Browse Drug Topics

Monoclonal antibody that neutralizes the activity of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) that has been found in Crohn’s disease; decreased infiltration of inflammatory cells Therapeutic outcome: Decreased cramping and blood in stools

(see interferon beta-1a monograph)

Prevents absorption of ammonia in colon by acidifying stool; increases water, softens stool Therapeutic outcome: Decreased constipation, decreased blood ammonia level

Causes initial increase in circulating levels of LH, FSH; continuous administration results in decreased LH, FSH; in men testosterone is reduced to castration levels; in premenopausal women estrogen is reduced to menopausal levels Therapeutic outcome: Prevention of rapidly growing malignant cells in prostate cancer, decreased pain in endometriosis, resolution of central precocious puberty (CPP)

Interferes with conversion of intermediate DNA fragments into high molecular weight DNA in bacteria; DNA gyrase inhibitor; inhibits topoisomerase IV Therapeutic outcome: Bacteriocidal action against the following: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophilia, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus pyogenes

Increases osmotic pressure, draws fluid into colon, neutralizes HCl

Interferes with entry into HIV- 1 by inhibiting the fusion of the virus and cell membrane Therapeutic outcome: Improvement in CD4, viral load, T- cell count

Depresses pain impulse transmission at the spinal cord level by interacting with opioid receptors Therapeutic outcome: Relief of pain

Inhibits calcium ion influx across cell membrane during cardiac depolarization, produces relaxation of coronary vascular smooth muscle and peripheral vascular smooth muscle, dilates coronary arteries, increases myocardial oxygen delivery in patients with vaso- spastic angina Therapeutic outcome: Decreased angina pectoris, decreased B/P in hypertension

Causes relaxation of vascular smooth muscle, produces vasodilatation of coronary, peripheral vessels, decreasing preload, afterload; heart rate and B/P are decreased Therapeutic outcome: Decreased anginal pain

May inhibit nerve impulses by limiting influx of sodium ions across cell membrane in motor cortex Therapeutic outcome: Absence of seizures

Prolongs action potential duration and effective refractory period, thus decreasing myocardial excitability; anticholinergic properties Therapeutic outcome: Treatment of dysrhythmias

Suppresses immune nonsensitized Rho (D or Du)-negative patients who are exposed to Rho (D or Du)-positive blood Therapeutic outcome: Absence of Rh factor and transfusion error

Inhibits DNA-dependent polymerase, decreases tubercle bacilli replication Therapeutic outcome: Bactericidal against the following organisms: mycobacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, Legionella pneumophila

A thrombopoietin-like fusion protein produced by DNA recombinant technology Therapeutic outcome: Increase in platelet counts, absence of bleeding

Improves insulin resistance by hepatic glucose metabolism, insulin receptor kinase activity, insulin receptor phosphorylation Therapeutic outcome: Decreased symptoms of diabetes mellitus

(Not given) Therapeutic outcome: (Not given)

Disperses, prevents gas pockets in GI system; lowers surface tension of gas bubbles Therapeutic outcome: Belching or flatus

Increases weight by building body tissue; increases potassium, phosphorus, chloride, nitrogen levels; increases bone development; responsible for maintenance of secondary sex characteristics (male) Therapeutic outcome: Increased hormone levels in eunuchoidism, decreased tumor growth in female breast cancer, onset of male puberty

Relaxes smooth muscle of respiratory system by blocking phosphodiesterase, which increases cyclic AMP, exact action unknown Therapeutic outcome: Ability to breathe without difficulty

Needed for pyruvate metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism Therapeutic outcome: Prevention and treatment of thiamine deficiency

Interferes with cell wall replication of susceptible organisms; osmotically unstable cell wall swells, bursts from osmotic pressure; clavulanate inhibits b-lactamase and protects against enzymatic degradation of ticarcillin Therapeutic outcome: Resolution of infection

Inhibits protein synthesis and phosphorylation in microorganisms; bacteriostatic, structurally similar to the tetracyclines Therapeutic outcome: Resolution of infection

Inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis, blocks glycopeptides Therapeutic outcome: Bactericidal for the following organisms: staphylococci, streptococci, Corynebacterium, Clostridium

May inhibit reuptake and metabolism of GABA, may increase seizure threshold; structurally similar to GABA Therapeutic outcome: Prevention of seizure activity