DrugSafetyUpdate Volume 5, Issue 6, January 2012 : MHRA

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Drug Safety Update

Volume 5, Issue 6 January 2012

Latest advice for medicines users

Welcome to the latest issue of Drug Safety Update.
January 2012 (Volume 5, Issue 6)

Drug Safety Update is essential reading for all healthcare professionals, bringing you the very latest information and advice to support the safer use of medicines.

Drug safety advice

Atomoxetine (Strattera▼): increases in blood pressure and heart rate—new contraindications, warnings, and advice for monitoring
Atomoxetine causes clinically important increases in blood pressure or heart rate, or both, in a small proportion of patients. Atomoxetine should not be used in patients with severe cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disorders.
Statins: risk of hyperglycaemia and diabetes
Statin use may be associated with a level of hyperglycaemia in some patients where formal diabetes care is appropriate. The risk appears to be mainly in patients already at increased risk of developing diabetes.

Stop Press

Chlorhexidine: reminder of potential for hypersensitivity
Healthcare professionals are reminded that chlorhexidine is known to induce hypersensitivity, including generalised allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock.

Other information from the MHRA

Public consultation on new pharmacovigilance legislation: how to comment
We have launched a public consultation to seek views on the transposition into UK law of the EU Directive on pharmacovigilance