Loteprednol (as the ester loteprednol etabonate) is a corticosteroid used to treat inflammations of the eye. It is marketed by Bausch and Lomb as Lotemax and Loterex. It was patented in 1980 and approved for medical use in 1998. Medical uses
Applications for this drug include the reduction of inflammation after eye surgery, seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, uveitis, as well as chronic forms of keratitis (e.g. adenoviral and Thygesons keratitis), vernal keratoconjunctivitis, pingueculitis, and episcleritis. Contraindications
As corticosteroids are immunosuppressive, loteprednol is contraindicated in patients with viral, fungal or mycobacterial infections of the eye. Adverse effects
The most common adverse effects in patients being treated with the gel formulation are anterior chamber inflammation (in 5% of people), eye pain (2%), and foreign body sensation (2%). Interactions
Because long term use (more than 10 days) can cause increased intraocular pressure, loteprednol may interfere with the treatment of glaucoma. Following ocular administration, the drug is very slowly absorbed into the blood, therefore the blood level is limited to an extremely small concentration, and interactions with drugs taken by mouth or through any route other than topical ophthalmic are very unlikely. Pharmacology
Mechanism of action
Pharmacokinetics
Neither loteprednol etabonate nor its inactive metabolites Δ1-cortienic acid and Δ1-cortienic acid etabonate are detectable in the bloodstream, even after oral administration. A study with patients receiving loteprednol eye drops over 42 days showed no adrenal suppression, which would be a sign of the drug reaching the bloodstream to a clinically relevant extent.Steroid receptor affinity was 4.3 times that of dexamethasone in animal studies.
Amlodipine/benazepril, sold under the brand name Lotrel among others, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure. It is a combination of amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker and benazepril, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. It may be used if a single agent is not sufficient. It is taken by mouth.Common side effects include cough, dizziness, and swelling. Serious side effects may include angioedema, myocardial infarction, high blood potassium, liver problems, and low blood pressure. Use in pregnancy is not recommended. Amlodipine works by increasing the size of arteries while benazepril works by decreasing renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activity.The combination was approved for medical use in the United States in 1995. It is available as a generic medication. In 2019, it was the 213th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 2 million prescriptions. Medical uses
It is used to treat high blood pressure. It is not a first line treatment. References
External links
"Amlodipine mixture with Benazepril". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.