Learn how various street drugs interact with dopamine and other neurotransmitters

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/drugs/mouse.html

Adults who do not have HIV but are at risk of getting the disease will now be able to take a drug to reduce their chance of getting infected. For the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a drug for this use on Monday.

The drug is Truvada, an antiretroviral medication made by Gilead Sciences, Inc., which was already approved by the FDA in 2004 to help control HIV infection.

Truvada is a combination of two HIV medications – emtricitabine (Emtriva) andtenofovir (Viread) – into one pill that is taken once a day.  As a treatment for HIV, it is always used in combination with other HIV drugs.

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Post by: Saundra Young – CNN Medical Senior Producer

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/16/fda-approves-truvada-for-prevention-of-hivaids/?hpt=hp_bn12

When asked what the main pharmocalogical treatment is for coagulopathies you may think of Coumadin (Warfarin). There is a new drug called Dabigatran (Pradaxa) which is being used to prevent stroke in atrial fibrillation patients.

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This drug is currently being used for preventing clots in knee and hip replacement patients, however was studied for its effects on preventing stroke in atrial fibrillation. The drug was found to be more effective without the need for close monitoring than its predecessor Warfarin.

While not on the market for cardiac patients yet, there is speculations of its release as early as September.

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This drug is more and more common for IV certified PCP’s. It has the ability to increase the thickness of bronchial secretions which makes this contraindicated for COPD patients. It may as well increase pressure in the eyes contraindicating this for glaucoma patients.

Tricyclic Antidepressants were initially synthesized with synthetic antihistimine’s which makes it apparent why an overdose of this brand of antidepressent would be contraindicated.

While this drug has antihistimine attributes, this isnt the drug of choice for a PCP to relieve a moderate allergic reaction.

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