Managed Care Calendar
- AAPM 2010 Clinical Meeting
Poll
Product Spotlight
Xifaxan (rifaximin)
Xifaxan (rifaximin) is a rifamycin antibiotic that is gut selective with negligible systemic absorption and broad-spectrum activity in vitro against both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. The drug is minimally absorbed and concentrates in the gastrointestinal tract.
Actemra (tocilizumab)
Actemra (tocilizumab) is an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitor used to treat adults with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not adequately responded to or cannot tolerate other approved drug classes for RA. The drug is a humanized monoclonal antibody that works by blocking the action of IL-6, an immune system protein that is overabundant in people with RA.
Tocilizumab is approved for once-a-month intravenous (IV) administration in physicians’ offices, hospitals, and infusion centers, and may be used alone or in combination with methotrexate or other disease-mo
Product Spotlight - Ampyra
Ampyra (dalfampridine) is a potassium channel blocker taken orally as a treatment to improve walking in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Ampyra, previously referred to as Fampridine-SR, is provided in an extended-release tablet formulation of dalfampridine, which was previously called fampridine. The name was changed to dalfampridine to avoid confusion with other FDA-approved products.
The efficacy of dalfampridine for this indication was demonstrated by an increase in walking speed. The product was granted orphan drug status, providing
Product Spotlight: Victoza
Product Spotlight
Victoza
(liraglutide)
Liraglutide (Victoza) is a once-daily injection that treats type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adults. The product is in a class of medicines known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists that help the pancreas release more insulin after patients eat a meal. Liraglutide stimulates the release of insulin from the pancreatic beta cells only when blood sugar levels are high.
Along with diet, exercise, and selected other diabetes medicines in adults with T
Product Spotlight - Saphris
Saphris
(asenapine)
Saphris (asenapine) is an atypical antipsychotic indicated for acute treatment of schizophrenia in adults and acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults. Asenapine is administered via 5-mg or 10-mg sublingual tablets that are placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve completely. For schizophrenia, the recommended starting dose of asenapine is 5 mg twice daily. For bipolar disorder the recommended starting dose is 10 mg twice daily, and the dose can be decreased to 5 mg twice daily if pati
REQUIP XL is an oral dopamine agonist medication for Parkinson’s disease and had demonstrated significant improvement in the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
The Role of Immune Function in the Changing Landscape of RRMS Therapies
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is an important
managed care health concern because it is one of the most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in the United
States. GERD affects nearly 18.6 million Americans, according to a national healthcare database analysis.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive
and disabling neurologic disorder. The disease is the most prevalent type of parkinsonism, a clinical syndrome caused by lesions in the basal ganglia, predominantly in the substantia nigra, which produces deficits in motor behavior.
