page13
scribing details about the drugs and knowledge of
the
patient’s medical and drug history.
A brief
description of
the clinical
uses of
a drug can
usually be found in the Indications section of its mono-
graph (e.g.
bendroflumethiazide,
p.
84);
a cross-refer-
ence is provided to any indications for that
drug that
are covered in other sections of the BNF.
The symbol U is used to denote preparations that are
considered by the Joint Formulary Committee to be less
suitable for
prescribing.
Although such preparations
may not
be considered as drugs of
first
choice,
their
use may be justifiable in certain circumstances.
Drug management of medical
emergencies
Guidance on the drug management
of
medical
emer-
gencies can be found in the relevant BNF chapters (e.g.
treatment
of
anaphylaxis is included in section 3.4.3);
advice on the management of
medical
emergencies in
dental
practice can be found in Prescribing in Dental
Practice,
p.
26.
A summary of
drug doses
used for
Medical
Emergencies in the Community can be found
in the glossy pages at the back of the BNF. An algorithm
for
Adult
Advanced Life Support
can also be found
within these pages.
Figure 1
Illustrates the typical layout of a drug monograph and preparation
records in the BNF
BNF
How to use the BNF
xi
DRUG NAME U
Indications
details of clinical uses
Cautions
details of precautions required and also
any monitoring required
Counselling
Verbal
explanation to the patient of spe-
cific details of the drug treatment (e.g. posture when
taking a medicine)
Contra-indications
circumstances when a drug
should be avoided
Hepatic impairment
advice on the use of a drug
in hepatic impairment
Renal impairment
advice on the use of a drug in
renal impairment
Pregnancy
advice on the use of a drug during
pregnancy
Breast-feeding
advice on the use of a drug dur-
ing breast-feeding
Side-effects
very common (greater than 1 in 10)
and common (1 in 100 to 1 in 10);
less commonly
(1 in 1000 to 1 in 100);
rarely
(1 in 10 000 to 1 in
1000);
very rarely
(less then 1 in 10 000);
also
reported,
frequency not known
Dose
. Dose and frequency of administration (max.
dose);
CHILD
and
ELDERLY
details of dose for spe-
cific age group
.
By alternative route,
dose and frequency
1
Approved Name
(Non-proprietary) A
Pharmaceutical form
,
sugar-free,
active ingre-
dient mg/mL,
net price,
pack size = basic NHS
price.
Label:
(as in Appendix 9)
1.
Exceptions to the prescribing status are indicated by a
note or footnote.
Proprietary Name
(Manufacturer) A D
Pharmaceutical form
,
colour,
coating,
active
ingredient and amount in dosage form, net price,
pack size = basic NHS price.
Label:
(as in
Appendix 9)
Excipients
include clinically important excipients
Electrolytes
clinically significant quantities of electrolytes
Note
Specific notes about the product e.g.
handling
Preparations
Preparations are included under a non-proprietary
title, if they are marketed under such a title, if they
are not otherwise prescribable under the NHS, or if
they may be prepared extemporaneously.
Drugs
Drugs appear under pharmacopoeial or other non-
proprietary titles.
When there is an
appropriate
current
monograph
(Medicines Act 1968,
Section
65) preference is given to a name at the head of that
monograph;
otherwise a British Approved Name
(BAN),
if available,
is used.
The symbol
U is used to denote those prepara-
tions that
are considered by the Joint
Formulary
Committee
to be
less
suitable
for
prescribing.
Although such preparations may not be considered
as drugs of first choice, their use may be justifiable
in certain circumstances.
Prescription-only medicinesA
This symbol
has been placed against
those pre-
parations that are available only on a prescription
issued by an appropriate practitioner.
For
more
detailed information see
Medicines
,
Ethics
and
Practice
,
No.
34,
London,
Pharmaceutical
Press,
2010 (and subsequent editions as available).
The symbol
C indicates that
the preparation is
subject
to the prescription requirements
of
the
Misuse of
Drugs Act.
For
regulations governing
prescriptions for such preparations see p.
8.
Preparations not available for NHS
prescriptionD
This symbol
has been placed against
those pre-
parations included in the BNF that are not prescrib-
able under the NHS.
Those prescribable only for
specific disorders have a footnote specifying the
condition(s)
for
which the
preparation remains
available.
Some preparations which are not
pre-
scribable
by brand name under
the NHS may
nevertheless be
dispensed
using the brand name
providing that the prescription shows an appropri-
ate non-proprietary name.
Prices
Prices have been calculated from the basic cost
used in pricing NHS prescriptions,
see also Prices
in the BNF,
p.
xiv for details.
How to use the BNF
BNF 61
xi