more patients getting prednisone for shingles

November 1996

You'll see more patients getting prednisone for shingles...especially those with severe pain.

So far, prednisone has been used mainly to prevent postherpetic neuralgia. But it doesn't work well to reduce CHRONIC pain.

Now there's evidence that prednisone is useful in the early stages...to relieve ACUTE pain and help patients get well faster.

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Table of Contents

More prescriptions will be transmitted electronically
new asthma drug, Accolate (zafirlukast)
The FDA is about to switch Nasalcrom (cromolyn) to OTC
Neurology & Pain Neurontin (gabapentin) for pain
Substance Use Disorder DEA would control sales of OTC pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, etc)
Substance Use Disorder cases of clonidine abuse
STIs emerging resistance of gonorrhea to quinolone antibiotics
Infectious Diseases higher-strength form of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT)
Infectious Diseases Valtrex (valacyclovir) for treating INITIAL episodes of genital herpes
Infectious Diseases more patients getting prednisone for shingles
Cardiology alternatives to warfarin to prevent ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)
Cardiology stop using nifedipine capsules to lower extremely high blood pressure
Renal & Urology Elmiron, the first oral therapy for interstitial cystitis
Vaccines more emphasis on COMBINING pediatric vaccines
Vaccines COMBINE Connaught's ActHIB with Tripedia (DTaP) so they can be given together in one injection
Antipsychotics You're going to hear LOTS about Zyprexa (olanzapine)