Draft guidance from UK's NICE backs naftidrofuryl for peripheral arterial disease

In draft guidance published yesterday (February 1) the UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends the use of naftidrofuryl oxalate (the active ingredient in German drug major Merck KGaA’s brand product Praxilene) as a treatment option for people who suffer from the painful symptoms of peripheral arterial disease called intermittent claudication.

Peripheral arterial disease is a condition in which there is a blockage or narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to the legs and arms. The main cause is atherosclerosis, which is narrowing of the arteries caused by fatty deposits on the arterial walls. Intermittent claudication is a result of the narrowed arteries not delivering adequate blood to leg muscles and so pain comes from the oxygen starved muscles. Pain is relieved with rest. As well as having a detrimental impact on quality of life, intermittent claudication also indicates that there is an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Therefore, people with intermittent claudication are at higher risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke than patients with PAD who do not have intermittent claudication.

Other vasoactive drugs being evaluated