines has issued a series of recommendations to strengthen measures to minimise risk with the yellow fever vaccine (Stamaril) following very rare fatal reactions. Key recommendations include new a…
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New contraindications, warnings, and advice for monitoring.
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In the UK, low-dose aspirin is licensed for prevention of thrombotic cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease only in those who already have vascular disease—ie, secondary prevention.
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We have recently received 2 reports of fatal adverse reactions to the yellow fever vaccine (Stamaril). Due to an increased risk of life-threatening reactions, the vaccine must not be given to anyone with a medical history of…
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New recommendations after a Europe-wide review of cardiovascular safety.
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Febuxostat must be stopped immediately if hypersensitivity occurs and must not be re-started in patients who have ever developed a hypersensitivity reaction to febuxostat.