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True Breakthroughs in Medicines

Advances are being made in medicines. This section tells you about some of the best medicines that have recently been FDA approved, identifies novel treatment approaches, and gives truly new uses of existing medicines. I want to distinguish here between the "me too" products (that may simply be an existing drug with minor chemical changes) and forward-looking advances. This section can help make certain you are getting the latest treatment.

ADHERENCE (COMPLIANCE) PROGRAMS

The best medicine in the world will not do you any good at all if it stays in the bottle. I have had many consults asking me why a given medicine failed to help a particular patient, only to find out that the medicine itself was being incorrectly taken. Programs that encourage and explain exactly how much and when to take medicines help people get the best results from any medicine. The American Heart Association has some excellent brochures that can be helpful.

ALENDRONATE (FOSAMAX)

This bisphosphonate was featured in last year's "True Breakthroughs" section, and has since gained FDA approval for prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. It is always better to prevent a disease or condition than to have to treat it.

AMAP, JCAHCO AND NCQA ALLIANCE

It is one thing to say that results or outcomes must be improved in our health care system, and quite a task to actually measure what is being done. A landmark collaboration between the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, the National Committee on Quality Assurance, and the American Medical Accreditation Program will seek to make sure that measurement programs work well and are useful in helping make health care decisions.

ANTI-LEUKOTRIENE DRUGS

Zafirlukast (Accolate) is a leukotriene receptor antagonist that blocks the action of leukotrienes. It belongs to a completely new type of chemical family and may be especially useful in mild to moderate asthma where patients are aspirin sensitive. Zileuton (Zyflo) is the latest anti-leukotriene to be approved, and prevents the formation of leukotrienes.

ASPIRIN

I include aspirin once again in this section, because the indications for using this very old medicine have been broadened. It appears to prevent first heart attacks, limit damage from heart attacks that happen, have a role in preventing strokes, and may also help prevent bowel cancer. Talk to your doctor to see if regular use of aspirin makes sense for you.