Download Best Ways to Beat Cold Symptoms

Issue 2014.9
Best Ways to Beat Cold Symptoms
According to ProCare Rx’s
analytics team, the
drug inflation rates
year-to-date are as follows:
ALL DRUGS 7.61%
BRANDS
9.71%
GENERICS -1.57%
SPECIALTY 11.15%
Generic Releases
There are no new generic updates for the month
of August
Drug
Condition
Baraclude
Frova
Protopic
Hepatitis B
Headache
Immunosuppressant
Date
Aug 26
Aug 28
Sep 9
While we have done extensive research on these
dates, there is a possibility that any given date
may change based on legal issues or patent
challenges. If we become aware of any changes,
we will update this chart in the next issue.
Formulary Changes
There were no changes to the ProCare Rx
National Formulary for the month of September.
For a complete list of formulary changes, please
visit our website at http://www.procarerx.com
It’s that time again! You feel terrible. You’re coughing, you’ve got a stuffy nose, a sore
throat – the full monty. But which products are worth the money and which should you
skip? We chose the best over-the-counter drugs based on effectiveness and safety. Use
our picks below to treat a run-of-the-mill cold. But keep in mind that certain symptoms, such
as shortness of breath, chest pain, a high fever, or an illness that worsens after seven days,
warrant a trip to a health care professional. All of the products noted are name brands, but
generic versions are available at significant cost savings.
For Nasal Congestion…take Afrin (generic oxymetazoline) nasal spray…skip Sudafed
PE (generic phenylephrine) tablet.
The nasal spray wins because its active ingredients work fast to shrink swollen nasal blood
vessels, which will help you breathe easier. Sprays used short-term are also a better first
choice because they cause fewer side effects than oral decongestants – if you stick to the
recommended dose – since they’re usually not absorbed into your bloodstream in significant
amounts like oral decongestants. The active ingredient in Afrin is also in Dristan and Vicks
Sinex, which are two other good options for 12-hour congestion relief. Sprays containing
phenylephrine, such as Neo-Synephrine, also work well but last only up to 4 hours. Be sure
to limit over-the-counter nasal-spray use to no more than three days or you could end up
with rebound congestion, leaving your nose even stuffier.
If you’re still congested after three days, you can try an oral product containing
pseudoephedrine (Sudafed and generic). You’ll have to ask for it since they’re kept behind
the pharmacy counter; the less effected Sudafed PE is stocked on open store shelves. But
if you have glaucoma, heart disease, high blood pressure, an enlarged prostate, or thyroid
disease, check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any type of decongestant,
including sprays, since they might worsen the condition.
For a Runny Nose…take Chlor-Trimeton (generic chlorpheniramine…skip AlkaSeltzer Plus Cold & Cough
The single-ingredient antihistamine Chlor-Trimeton beats out the multidrug-remedy AlkaSeltzer Plus Cold & Cough. The Alka-Seltzer product has an antihistamine, too. But it also
contains a pain reliever, a cough suppressant, and a decongestant, which is overkill if you
just have the sniffles. Taking all those extra medications puts you at risk for possible side
effects. Besides, neither dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant) nor phenylephrine in pill
form (a decongestant) work very well.
The downside of using older antihistamines like Chlor-Trimeton are side effects that include
drowsiness , dry eyes and mouth, and urinary retention. Newer antihistamines, such as
Claritin (generic loratadine) and Zyrtec (generic Cetirizine), work better for allergies but not
as well for colds. Before you reach into your medicine cabinet, your best bet might be to
have a bowl of chicken soup, drink a cup of tea, and head for bed early.
For a Cough…take Luden’s throat drops, skip Robitussin (dextromethorphan) cough
syrup
Previous issues of Newsflash
can be viewed under
“Publications” at:
www.ProCareRx.com
Fits of coughing and hacking can be upsetting, but Robitussin syrup or a whole slew of other
OTC remedies than contain dextromethorphan won’t do much to stop them. You’re better
off sucking on a lozenge, such as Luden’s throat drops. They contain pectin and honey,
which coat your raw throat and soothe the tickle that often triggers a coughing fit. Even
easier: Try a spoonful of honey, which worked better than a honey-flavored cough syrup in
a published study. But don’t give honey to babies younger than 12 months old because it
could contain botulism spores, which can be dangerous to them due to their immature
immune systems.
Issue 2014.9
Page 2
The following New Drugs were recently approved by the U.S.
Food & Drug Administration and added to ProCare Rx’s
National formulary. Each drug was reviewed at the ProCare
Rx’s P&T Committee meeting on September 10, 2014.
Dose Form
Brand Name
Acticlate
(doxycycline)
Arnuity Ellipta
(fluticasone furoate)
Beleodaq
(belinostat)
Belsomra
(suvorexant)
FDA Approved
Indication
Tier
P/A Specialty
Medical
Treatment for bacterial
infections
Tier 3
Prior Auth: No
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Inhaler
Treatment to improve
glycemic control with
diabetes mellitus
Tier 3
Prior Auth: No
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Treatment for cancer
called peripheral T-cell
Lymphoma
Tier 3
Intravenous
Prior Auth: No
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Tier 3
Prior Auth: Yes
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Tier 3
Prior Auth: No
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Oral
Oral
Treatment for insomnia
Invokamet
(canagliflozin and
metformin
hydrochloride)
Oral
Treatment for type 2
diabetes
Jardiance
(empagliflozing)
Oral
Treatment for type 2
diabetes
Tier 3
Prior Auth: No
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Kerydin
(tavaborole)
Topical
Solution
Treatment for
onychomycosis of the
toenails
Tier 3
Prior Auth: Yes
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Natesto
(testosterone
Oral
Treatment of
hypogonadism
Tier 3
Nikki (drospirenone
and ethynyl
estradiol)
Oral
Oral contraceptive
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
Plegridy
(peginterferon beta
– 1a)
Oral
Treatment for relapsing
forms of MS
Tier 3
Rasuvo
(methotrexate)
Intravenous
Treatment for RA
Ryanodex
(dantrolene)
Intravenous
Treatment for malignant
hyperthermia
Sivextro (tedizolid
phosphate)
Striverdi Respimat
(olodaterol)
Targiniq ER
(oxycodone
hydrochloride and
naloxone
hydrochloride)
Triumeq (abacavir,
dolutegravir and
lamivudine)
Vogelxo
(testosterone
Zydelig
(idelalisib)
Oral
Inhaler
Treatment for ABSSI
Treatment for COPD
Tier 3
Prior Auth: Yes
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Tier 3
Prior Auth: Yes
Specialty: No
Medical:
No
Tier 3
Tier 3
Tier 3
Tier 3
Oral
Oral
Pump or
Topical
Oral
Treatment for severe
pain
Treatment for HIV
Treatment for
testosterone
Treatment for leukemia
No
No
No
No
No
No
Tier 3
Tier 3
Tier 3
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
Prior Auth:
Specialty:
Medical:
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Is it Really Strep
Throat?
Most sore throats stem from viral infections, such as the
common cold. Yet three quarters of the people who
mention the complaint to their doctor each year are
prescribed antibiotics, which work only against bacterial
infections
Why? Partly because many doctors feel so rushed that
they don’t spend the few minutes it takes to identify the
true cause of the problem. Or they write a prescription
just to satisfy an insistent patient. But the inappropriate
use of an antibiotic is both useless and dangerous, since it
can breed drug resistance.
Here’s how to know whether your sore throat stems from
a bacterial infection – notably the one that causes strep
throat – or some other reason, and what to do about it.
Look for telltale symptoms. Contact your doctor if you
have a very sore throat that makes it painful to swallow
and you have a fever, enlarged lymph nodes on the sides
of the neck, or nausea. Those symptoms could indicate
strep throat, especially if they begin abruptly or if you were
exposed to strep throat in the previous two weeks.
Sore throats accompanied by a runny nose or cough
usually indicate a cold. Give yourself a week to see if the
symptoms resolve on their own.
Get tested. Many doctors prescribe antibiotics for people
with those symptoms, especially if the exam reveals
redness with whitish deposits on the back of the throat.
But they should confirm the diagnosis by using a swab to
take a sample. Results for the standard test, which
involves growing the sample to identify the bacteria, take
24 to 48 hours. But recent research confirms that a 5- to
10-minute test that measures an antigen, or protein,
produced by the bacteria usually suffices.
Take the right drugs. A confirmed case of strep requires
antibiotics to shorten the contagious period from about 14
days to 24 hours. Antibiotics can also ease symptoms
and prevent complications. While some doctors limit
treatment to a week, a 10-day course of generic penicillin
(250 milligrams three times a day) is usually best. People
allergic to that drug should try erythromycin.
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a
once-a-day form of the penicillin-derived drug amoxicillin,
called Moxatag. But it’s no more effective, and a 10-day
course costs about $100 compared with the less than $10
for penicillin.
Soothe yourself. Try cough drops, gargle with warm
saltwater, humidify dry air, and take generic
acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen to ease fevers
and aches.