- Prescribing Advice for GPs - https://www.prescriber.org.uk -

MeReC Extra 41

The National Prescribing Centre has published MeReC Extra 41 (PDF) which covers several areas.

The interaction between clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors is discussed in relation to the current advice and with due consideration of the advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) about the appropriate place in therapy for clopidogrel.

Clinicians are also reminded of the unit change for HbA1c and the partial update the NICE Guideline for Diabetes. Standard global reporting of HbA1c will result in a transition from the % scale to a mmol/mol by 2011. The updated NICE guideline contains revised advice about the management of blood glucose with newer hypoglycaemic agents.

Finally, the link between cancer and long-acting human insulin analogue usage is discussed. The association between some types of cancer and use of these insulin analogues is being investigated further at the request of regulatory authorities. Prescribing data indicate that approximately 40% of all intermediate/long-acting insulin items are for glargine or detemir despite NICE recommendations that these agents are not be used routinely.

Action: Clinicians who see patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes will find this information useful and informative.