first-line

American  

[furst-lahyn] / ˈfɜrstˈlaɪn /

adjective

1. available for immediate service, especially combat service.

   first-line troops.

2. of prime importance or quality.

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first-line British  

adjective

1. acting or used as a first resort

   first-line treatment

   first-line batsmen

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Etymology

Origin of first-line

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

"This is important as paracetamol is the first-line medication we recommend for pregnant women in pain or with a fever," said Prof Khalil, professor of maternal fetal medicine at City St George's, University of London.

From BBC

NHS England estimates that around 50 patients a year may benefit, but Tholouli told the BBC she believed it could be more, and predicted it would eventually be used as a first-line treatment instead of stem cell transplantation.

From BBC

Other first-line medications include cyclizine, promethazine and prochlorperazine.

From BBC

"Hydralazine is one of the earliest vasodilators ever developed, and it's still a first-line treatment for preeclampsia -- a hypertensive disorder that accounts for 5 to 15% of maternal deaths worldwide," says Kyosuke Shishikura, a physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.

From Science Daily

The Osaka-based company plans to expand the drug into first-line gastric and pancreatic cancer settings, the filing showed.

From The Wall Street Journal