Bisoprolol Fumarate

Tablets, bisoprolol fumarate 5 mg, 28-tab pack; 10 mg, 28-tab pack.

Bisoprolol is a beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug (beta-blockers) that is used for hypertension or angina. Many beta-blockers are now available and in general they are all equally effective. There are, however, differences between them which may affect choice in treating particular diseases or individual patients.

Carvedilol

Tablets, carvedilol 3.125 mg, 28-tab pack; 6.25 mg, 28-tab pack; 12.5 mg, 28-tab pack; 25 mg, 28-tab pack.

Carvedilol is a beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug (beta-blockers) that is used for hypertension, angina or as an adjunct to diuretics, digoxin, or ACE inhibitors in symptomatic chronic heart failure. Many beta-blockers are now available and in general they are all equally effective. There are, however, differences between them which may affect choice in treating particular diseases or individual patients.

Cetirizine

Tablets, cetirizine hydrochloride 10 mg 30-tab pack.

Cetirizine is an antihistamine that is used for the symptomatic relief of allergy such as hay fever or urticaria. All antihistamines are of potential value in the treatment of nasal allergies, particularly seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever), and they may be of some value in vasomotor rhinitis. They reduce rhinorrhoea and sneezing but are usually less effective for nasal congestion. Oral antihistamines are also of some value in preventing urticaria and are used to treat urticarial rashes, pruritus, and insect bites and stings; they are also used in drug allergies.

Antihistamines differ in their duration of action and incidence of drowsiness and antimuscarinic effects. Non-sedating antihistamines such as cetirizine cause less sedation and psychomotor impairment than the older antihistamines because they penetrate the blood brain barrier only to a slight extent.

Cidomycin (Gentamicin)

Gentamicin Sulphate is the active ingredient in Cidomycin Adult Injectable and Gentamicin Paediatric and Intrathecal Injections, and belongs to a group of antibiotics known as “aminoglycosides”.

Cidomycin Adult Injectable and Gentamicin Paediatric Injection are used to treat bacterial infections including those of the urinary tract (e.g. kidneys or bladder), chest (e.g. lungs) and blood (e.g. bacteraemia or septicaemia).

Gentamicin Intrathecal Injection is used to treat bacterial infections of the brain and spinal cord, including meningitis. Usually it will be given with other antibiotics also given by injection.

Ciprofloxacin

Tablets, ciprofloxacin (as hydrochloride) 250 mg, 10-tab pack, 20-tab pack; 500 mg, 10-tab pack, 20-tab pack; 750 mg, 10-tab pack.

Ciprofloxacin is an antiinfective agent active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It is particularly active against Gram-negative bacteria, but has  only moderate activity against Gram-positive bacteria. It is active against chlamydia and some mycobacteria. Most anaerobic organisms are not susceptible. Uses for ciprofloxacin include infections of the respiratory tract (but not for pneumococcal pneumonia) and of the urinary tract, and of the gastro-intestinal system (including typhoid fever), and gonorrhoea and septicaemia caused by sensitive organisms.

Citalopram

Tablets, citalopram (as hydrobromide) 10 mg, 28-tab pack; 20 mg, 28-tab pack; 40 mg, 28-tab pack.

Citalopram selectively inhibits the re-uptake of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and is known as a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is used for depressive illness or panic disorder.

Cortisone Acetate

Cortisone is a steroid hormone released by the adrenal glands which plays a complex role in regulating body functions.

Cortisone Acetate 25mg tablets are used to replace this hormone if you suffer from Addison’s disease, have had your adrenal glands removed by surgery, or if they are damaged.

Daunorubicin

Daunorubicin is used in the treatment of acute leukaemia. This is a disease of the special cells in your body which produce the various components of your blood. Common signs and symptoms of leukaemia include increased counts of white cells in the blood, anaemia, easy bruising and nose bleeds, exhaustion, bone and joint pain, headaches severe infection and fever. Daunorubicin attacks and destroys the diseased cells.

Famotidine

Tablets, famotidine 20 mg, 28-tab pack; 40 mg, 28-tab pack

Famotidine is one of a group of products known as H2-receptor antagonists which heal gastric and duodenal ulcers by reducing gastric acid output as a result of histamine H2-receptor blockade; they can also be expected to relieve gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

Fluoxetine

Capsules, fluoxetine (as hydrochloride) 20 mg, 30-cap pack; 60 mg, 30-cap pack.

Fluoxitine selectively inhibits the re-uptake of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and is known as a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is used for depressive illness or panic disorder.

Gemeprost

Gemeprost Pessaries are normally given to women in the following situations:

1. To make the operation to terminate a pregnancy in the first three months easier.
2. To medically terminate a pregnancy.
3. To medically terminate a pregnancy, if the foetus (unborn baby) has already died.

Indapamide

Tablets, s/c, indapamide 2.5 mg, 30-tab pack, 56-tab pack.

Indapamide is a thiazide which is a  moderately potent diuretic which can inhibit sodium reabsorption at the beginning of the distal convoluted tubule of the kidney.

Indapamide is claimed to lower blood pressure with less metabolic disturbance, particularly less aggravation of diabetes mellitus.

Lansoprazole

Capsules, enclosing e/c granules, lansoprazole 15 mg, 28-cap pack; 30 mg, 28-cap pack.

The proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole inhibits gastric acid in the stomach and is an effective short-term treatment for gastric and duodenal ulcers and in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease; it is also used in combination with antibacterials for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. Proton pump inhibitors are also used in the prevention and treatment of NSAID-associated ulcers.

Mucodyne (Carbocisteine)

Carbocisteine is a mucolytic agent used to help treat respiratory tract disorders characterised by excessive, viscous mucus, including chronic obstructive airways disease. A mucolytic agent causes mucus to be less sticky and easier to cough up.

After many years of low usage of Mucodyne and other mucolytics Beacon Pharmaceuticals re-established the value of this group of products.  Beacon presented new evidence to the Department of Health demonstrating the efficacy of Mucodyne which enabled prescriptions to be reimbursed. 

Beacon then provided evidence to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) which resulted in a clear recommendation for the use of mucolytics in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).  Mucodyne is now bringing benefits to this group of patients.

Nivaquine (Chloroquine)

Nivaquine is a preparation of chloroquine sulphate and is used for the prevention of malaria. Malaria is spread by mosquitoes. Some mosquitoes carry the malaria parasites and can infect you with them if they bite you. Chloroquine sulphate accumulates in infected blood cells and interferes with essential processes within the malaria parasite.

Nizatidine

Capsules, nizatidine 150 mg, 30-cap pack; 300 mg, 30-cap pack.

Nizatidine is one of a group of products known as H2-receptor antagonists which heal gastric and duodenal ulcers by reducing gastric acid output as a result of histamine H2-receptor blockade; they can also be expected to relieve gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

Prednisolone

Prednisolone is a glucocorticoid. It is chemically related to hydrocortisone, an adrenal steroid which plays a complex role in regulating body functions.
 
Prednisolone 25mg Tablets can be used in many different conditions such as anaemia; leukaemia; certain skin and kidney problems; ulcerative colitis; stomach problems; and diseases of the connective tissue collagen, such as rheumatic fever and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Ramipril

Capsules, ramipril 2.5 mg, 28-cap pack; 5 mg, 28-cap pack; 10 mg, 28-cap pack.

Ramipril is one of a group of products known as Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) which inhibit the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. It is used for mild to moderate hypertension or congestive heart failure. It is also used following myocardial infarction in patients with clinical evidence of heart failure and in susceptible patients over 55 years for prevention of myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death or need of revascularisation procedures.

Selegiline

Tablets, selegiline hydrochloride 5 mg 60-tab pack; 10 mg, 30-tab pack

Selegiline is a monoamine-oxidase-B inhibitor which can be used in conjunction with other medicines to reduce ‘end-of-dose’ deterioration in advanced Parkinson’s disease.  Drug therapy does not prevent disease progression, but it improves most patients' quality of life.

Sertraline

Tablets, f/c, sertraline (as hydrochloride) 50 mg, 28-tab pack; 100 mg, 28-tab pack.

Sertraline selectively inhibits the re-uptake of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and is known as a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is used for depressive illness or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Terbinafine

Tablets, terbinafine 250 mg (as hydrochloride), 14-tab pack, 28-tab pack.

Terbinafine is often the drug of choice for fungal nail infections and is also used for ringworm infections where oral treatment is considered appropriate.

Tramadol

Capsules, tramadol hydrochloride 50 mg, 30-cap pack, 100-cap pack.

Tramadol is used for moderate to severe pain and produces analgesia by two mechanisms: an opioid effect and an enhancement of serotonergic and adrenergic pathways. It has fewer of the typical opioid side-effects (notably, less respiratory depression, less constipation and less addiction potential); psychiatric reactions have been reported.