1. Medicines and Therapeutics Flashcards
What are the 5 classifications of medicines?
General OTC
Pharmacy only medicines
Prescription only
Controlled drugs
Medical devices
What are licensed medicines?
These are drugs that have a proven efficacy and safety at a defined dose in children or adults for treating a specific medical condition
How do medicines become licensed?
Usually via clinical trials and the data is provided by manufacturer to prove efficacy of drug at treating medical condition and making diff to pts quality of life or quantity
What is the yellow card scheme?
This is where medicines are licensed under surveillance and any adervse effects must be reported to MHRA unless already common side effect
What is an unlicensed medicine?
Medicine that has no evidence of efficacy proven for condition which is is being used to treat (this doesn’t mean it doesn’t have efficacy just that theres no evidence to MHRA)
What is an off license or off label drug?
This is where a medicine has found to be licensed and has efficacy and safe dose at treating another condition but it is then found to be effective for another condition but the cost for conducting a clinical trial is too high so it can be used for this other condition at clinicians discretion but condition must provide all instructions to pt (PIL)
Why must we inform pt medicine is used off license?
As the normal PIL will be for the licensed use of the medication
When would we not use an off licensed medication?
if theres already a licensed med for that condition
What is acyclovir used to treat?
It is an anti-viral used to treat HERPES SIMPLEX, SHINGLES
If pt has herpes simplex and finds toothbrushing difficult what can we recommend?
CHX mouthwash to control plaque accumulation if too painful to brush effectively and can help control secondary infection - CHX 0.2% 300ml mouthwash 10ml 2x day for 1 min
OR
Hydrogen peroxide mouthwash 6% 300ml, 15ml diluted in tumbler of warm water 3x day
What is the prescription of aciclovir as an anti-viral?
5 day regime
200mg tablets, 25 tabelets, 1 5x day
What can be used to treat herpes labialis?
Aciclovir 5% cream - best used in prodromal stage as this is when ulcer is forming - after it appears on lip then healing process has already began
send 2g, 5% cream use every 4 hours 5x day for 5 days
Why can aciclovir be given for shingles?
To reduce pain and incidence of post herpetic neuralgia
tx is 800mg tablets, 35 tablets 1 tablet 5x day for 7 days
What are some examples of anti-fungal drugs?
Miconazole
Fluconazole
Nystatin
CANT GIVE AZOLES TO PTS ON WARFARIN OR STATINS!!
What group of pts can’t be prescribed -AZOLES?
Warfarin pts
statin pts
What can anti-fungal drugs be used to treat?
Acute pseudomembranous candidiasis
acute erythematous candidiasis
What is thrush also known as?
Acute pseudomembranous candidiasis - can usually be scraped off and is common in pts taking inhaled corticosteroids, diabetics and broad spectrum antibiotic pts and immunocompromised pts
What is the prescription of flucozaole for fungal infection?
Fluconazole capsules 50mg
7 capsules 1 day for 7 days