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Cytotec: Drugs
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Cytotec is the trade name of a synthetic prostaglandin analogue, misoprostol. It is marketed in the USA as a specific drug for the prevention and treatment of NSAID induced stomach ulcers. In Brazil it is widely used as an abortifacient. There have been several clinical trials of its use as a cervical ripening and labor inducing agent. It is extremely effective at very low doses, is very cheap, and has been used on many many women without their being aware that it really is still an experimental use. A good MedLine search will get you gobs of references...if you don't have access to MedLine through the hospital, go to medscape (www.medscape.com) or a similar site.
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Cytotec... known by its generic name misoprostol, is a drug approved by the Food & Drug Administration ("FDA") for the purpose of preventing stomach ulcers. Despite this fact, many obstetricians prescribe cytotec to induce labor in pregnant women, an unapproved, or "off label" use. The drugs manufacturer, Searle, has never performed clinical trials to determine Cytotec's safety when given to pregnant women as an inducement agent. Furthermore, Searle has never promoted or marketed the drug for any purpose other than as an anti-ulcer medication.
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Cytotec, a pill which can be administered orally, or inserted vaginally and placed against the cervix, is usually given in quarter doses. The pill works to soften the cervix, just as other cervix softening agents such as Prepidil and Cervidil do. The dangers of this drug, including uterine rupture, pose a possible threat to all women when used as a method of induction. However, for woman attempting a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean), the risk of uterine rupture increases dramatically. One particular study of Cytotec used on VBAC candidates found that eight percent experienced uterine rupture in comparison to the 0.2 percent of other cases where Cytotec was not used.
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How did Cytotec become so widely used and yet remain so underresearched? In 1992 and 1993 the first reports of the obstetric use of the small white tablet -- generically known as misoprostol -- indicated that it could be highly effective for starting labor in women, whether or not their cervixes were ripe. (In contrast Pitocin, the most common induction drug, often doesn't work unless the cervix is already primed and therefore affords doctors fewer choices.) Cytotec had already been used in combination with other drugs as a chemical abortive -- why not use it as an induction medicine? Lacking other information, many physicians began incorporating it into their practices.
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Cytotec is indicated for the healing of duodenal ulcer and gastric ulcer including those induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in arthritic patients at risk, whilst continuing their NSAID therapy. In addition, Cytotec can be used for the prophylaxis of NSAID-induced ulcers.
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Cytotec is ... widely known for its ability to reduce stomach acids. This drug can effectively replace several defensive substances that are known to be populated by aspirin and NSAIDs. Cytotec is a medicine that is widely prescribed to prevent formation of stomach ulcers, especially in the case of patients who are following a treatment with aspirin or with another NSAID for example ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, tolmetin, diclofenac, fenoprofen and nabumetone.
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