More Than 5 Million Could Be Off BP Meds Under
New Guidelines

If new guidelines announced earlier this year are closely followed, pharmacists should expect to fill fewer prescriptions for blood pressure drugs. The recommendations relax blood pressure goals for older adults and, according to a new analysis, could mean that 5.8 million adults in the United States would no longer need hypertension medication.

FDA: Sildenafil Okay in Some Circumstances for
Children With PAH

It’s not exactly backtracking, but the FDA is concerned that clinicians took too seriously a warning about using Revatio (sildenafil) in children. The agency says it did not intend to communicate that the drug never should be used in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension and now wants to emphasize that treatment benefits must be weighed against potential risks before prescribing sildenafil in pediatric cases. Here are the details.

Aspirin Aids Survival in Some Colon Cancer Types

Low doses of aspirin can increase survival in colon cancer patients, especially if the tumor cells express HLA class 1 antigen, Dutch researchers report. In a related commentary, a U.S. cancer expert says that, based on the report, he would add aspirin therapy to some of his treatment regimens. Find out why he decided to do that.

Coverage for Obesity Drugs Required in Federal Worker Health Plans

A range of prescription drugs for obesity—including new agents such as Qysmia and Belviq—must be covered by health insurance policies used by federal employees, according to a letter from the Office of Personnel Management. An advocate for better obesity treatment says the federal action is promising and seeks requirements to have all private insurance plans cover the therapy. Here are the details.