Generic drug: eptifibatide Brand name: Integrilin What is Integrilin (eptifibatide), and how does it work? Integrilin (eptifibatide) injection is a platelet aggregation inhibitor indicated for treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) managed medically or with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and treatment of patients undergoing PCI (including intracoronary stenting). Integrilin injection is available in generic form....
What are the uses for sacubitril and valsartan? Entresto is used for reducing the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in patients with chronic heart failure (NYHA Class II-IV). Entresto is combined with other heart failure medications and in place of an ACE inhibitor or other ARBs. What brand names are available...
What is cilostazol, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Cilostazol is a medication for the treatment of intermittent claudication, a condition caused by narrowing of the arteries that supply the legs with blood. Patients with intermittent claudication develop pain when they walk because not enough oxygen-containing blood reaches the active leg muscles. Cilostazol...
How to get rid of water retention How much water should I drink? Water retention or fluid retention can be caused due to several medical conditions and some medications. Edema is the medical term for swelling caused by the retention of excessive fluids in the body tissues. Although it is usually harmless, it may be...
What is ticlopidine, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Ticlopidine is an oral drug that inhibits the ability of platelets to clump and form blood clots. It prevents blood clots by binding to the P2Y12 receptor on platelets, preventing adenosine diphosphate (ADP) from activating platelets. It belongs to a class of drugs called...
What is congestive heart failure? Heart failure can cause edema when extra fluid seeps into the lung cavity or other cavities. Diuretics treat this symptom, but do not cure heart failure. Congestive heart failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to efficiently pump blood to meet the body’s oxygen and nutrient needs....
Generic drug: tafamidis meglumine and tafamidis Brand name: Vyndaqel and Vyndamax What is Vyndaqel and Vyndamax, and how does it work? Vyndaqel and Vyndamax are prescription medicines used to treat adults with cardiomyopathy of wild-type or hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) to reduce death and hospitalization related to heart problems. It is not known if Vyndaqel...
What are vasodilators, and how do they work (mechanism of action)? A vasodilator is a drug that causes vasodilation, a widening (opening) of blood vessels that results from relaxation of the smooth muscle of the vessels. What widens in vasodilation actually is the diameter of the interior (lumen) of the vessel. The opposite of vasodilation...
What is Nikita (pitavastatin), and how does it work? Nikita (pitavastatin) is indicated as an adjunctive therapy to diet in: Adult patients with primary hyperlipidemia or mixed dyslipidemia to reduce elevated total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein B (Apo B), triglycerides (TG), and to increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Limitations Of Use The...
Plavix (clopidogrel) vs. Coumadin (warfarin): What’s the difference? Clopidogrel and warfarin are blood thinners used to prevent blood clots. A brand name for clopidogrel is Plavix. Brand names for warfarin include Coumadin and Jantoven. Side effects of clopidogrel and warfarin that are similar include increased bleeding, rash, and diarrhea. Side effects of clopidogrel that are...