For pharmacists, from Drug Topics: News and features for pharmacists about clinical trials, newly approved drugs, and new practices in clinical pharmacy
November 3, 2009 By:Drug Topics staff
With the subject of healthcare reform on the front burner in Washington and across the country, Drug Topics invited members of its Frontline editorial advisory board to share their thoughts. A selection of their responses is presented here.
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November 3, 2009 By:Brandon J. Sucher, PharmD, CDE, Allana J. Sucher, PharmD, BCPS
More than 22 million patients in the United States are affected by asthma and collectively were admitted for approximately 444,000 hospitalizations in 2006. With appropriate assessment and treatment by patients and healthcare providers, hospitalizations and deaths from asthma exacerbations can be significantly reduced. This article reviews the role of available asthma medications and provides an overview of the NAEPP's recommendations for management of asthma for patients 12 years of age and older.
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October 9, 2009 By:Seena Haines, PharmD, FAACP, Lisa M. Sims, PharmD
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adults, as well as the increasing prevalence of pediatric obesity, has spurred research into how the condition may affect children and adolescents. Pharmacists should be able to define insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in children and adults according to national guidelines, list the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome in children that may increase their risk as adults, describe the role of lifestyle modification in children and adults with metabolic syndrome, and identify the role of medical and surgical treatment for metabolic syndrome and/or obesity.
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October 9, 2009 By:Alaina Scott, Senior Editor
A second round of revised quality standards for heparin became effective recently, the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention has announced.
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October 8, 2009 By:Alaina Scott, Senior Editor
The FDA has announced the availability of the first draft guidance for industry on Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies.
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October 8, 2009 By:Raichell S. Brown, PharmD, JD
The FDA recently alerted pharmacists to medication error reports about mefloquine (Lariam) prescriptions calling for 250 mg daily rather than the recommended dose of 250 mg weekly for malaria prophylaxis.
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October 8, 2009 By:Alaina Scott, Senior Editor
Business Roundtable?s Partnership for Disaster Response today released the findings of its 2009 Flu Season Survey, which provides insights on how companies are preparing for H1N1 Influenza.
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October 8, 2009 By:Ned Milenkovich, PharmD, JD
The FDA can require risk evaluation and mitigation strategies for certain prescription drugs and biological products, to ensure that the benefits of such products outweigh the risks. The effect of REMS ripples down through the supply chain to affect how pharmacies dispense medication.
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October 8, 2009 By:Amanda Brower, Senior Editor, Centralized Content Group
Pharmacy should be part of any team evaluating an outpatient center. Effective communication between physicians, hospital administrators, pharmacists, and nursing staff is crucial to whether the infusion center will succeed.
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| Drug Topics is a monthly news magazine, guided by a board of pharmacy leaders, reporting on all phases of community, retail, and health-system issues and trends. We cover managed care and professional, national, and state activities as well as new therapies involving prescription and OTC drugs.
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