Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Combination drug

A combination drug is a preparation of multiple pharmaceuticals or active ingredients in a single dosage form, the most common type of which is the fixed-dose combination drug, a mass-produced and mass-marketed item of standardized and uniform active ingredients and chemical bonds at predetermined, unchanging, exactified doses. A polypill is a pill containing four or more active ingredients[1][2] frequently needing to be compounded in order to satisfy an individual's specific and individualized treatment needs, per the patient's medical prescription. Compounded preparations most often consist of approved prescriptions or over the counter drugs, but if indicated, may also include nutritional supplements, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, hormones, etc.)[3]

Concept and History

History

Fixed-dose combination drugs were initially developed to target a single disease, as with antiretroviral FDCs indicated for treating AIDS and HIV.[4]

Concept

The concept of combination drugs has come to include reducing pill burden for patients, thereby encouraging patient compliance, and generally simplifying treatment plan with one product containing easily accessible (often available over the counter without a prescription requirement), relatively affordable (often generic drugs) ingredients with established therapeutic efficacy and a broad capacity for treating a variety of symptoms and conditions, thus ensuring maximum appeal to a majority of patients amongst a large population with varying needs.

Common combination drugs

Examples of over the counter, inexpensive combination drugs capable of treating plural symptoms are those containing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (abbreviated NSAID), a chemical class including aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, among others). NSAIDs are indicated for treating a range of symptoms, including neck and shoulder pain, back pain, joint or arthritic pain likely stemming from inflammation and swelling, as well as in the relief of tension, cluster, or migraine headaches. Among NSAIDs, aspirin is particularly cardioprotective, with decades of efficacy as an anticoagulant and blood thinner associated with decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, heart attack, or stroke.[5]

A patient at risk for cardiovascular disease and simultaneously experiencing widespread or localized aches and pain, inflammation or swelling of joints, and/or headache may find a fixed-dose combination drug such as Anacin (each tablet contains 400mg aspirin and 32mg caffeine), may be an ideal treatment option for their symptomology. It is noteworthy that caffeine, in its own right, has demonstrated ability to relieve headaches.[6] Excedrin is marketed specifically for tension headaches, and includes acetaminophen in addition to aspirin and caffeine. Acetaminophen is not an anti-inflammatory and is inconsistent in terms of effectively relieving pain; is has historically been known and used for its antipyretic (fever reducing) properties, although it does appear to possess drug synergy when used alongside an anti-inflammatory/NSAID and caffeine, thus potentiating the analgesic effects of each other. Ultimately, both products are available for sale over the counter at multiple locations at a relatively inexpensive price point able to treat multiple symptoms with two or three appropriate ingredients at proper doses in one dosage form.

Current prescription combination drugs

The combination drugs listed below are typically available by prescription only, but specific circumstances regarding a given combination's legal accessibility, or any specific regulation pertinent to ingredient quality, quantities, production standards, sourcing, etc. will vary by jurisdictions:

Indications: ADHD, obesity, narcolepsy, fatigue, lethargy

Indications: cold, flu, GI distress, severe cough, COVID-19

Indication: Vision Treatment and Opthalmology

Indication: antibiotic treatment

Indication: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart disease, stroke

Psychiatric Indications: anxiety disorders, depression, Bipolar I and II, Schizophrenia

Indications: analgesia, chronic, severe pain

Opioid as the primary therapeutic component

Non-opioids as the primary therapeutic analgesic

Over-the-counter combination drugs

Fixed-dose combination drugs for sale over the counter internationally, including medicine indicated for various purposes:

Indications: GI upset, GERD, nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, heartburn

treating motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting, and well as allergy symptoms, including:

Indications: insomnia and/or concurrent aches and pain

Indications: cough, cold, congestion, flu, allergy

The following medications consist of a variety of active ingredients indicated for cough (cough suppressants), congestion (expectorants and nasal decongestant, antihistamines, and/or an antipyretic (fever-reducing agent). In the United States, any of the products listed below containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine are not prescription drugs, but they are stored behind the pharmacy counter, and requires additional steps to complete purchase of these products per U.S. federal law, the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005:[13]

Combinations drugs for veterinary use

Limitations of currently-available combinations

The limitations of combination formulations currently available for treating a widely-inclusive collection of symptoms such as Tourette's is highlighted by there not being a polypill or any combination formula period approved for treating the condition. Medication available, and sometimes used in the context of polypharmacy involves various individual medicines for treating tics and/or generalized anxiety or social anxiety disorder and/or obsessive-compulsive anxieties with use of individual benzodiazepines or SSRIs for the former two conditions, and fluvoxamine or clomipramine first-line treatments for OCD and related disorders, such as hoarding or compulsive decluttering. But, where Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, depression, or insomnia become a primary concern to the patient, it is only through polypharmacy (in this case, adding another antidepressant or a "booster, alongside a hypnotic soporific agent, and/or psychostimulants to both treat ADHD and counteract the sleep inertia, grogginess or hangover caused by the other evening medications).

Tourette syndrome is a neurological tic disorder whose only FDA-approved treatment is the neuroleptic pimozide, a drug only used for tics due Tourette's disorder; every other treatment is an off-label use. While Tourette's is typically identified by chronic motor and vocal tics–"semi-voluntary" movements and noises made in response to a "premonitory urge," an internal buildup of compulsive tension that can only be temporarily upon performing/making the motion/sound demanded by compulsion. Tourette's, however, is an all-encompassing umbrella term that includes not just chronic physical and phonic tics, but also presents with such comorbid symptoms as anxiety (often OCD, social anxiety, schizoid personality, avoidant personality disorder, or generalized anxiety), ADHD, insomnia, depression, and traits of high-functioning autism formerly called Asperger syndrome.

Formerly available, discontinued combination drugs

Central nervous system stimulants or sympathomimetics and central nervous system depressants

Central nervous system stimulants

Central nervous system stimulants and first generation antihistamines

Central nervous system stimulant and typical antipsychotics

Central nervous system depressants

Central nervous system depressants and first generation antihistamines

Other formulations

Medical use and justification of discontinued combination drugs

Most of the combination drugs which have been discontinued since the twentieth century were simultaneously indicated and utilized for treatment of various conditions, with medical use justified as part of a multifaceted, comprehensive approach to patient health care and medical treatment. Central nervous system stimulants (colloquially called "uppers") were used as appetite suppressants, antidepressants, and wakefulness-promoting agents, and further effects include increased mental alertness and concentration/focus, as well as physical energy and motivation. The addition of a central nervous system depressant mitigated the stimulant's adverse effects without eliminating therapeutic benefits. In most cases, the "upper" component of these combination drugs was a salt, or mixed salts, of racemic amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, or methamphetamine, while the "downer" was typically one or more barbiturates (most commonly amobarbital, phenobarbital, pentobarbital, and/or secobarbital) or similar GABAergic, non-barbiturate tranquilizers or sedatives, frequently meprobamate or methaqualone, respectively, which provided anxiolytic, muscle relaxant, and hypnotic effects. Upper and downer combination drugs were often capable of substituting for Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) in patients with treatment-resistant depression where MAOIs are indicated, but where MAOI-related dietary restrictions would impact patient's life.

Advantages and disadvantages

There are advantages and disadvantages of combination drug therapy, including using fixed-dose combination drugs and/or polypills, as opposed to partaking in polypharmacy and increasing one's pill burden by keeping track of an organized schedule or any FDCD with 2, 3, or 4 active ingredients, relative to the concept of polypharmacy. Overall, giving patients the ability to take control and alleviate symptoms, and potentially treat or cure multiple conditions by consuming all of their medical treatments efficacious treatment options by the ingestion of a single pill, which consistently improves patient medication compliance by reducing their pill burden. The American Association of Orthodontists asserts that fixed-dose combinations "limit clinicians' ability to customize dosing regimens."[32] AAO states their organizational position is that custom-compounded fixed-dose combination drugs, as well as compounded polypills are superior to mass-marketed, mass-manufactured, one size fits all style treatment. Scientists formulating combination drugs face challenges in the development stages of multi-drug formulations such as compatibility issues among active ingredients and excipients affecting solubility and dissolution[33] For prescribers, if one constituent of the combination is contraindicated for a patient, the product cannot be prescribed.[34][35]

Illicit streets as de facto drug combinations

Illicit stimulants

Illicit combination drugs are often formulated as a powder, paste, or counterfeit "pressed" pills intended to resemble their pharmaceutical-grade counterparts. Since 2018, ABC News of Houston reports that product described as "powder cocaine" originating from a clandestine laboratory are increasingly analyzed and found to contain other stimulants, in order to mimic cocaine's effects in a cost-effective, deceptive manner; many of the batches analyzed did not contain any cocaine or coca alkaloids whatsoever; instead, they were blends of various designer drugs, research chemicals, methamphetamine, and/or various amphetamines, derivatives, analogues; MDMA, caffeine powder, ephedrine or pseudoephedrine; levamisole, a flesh-eating veterinary antibiotic[36]

Illicit depressants and opiates

Due to the crackdown of pill mills between 2007-2012, the opioid epidemic now includes preparations declared to be "heroin" or "pressed" replica pills of hydrocodone (sold Norco or LorTab); oxycodone (sold as Percocet), yet are rarely pure in their ingredient compositions. Cutting agents have grown in proportion to the overall composition of these products, such that "heroin" has been cut and mixed with central nervous system depressants including major tranquilizers such as quetiapine; muscle relaxants like carisoprodol or cyclobenzaprine; first-generation antihistamines like diphenhydramine or hydroxyzine); and benzodiazepine derivative and analogue research chemicals, including gidazepam, pinazepam, clobromazolam, etizolam). Since 2020, there has been a noticeable rise amongst active ingredients in opioid combinations containing fentanyl (more potent than heroin), and increasingly, carfentanil (an elephant and rhinoceros tranquilizer more potent than fentanyl).

Since 2023, worldwide samples of illicit combinations featuring opioids have contained the most lethal known substance to date: those belong to the nitazene chemical class.[37] have been found in these opioid samples– all of which mimic the muscle relaxant, anxiolytic, and analgesic properties of pharmaceutical-grade opioid medications. U.S. Attorney General has indicated interested in federally regulating the relative mild veterinary sedative xylazine, which is currently available by prescription only, as a federally-controlled Schedule III controlled substance per the Controlled Substances Act,[38] a direct response to its implication in overdose deaths featured in products alongside fentanyl and other power central nervous system depressants; xylazine is currently a controlled substance at the state level in Michigan and New York.[39]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Bontril Timed is distinct from, and unrelated to, Bontril and Bontril PDM–common brand names of phendimetrazine.

References

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  3. ^ https://thecompounder.com/amino-acids-minerals-nutrients-vitamins/
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  21. ^ https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Dextroamphetamine-tannateBig text Tanphetamin brand of dexamfetamine tannate
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  34. ^ Kennedy Seele, 2020 November 12
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