Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Drug of last resort
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Drugs of last resort are drugs only used when all other options are exhausted. Many of the best known are antibiotics, antivirals, or chemotherapy agents. In those cases, they have the most potent antibiotic, antiviral, or anticancer effects, and/or are drugs for which no (or very few) resistant strains are known. They are usually withheld from administration to prevent the development of resistance or due to unpleasant side effects.
Despite the fact that most of the notable drugs of last resort are antibiotics or antivirals, other drugs are sometimes considered drugs of last resort, such as cisapride.[1]
Examples
Examples
- Amikacin
- Cisapride
- Imipenem
- Linezolid
- Thalidomide (Approved only for leprosy.)
- Tolcapone
- Vancomycin
References
References
- ↑ http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1173548 FDA issues warning on cisapride.