Friday, May 14, 2010
Cessation of the marketing of Mediaxal
Just a few weeks ago, I came across a very interesting question a patient had asked. When the ventricles finish contracting and begin to relax, the aortic and pulmonic valves snap shut. These valves prevent blood from flowing back into the ventricles. This pattern is repeated over and over, causing blood to flow continuously to the heart, lungs and body. Labels: Heart Valve Disease, Obesity
Patient: "Hi, do you have mediaxal?"
Me: "No, we don't carry that anymore."
Patient: "Oh why is it so? It's really good you know. Apparently all other clinics around this area also don't carry mediaxal anymore."
Me: "Really..? Hmm.. I don't know why."
This made me very curious why, did all other clinics stop carrying this medicine??! I did some research on the internet and this is what I have found.
What is mediaxal?
Mediaxal contains Benfluorex as its active ingredient, decreases the intestinal absorption of triglycerides (means a type of fats that bound to the bloodstream and fat tissue), the lipid synthesis (can cause high cholesterol) and facilitates the cellular penetration and utilization of glucose. Clinical studies have shown that it may improve glycemic control and decrease insulin resistance in people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.
In layman terms, mediaxal reduces the absorption of fats in your blood, and it can also be used in the management of diabetes and lowering of cholesterol levels.
As of 18 December 2009, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has urged the withdrawal of all medicines containing benfluorex in the European Union, because their risks, especially the risk of heart valve disease, have outweighed their benefits. Patients who had had taken benfluorex should consult a doctor to check for signs and symtoms of Heart Valve Disease, as it can developed years after treatment. Between its launch in 1976 and September 2009, a total of 45 cases of cardiac valve disease in patients exposed to benfluorex were reported to the French national pharmacovigilance system.
Therefore then, what is heart valve disease?
About Heart Valve Disease
Heart Valve Disease occurs when your heart valves do not work the way they should.
Our heart valves lie at the exits of each of the 4 heart chambers and control a 1-directional flow of blood through the heart. These valves make sure that the blood always flows freely in the forward direction and ensure that there is no backward leakage.
In our 4-chambered heart, 2 of the chambers are called ventricles, the other 2 are the atrium. The atrium receives blood as it returns to the heart to complete a circulating cycle, whereas the ventricle pumps blood out of the heart to start a new cycle. The left ventricle pumps blood into the systemic circulation through the aorta to the rest of the body, while the right ventricle pumps blood into the pulmonary circulation for the lungs. Blood flows from your right and left atria into your ventricles through the open mitral and tricuspid valves.
When the ventricles are full, the mitral and tricuspid valves shut. This prevents blood from flowing backward into the atria while the ventricles contract (squeeze). As the ventricles begin to contract, the pulmonic and aortic valves are forced open and blood is pumped out of the ventricles through the open valves into the pulmonary artery toward the lungs, the aorta, and the body.
Valvular stenosis
This occurs when a valve opening is smaller than normal due to stiff or fused leaflets. The narrowed opening may make the heart work very hard to pump blood through it. This can lead to heart failure and other symptoms (see below). All four valves can be stenotic (hardened, restricting blood flow); the conditions are called tricuspid stenosis, pulmonic stenosis, mitral stenosis or aortic stenosis.
Valvular insufficiency
Also called regurgitation, incompetence or "leaky valve", this occurs when a valve does not close tightly. If the valves do not seal, some blood will leak backwards across the valve. As the leak worsens, the heart has to work harder to make up for the leaky valve, and less blood may flow to the rest of the body. Depending on which valve is affected, the conditioned is called tricuspid regurgitation, pulmonary regurgitation, mitral regurgitation or aortic regurgitation.
Congenital valve disease
Most often affects the aortic or pulmonic valve. Valves may be the wrong size, have malformed leaflets, or have leaflets that are not attached to the annulus correctly.
Bicuspid aortic valve disease
A congenital valve disease that affects the aortic valve. Instead of the normal 3 leaflets or cusps, the bicuspid aortic valve has only 2. Without the third leaflet, the valve may be stiff (unable to open or close properly) or leaky (not able close tightly).
And many more other heart valve diseases.
The heart is such a vital organ.. please take good care of your heart :)
