[e-drug] Abandoned essential medicines (3)

["Peter Mansfield" <peter.mansfield@adelaide.edu.au>]

E-DRUG: Abandoned essential medicines (3)
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Philippa,

Nortriptyline and desipramine are tricyclic antidepressants that may be part of the best treatment for some people. Neither is available anymore in Australia.

Another example is a borderline case. The best anti-hypertensive drug for most people is chlorthalidone [Hydrochlorothiazide? WB] at a dose of around 12.5mg per day. Chlorthalidone is available in Australia but only in a dose of 25mg which is not more effective and has more adverse effects.

regards,

Peter

Dr Peter Mansfield
GP
Director, Healthy Skepticism Inc
Countering misleading drug promotion.
www.healthyskepticism.org
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Research Fellow, Discipline of General Practice, University of Adelaide
See publication list at:
www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/peter.mansfield