The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7196 p597-604
4 May 2002

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Medicines Control Agency (www.mca.gov.uk)

Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance

The latest edition of Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance (2002;28:1-6) has been published by the Medicines Control Agency and Committee on Safety of Medicines. It includes the following information:

Hormone replacement therapy

HRT should not be given for prevention of coronary heart disease, or initiated in women who have had a recent cardiovascular or thromboembolic event.

Dopamine receptor agonists

Patients taking ergot-derived dopamine receptor agonists should be monitored for fibrotic reactions.

Topiramate (Topamax)

Serious eye reactions can occur during treatment with topiramate, typically within the first month of treatment.

Olanzapine (Zyprexa)

Appropriate clinical and blood glucose monitoring is needed in patients with diabetes and risk factors for diabetes who take olanzapine.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

No more than one oral NSAID should be used concurrently and the combination of an NSAID with low dose aspirin should only be used if absolutely necessary. Drugs such as ibuprofen, which have a lower risk of gastrointestinal adverse events, are generally preferred. NSAIDs should be started at the lowest recommended dose.

Distribution of Current Problems

Despite earlier proposals to change the way in which the bulletin is distributed, it has been decided that distribution will continue as a direct mailing.