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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Medical News: FDA Warns of MI, PAD Risk With Varenicline - in Primary Care, Smoking & Tobacco from MedPage Today

Medical News: FDA Warns of MI, PAD Risk With Chantix - in Primary Care, Smoking & Tobacco from MedPage Today

WASHINGTON -- The FDA warned today that smokers with a history of heart attack or stroke who use the smoking cessation drug varenicline (Chantix; Champix in Canada) may increase their risk of a second heart attack or new onset peripheral vascular disease.

The agency said an additional warning will be added to the drug's label and prescribing information describing a small, but measurable increase in the risk of cardiovascular events including nonfatal myocardial infarction, angina, and need for coronary revascularization.

Additionally, the label will warn that use of varenicline may increase the risk for a "new diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease or admission for a procedure for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease" among persons with a history of cardiovascular disease.

In its announcement, the FDA noted that smoking significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular events, so it advised physicians and patients to weigh the known benefits of varenicline treatment "against its potential risks when deciding to use the drug in smokers with cardiovascular disease."

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Pharmacy History

"The earliest known compilation of medicinal substances was ARIANA the Sushruta Samhita, an Indian Ayurvedic treatise attributed to Sushruta in the 6th century BC. However, the earliest text as preserved dates to the 3rd or 4th century AD.
Many Sumerian (late 6th millennium BC - early 2nd millennium BC) cuneiform clay tablets record prescriptions for medicine.[3]

Ancient Egyptian pharmacological knowledge was recorded in various papyri such as the Ebers Papyrus of 1550 BC, and the Edwin Smith Papyrus of the 16th century BC.

The earliest known Chinese manual on materia medica is the Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Herb-Root Classic), dating back to the 1st century AD. It was compiled during the Han dynasty and was attributed to the mythical Shennong. Earlier literature included lists of prescriptions for specific ailments, exemplified by a manuscript "Recipes for 52 Ailments", found in the Mawangdui tomb, sealed in 168 BC. Further details on Chinese pharmacy can be found in the Pharmacy in China article."

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacy#History_of_pharmacy

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