Epoprostenol Sodium and Tripedia

• Generic Name: epoprostenol
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Flolan, Veletri

Management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH; WHO group 1) to improve exercise capacity; efficacy established principally in patients with NYHA/WHO functional class III or IV PAH (idiopathic, heritable, or associated with connective tissue diseases). Has been designated an orphan drug by FDA for treatment of PAH.

Recommended as one of several treatment options for initial management of PAH in patients with NYHA/WHO functional class III or IV symptoms who are not candidates for calcium-channel blocker therapy or in whom such therapy failed. Generally considered treatment of choice for patients with NYHA/WHO class IV PAH because of demonstrated benefit on survival.

Individualize choice of PAH therapy; consider factors such as disease severity, route of administration, potential adverse effects and costs of treatment, clinician experience, and patient preference.

In patients with inadequate response to initial monotherapy, may consider combination therapy with an endothelin-receptor antagonist, phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 5 inhibitor, or soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator (added sequentially). Such combination therapy may provide additive and/or synergistic benefits by targeting different pathophysiologic pathways of disease.

Safety and efficacy not systematically evaluated in patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with diseases other than scleroderma.

• Generic Name: diphtheria and tetanus toxoids / pertussis, acellular
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Daptacel, Infanrix, Infanrix Preservative Free

Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine (also known as DTaP) is a combination immunizing agent given by injection to protect against infections caused by diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw), and pertussis (whooping cough). This vaccine is given only to children 6 weeks through 6 years of age (before the child's 7th birthday).

Diphtheria is a serious illness that can cause breathing difficulties, heart problems, nerve damage, pneumonia, and possibly death. The risk of serious complications and death is greater in very young children and in the elderly.

Tetanus (also known as lockjaw) is a serious illness that causes convulsions (seizures) and severe muscle spasms that can be strong enough to cause bone fractures of the spine. Tetanus causes death in 30 to 40 percent of cases.

Pertussis (also known as whooping cough) is a serious disease that causes severe spells of coughing that can interfere with breathing. Pertussis also can cause pneumonia, long-lasting bronchitis, seizures, brain damage, and death.

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis are serious diseases that can cause life-threatening illnesses. Although some serious side effects can occur after a dose of DTaP (usually from the pertussis vaccine part), this rarely happens. The chance of your child catching one of these diseases, and being permanently injured or dying as a result, is much greater than the chance of your child getting a serious side effect from the DTaP vaccine.

This vaccine is to be administered only by or under the supervision of your child's doctor or other health care professional.