Breathing Easier! Smoker’s cough (COPD) relieved by Tudorza Pressair
July 30, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Breathing Easier! Smoker’s cough (COPD) relieved by Tudorza Pressair
Forest Laboratories Inc’s inhaled dry powder treatment for smoker’s cough, commonly called COPD, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Named Tudorza Pressair (aclidinium bromide), the drug improves airflow through relaxation of the muscles surrounding the large airways of the lungs.
The twice-daily drug is indicated to treat the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a serious lung disease that causes difficulty in breathing; it’s often caused by cigarette smoking. Currently, the inhaler is the only FDA-approved inhaler for the long-term maintenance of COPD in adults 18 years and older. It’s not to be considered for use as a rescue medication for sudden breathing problems, however.
In the United States, COPD is the fourth leading cause of death, according to the FDA.
“COPD is a serious disease that gets worse over time,” said Curtis Rosebraugh, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Office of Drug Evaluation II in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “The availability of long-term maintenance drugs for COPD provides additional treatment options for the millions of people who suffer with this debilitating disease.”
COPD is a catch-all term used for chronic lung diseases including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The symptoms of COPD consist of a chronic cough, excessive phlegm, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest.
The FDA based its safety and efficacy approval of Tudorza Pressair on three randomized, placebo-controlled studies, which included over 1,270 people inflicted with COPD. All study participants had a history of smoking for day years of at least one pack of cigarettes per day. Study participants who used Tudorza Pressair displayed improvement in their lung functioning.
Paradoxical bronchospasm, new or exascerbated urinary retention, or new or worsened increased eye pressure (acute narrow-angle glaucoma) are listed as serious side effects. Common side effects include cough, nasal passage inflammation, and headache.
Pharmacy Headquarters Blog (PharmacyHeadquarters.com) Editorial Staff Copyright 2012 – All rights reserved
Chantix Anti-Smoking Drug May Not Increase Heart Attack Risk
May 10, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Chantix Anti-Smoking Drug May Not Increase Heart Attack Risk
Popular smoking cessation drug Chantix does not pose a higher risk of heart attack or other severe heart disease problems, according to a review conducted by Judith J. Prochaska, associate professor at Department of Psychiatry and Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, UCSF and Joan F. Hilton, professor at Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California.
As part of this new study, Prochaska and Hilton analyzed 22 randomized controlled trials and looked at data on over 9,232 people; out of this large group of people 3,801 took a placebo pill, while 5,431 took Chantix — both for a treatment period of around three months.
The results of the study revealed that 0.63 percent and 0.47 percent of the Chantix and placebo group had a serious heart problem. In other words, the authors concluded that the number showed that Chantix was “neither clinically nor statistically” linked to an increased risk of heart problems.
Chantix, or varenicline, is a prescription medication used to combat a smoking addiction. It works by not only reducing the cravings for cigarettes, but also reducing the pleasurable effects of tobacco products, like cigarettes. Both these mechanisms working together can help people quit smoking. Varenicline received FDA approval in 2006.
The authors researched is published online in the journal BMJ.
Pharmacy Headquarters Blog (PharmacyHeadquarters.com) Editorial Staff Copyright 2012 – All rights reserved
