Monday, July 08, 2013

OLMESARTAN INDUCED SPRUE-LIKE ENTEROPATHY

I must beginning by saying sorry for not posting new articles for the last 2 weeks. It has been a busy June and early July. So many things are happening.

Anyway, it is time to get back to work

Daiichi Sankyu who holds the patency for olmesartan, ans informed US FDA, that they wish to amend the labelling of olmesartan in USA. They would like to inform US FDA that they have seen an adverse reaction to olmesartan. FDA has also made the same observation and has approved the change in labelling.

The FDA Adverse Events Reporting system, FAERS, has taken note of the article by Dr Joseph Murray in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings last year, when he reported on 22 patients who developed severe diarrhea and weight lost up to 18Kgs, while they were on Olmesartan for control of HBP. When olmesartan was with held, the diarrhea and weight lost ceased. 10 of the patients were re=challenge with olmesartn and the dairrhea and recurred.

It seems obvious that the sprue-like enteropathy is olmesartan induced and that this may be specific to olmesartan, as we have not seen reports of the same sprue-like enteropathy with the other ARBs. However, we should remain vigilant.

2 comments:

Winston said...

Please allow me to digress.
I read an article in the
http://pmpaskl.org/2013/05/have-we-been-conned-about-cholesterol/
about cholesterol and that statins doesn't help at all.
The title is stated below:

Have we been conned about cholesterol?
Published May 20, 2013 | By secretary

Seems that statins only make the liver lower its production of cholesterol.
It doesn't do anything to the plaque already in the arteries.
Also, consuming saturated fats seemed to be okay to the author of the article!
Isn't it the saturated fats in our food that is contributing to the plaque?
And since statins doesn't help in clearing out the plaque, sooner or later, those affected will end up with heart problems!!!
Statins or no statins!!!

hmatter said...

Hi Winston,
Statin may not regress the plaques, but it sure does stabilise them so that they are less likely to rupture.
This issue of not consuming saturated fats is correct, but they are no longer the number 1 enemy. Looks like transfat has taken over that position.
As with everything in life, moderation seems the answer.
The fashion for this decade is transfat. For the 90s, it is saturated fats.