What is Eylea (aflibercept) and how is it used? Eylea is a prescription medication for retinal diseases, which is administered by injection into the eye. Eylea is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: Neovascular (Wet) Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Macular Edema Following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO) Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) What...
Digestive Enzymes Side Effects, Dosage, Benefits & Interactions
What are oral digestive enzymes? Oral digestive enzymes are complex proteins naturally produced by the body to help digest and breakdown the foods we eat. The pancreas is the organ responsible for making and secreting digestive enzymes. Oral digestive enzymes are used when the pancreas is unable to produce enough digestive enzymes. The main digestive enzymes are: Proteases for digesting...
Fentora (fentanyl): Cancer Pain Medication Side Effects, Warnings
Generic drug: fentanyl citrate Brand name: Fentora What is Fentora (fentanyl citrate), and how does it work? Fentora (fentanyl citrate) is a strong prescription pain medicine that contains an opioid (narcotic) that is used to manage breakthrough pain in adults with cancer who are already routinely taking other opioid pain medicines around-the-clock for cancer pain. Fentora is started only after...
felodipine (Plendil) Side Effects, Dosage & Interactions
What is felodipine, and how does it work? Felodipine is an oral calcium channel blocker (CCB) of the dihydropyridine (DHP) class. Other calcium channel blockers in the DHP class include: nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat) amlodipine (Norvasc) nisoldipine (Sular) nicardipine (Cardene) isradipine (Dynacirc) Calcium is necessary for muscle cells to contract. Felodipine prevents calcium from being released within the muscle cells of...
iron dextran (Dexferrum, INFeD): Anemia Iron Supplement Side Effects
What is iron dextran, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Iron dextran is an injectable form of iron used to treat iron-deficiency anemia, a condition in which the blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells because of a deficiency of available iron. It is only used to treat patients who cannot be adequately treated with oral iron...
Dilaudid vs. Morphine: The Differences Between Opioid Painkillers
Dilaudid vs. morphine Dilaudid (hydromorphone hydrochloride) and morphine are both opioid narcotic pain relievers. Both Dilaudid and morphine are available as generic drugs. Dilaudid is a brand name for hydromorphone. Brand names of morphine include Astramorph, Duramorph, Infumorph, and Avinza. Side effects of both Dilaudid and morphine are similar and include nausea, vomiting, constipation, itching, drowsiness, and dizziness. Dialudid may...
Etanercept (Enbrel) Uses, Side Effects & Dosage
What is etanercept? What is etanercept used for? Etanercept is an injectable drug that is used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis. It works by blocking tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). Other drugs that block TNF alpha include adalimumab (Humira), certolizumab (Cimzia), golimumab (Simponi), and infliximab (Remicade). TNF alpha is a protein that the...
Doxycycline vs. Bactrim
Doxycycline vs. Bactrim: What’s the difference? Doxycycline and Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) are antibiotics used to treat many different types of bacterial infections. Brand names for doxycycline include Vibramycin, Oracea, Adoxa, Atridox, Acticlate, Acticlate Cap, Doryx, Doxteric, Doxy, and Monodox. Doxycycline and Bactrim are different types of antibiotics. Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic and Bactrim contains an anti-bacterial sulfonamide (a...
docetaxel, Taxotere, Docefrez: Drug Facts, Side Effects and Dosing
What is docetaxel, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Docetaxel is a drug that is used primarily for treating breast cancer. Docetaxel works by attacking cancer cells. Every cell in the body contains a supporting structure (almost like a skeleton) called the microtubular network. If this "skeleton" is changed or damaged, the cell can't grow or reproduce. Docetaxel...
Gallium Ga 68 PSMA-11 for Prostate Cancer: Drug Warnings
Generic drug: Gallium Ga 68 PSMA-11 Brand name: Gallium Ga 68 PSMA-11 What is Gallium Ga 68 PSMA-11 Injection, and how does it work? Gallium Ga 68 PSMA-11 Injection is a radioactive diagnostic agent indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positive lesions in men with prostate cancer with suspected metastasis who are candidates for initial...