Impact of Pharmacy Technician-Centered Medication Reconciliation on Optimization of Antiretroviral Therapy and Opportunistic Infection Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Patients With HIV/AIDS
Conclusion: A PTMR program has a positive impact on optimizing ART and OI prophylaxis in patients with HIV/AIDS. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Siemianowski, L. A., Sen, S., George, J. M. Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research
Retrospective Analysis of Estimated Cost Avoidance Following Pharmacist-Provided Medication Therapy Management Services
Conclusions: Pharmacist-provided MTM effectively reduced costs associated with patient medication use. Such interventions reduced costs in overall health care specifically in the areas of cardiovascular, gastroesophageal reflux disease, pulmonary, and diabetes groups. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Branham, A. R., Katz, A. J., Moose, J. S., Ferreri, S. P., Farley, J. F., Marciniak, M. W. Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research
Etest Versus Vitek 2 Vancomycin Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Testing Methods for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: An Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative to Evaluate the Degree of Discordance Among Methods at a Rural Tertiary Hospital
Conclusion:
We have demonstrated that Etest commonly reports MICs greater than 1 mcg/mL, even among isolates with MICs as low as ≤0.5 mcg/mL, according to Vitek 2. The clinical significance of these findings is unknown and would be an area of further study. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Bloomgren, B. J., Laible, B. R. Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research
Pharmaceutical Care for Patients Undergoing S-1 Plus Cisplatin Therapy for Unresectable Recurrent Gastric Cancer
In conclusion, we should pay attention to the safety and continuity of S-1 plus cisplatin therapy in cases where the Alb level is <3.5 g/dL, CrCl level is <78 mL/min, and PS level is >1. Pharmacists should consider reducing the treatment dosage and providing nutritional support in such cases. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Kimura, M., Usami, E., Yoshimura, T., Yasuda, T., Kaneoka, Y., Teramachi, H., Sugiyama, T., Tsuchiya, T. Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research
Pharmacist-Developed Sedation Protocol and Impact on Ventilator Days
Conclusion:
The use of sedation protocols can decrease the days spent on mechanical ventilation. The results also illustrate the enormous impact pharmacists have on policy and protocol development. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Hahn, L., Beall, J., Turner, R. S., Woolley, T. W., Hahn, M. Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research
Emergency Medicine Pharmacists and Sepsis Management
Conclusion:
A clinical EM pharmacist has multiple roles in the early management of patients presenting with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock in the ED. Most commonly, they have a role in optimizing empiric antibiotic selection and dosing; thereby ensuring adequate antimicrobial coverage in this complex patient population. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Weant, K. A., Baker, S. N. Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research
The Frequency of Adjusted Renal Dosing of Tenofovir DF and Its Effects on Patient Outcomes
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B, is renally eliminated and has been associated with renal toxicities. Dose adjustments are recommended for patients with creatinine clearance (CrCL) <50 mL/min. We retrospectively determined the frequency in which HIV clinic providers adjusted TDF doses in patients with CrCL <50 mL/min over a 2-year period and compared clinical outcomes in patients who had TDF dose adjustments based on CrCL <50 mL/min versus those who did not. Thirty-nine patients with CrCL &...
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Langness, J. A., Hindman, J. T., Johnson, S. C., Kiser, J. J. Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research
Guidance for the Discontinuation or Switching of Antidepressant Therapies in Adults
Antidepressants (ADs) are commonly used for the treatment of various psychological and other medical disorders. Patient response and regimen duration with individual agents varies, necessitating discontinuation (DC) and/or switching between ADs. However, withdrawal symptoms may occur upon DC of the AD, and clinical symptom control may be compromised if the change to a new AD agent is not initiated appropriately. The purpose of this evaluation was to review the available literature and resources to compile documented methods for discontinuing or changing AD regimens in the clinical setting into a single guidance document. T...
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Ogle, N. R., Akkerman, S. R. Tags: Review Article Source Type: research
Life-Threatening ACE Inhibitor-Induced Angioedema After Eleven Years on Lisinopril
We present a case of a 65-year-old African American woman who experienced 2 episodes of angioedema, with the second being life threatening after receiving several concomitant agents known to cause angioedema, most notably lisinopril for 11 years. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Norman, J. L., Holmes, W. L., Bell, W. A., Finks, S. W. Tags: Adverse Drug Event Source Type: research
Student Pharmacists' Perceptions of Barriers to Medication Adherence Counseling
Conclusions:
Surveyed students indicated they were constrained for time to counsel patients on adherence and to perform continued follow-up with patients afterward. Factors cited as barriers to counseling patients on medication adherence include time, lack of specific training in adherence management, lack of resources to provide to the patient, and patient disinterest in the subject. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Mangan, M. N., Powers, M. F., Lengel, A. J. Tags: Pharmacy Education Source Type: research
Prioritizing Pharmaceutical Activities: A Simulation by Pharmacy Residents
Conclusions:
Pharmacy residents opted to provide a wide range of services, but at a low level of comprehensiveness. The high variation between each team’s coverage per activity in this simulation supports the observation that pharmacy residents do not agree on a core set of pharmaceutical activities that should be prioritized. (Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Renet, S., Tanguay, C., Hall, K., Bussieres, J.-F. Tags: Pharmacy Education Source Type: research
Novel Direct-Acting Anticoagulants for Risk Reduction in ACS
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a devastating adverse cardiovascular event with a massive burden on patient morbility and mortality, as well as the economy. Approximately 1.2 million people are hospitalized annually for ACS in the United States, with direct medical costs estimated at $150 billion in 2009. Rehospitalization is common, often as the result of recurrence of the initial event or complications of ACS or its therapy. Thrombosis is central to the pathogenesis of ACS. The current standard of care includes dual antiplatelet therapy, which reduces platelet activation and aggregation, integral steps for forming a thr...
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Dobesh, P. P., Oestreich, J. H. Tags: Continuing Education Article Source Type: research
Clinical Toxicology and Management of Intoxications With Synthetic Cathinones ("Bath Salts")
Synthetic cathinones are synthetic derivatives of the natural cathinone, one of the psychoactive compounds present in Catha edulis (khat). There are at least 12 different types of synthetic cathinones, with mephedrone and 3,4-methylendioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) being the most commonly used by the purchasers. The legal control of these substances is especially difficult because when a specific compound is banned, a new slightly modified chemical variant is introduced into the market. It has been described that patients after taking synthetic cathinones may show signs and symptoms of the sympathicomimetic toxidrome, including a...
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - August 1, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Mas-Morey, P., Visser, M. H. M., Winkelmolen, L., Touw, D. J. Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
Corrigendum
(Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - June 5, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Corrigendum Source Type: research
College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists 2013 Poster Abstracts
(Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmacy Practice - June 5, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: CPNP 2013 Poster Abstracts Source Type: research
