Disopyramide Phosphate and Nulojix

• Generic Name: disopyramide
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Norpace, Norpace CR

Precise role in antiarrhythmic therapy has not been established. Some experts recommend that disopyramide be reserved for use as an alternative drug when lidocaine, quinidine, or procainamide is ineffective or adverse effects of these drugs are intolerable.

Limited information is available on combination therapy with other antiarrhythmic drugs such as lidocaine, quinidine, or procainamide to treat or prevent serious, refractory arrhythmias.

Suppression and prevention of recurrent life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (e.g., sustained VT). (See Boxed Warning.)

Because of disopyramide’s arrhythmogenic potential and lack of evidence for improved survival for class I antiarrhythmic agents, use for less severe arrhythmias is not recommended.

Avoid treatment of asymptomatic VPCs.

Has been used to convert atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and paroxysmal atrial tachycardia to normal sinus rhythm. However, other antiarrhythmic drugs (e.g., dofetilide, flecainide, ibutilide, propafenone, amiodarone) are preferred.

• Generic Name: belatacept
• Dosage Forms: injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution
• Other Brand Names: Nulojix

Nulojix (belatacept) weakens your body's immune system, to help keep it from "rejecting" a transplanted organ such as a kidney. Organ rejection happens when the immune system treats the new organ as an invader and attacks it.

Nulojix is used with other medicines to prevent organ rejection after a kidney transplant.

Nulojix is given only to people who have been exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus (your doctor will test your blood to confirm this).