Alertness, drug uses

We have things that help us to remain alert. Caffeine in coffee and in tablet form prevents dozing and sleep, as do some prescription drugs. Unexpected stimuli, including noise and even pain, can help, and sometimes aerobic exercise. A useful distinction here is between staying awake and enhancing awareness. 

We have also undertaken an evaluation of this and other datasets using a simple descriptor analysis as well as readily available substructure alerts or filters (15-17). The GSK, St Jude, and Novartis datasets also have very high failure rates with the Abbott Alerts (18, 19) (75-85%) and Pfizer Lint filters (40-57%) (Fig. 4). A set of 14 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved... 

US Food and Drug Administration. 2003 Safety alert RISPERDAL (risperidone). http //www.fda. gov./med-watch/S AFETY/2003/risperdal.htm... 

In 1976, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a Gamma Benzene Hexachloride (Kwell) Alert, based in part on several poorly documented cases of convulsions after topical treatment with lindane (6). Indeed, several authors have reported convulsions (7-9), but in most cases lindane had been inappropriately used (4,7), while another case took place in unusual therapeutic circumstances (prematurity, marasmus, pneumonia, congestive heart failure, ventricular septal defect) (8). A child with convulsions after the application of lindane had tuberous sclerosis and may therefore have had a reduced threshold for convulsions (9). 

Indometacin has been found to increase the AUC of penicillamine by 26% and the peak plasma levels by about 22%. The UK manufacturer notes that use of NSAIDs may increase the risk of renal damage with penicillamine. The US manufacturer specifically recommends avoiding oxy-phenbutazone or phenylbutazone because these drugs are also associated with serious haematological and renal effects. Urinalysis for detection of haematuria or proteinuria should be regularly carried out in patients taking penicillamine. Be alert for evidence of toxicity if NSAIDs and penicillamine are used together. 

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