Amlodipine and acetazolamide, commonly used drugs for heart and glaucoma-related diseases respectively, have been known to cause adverse effects to the body due to which, the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission (IPC) issued a drug safety alert on June 28th.
The monthly drug safety alert released on June 28th by the IPC has advised the patients to closely monitor the side effects caused by these drugs
What are these drugs used for?
According to the drug safety alert, Amlodipine is a drug used for the treatment of a variety of heart diseases like fatal coronary heart disease, stroke, and non-fatal myocardial infarction. It also helps to reduce the need for coronary revascularization treatments and hospitalization of patients due to angina. But this very drug causes an inflammatory reaction in the skin called lichenoid keratosis according to the IPC.
Symptoms to look out for in lichenoid keratosis: small, pink, or reddish-brown lesions on the forearms, chest of middle-aged women, or other areas that are exposed to the sun.
On the other hand, acetazolamide is a diuretic that helps to produce more urine and remove the excess salt and water in the body. It aids in the reduction of swelling caused by heart disease. It is also known to treat glaucoma, acute mountain sickness, epilepsy, and other ailments and has been discovered to cause adverse side effects like choroidal effusion or detachment.
Choroidal effusion causes the detachment of the choroid from the sclera because of fluid accumulation in the suprachoroidal space mainly because of an increase in the intraocular pressure.
While amlodipine can be consumed along with other medication, It is advised not to take acetazolamide along with certain drugs such as methazolamide, aspirin or aspirin-like medicines, methenamine, other diuretics etc.
Healthcare Professionals, Patients/Consumers are advised to closely monitor the possibility of the above ADRs associated with the use of the above suspected drugs. If, such reactions are encountered, please report to the NCC-PvPI, IPC by filling of the Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions Reporting Form/Medicines Side Effect Reporting Form for Consumer (http://www.ipc.gov.in) through PvPI Helpline No. 1800-180-3024.”Drug Safety Alert of June 28th, 2024, IPC
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Gayatri Prakasan/MSM)