Clinical News

Time for a push for greater use of medication lists by consumers, with a standard format for those lists.

Patient takes tramadol 100 mg every six hours for chronic back pain; other medications include two lithium carbonate, extended release tablets, ziprasidone, temazepam, and trazodone.

Controversy surrounding rosiglitazone (Avandia) and cardiac risk prompted a special symposium at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association.

Developing a program to prevent over-prescribing of antibiotics will increase effectiveness of the drugs and save money.

Researchers at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting stressed that treatment more targeted, with fewer side effects, than before - and cancer deaths are down for the first time in 70 years.

The American Urological Association has issued new guidlines for prostate cancer, its first update in nearly 12 years.

At ASHP's 2007 summer meeting, the house of delegates approved a resolution calling for all pharmacists to complete a residency as a prerequisite to direct patient care by the year 2020.

Chris Benoit, the professional wrestler who killed his wife and child before killing himself, received medications from a compounding pharmacy at the center of a sprawling steroid probe.

The NCCN has updated the clinical practice guidelines for certain types of thyroid cancer.

Adults and children six years of age and older who suffer with seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis will now have another option for relief of their symptoms. Levocetirizine (Xyzal) from UCB Inc. and Sanofi-Aventis has received regulatory approval from the FDA.

MTM programs open to community pharmacists

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy (DSP) has entered into a joint agreement with Oncology Physicians Resources (OPR) to create a program for managing oncology medications, called OPRx.

Hospital pharmacists involved in Medicare reimbursement will have to think twice when purchasing drugs for their pharmacy departments. CMS has announced a separate, and a reportedly more accurate payment structure for single source and biologic drugs.

After more than two years of collaborative effort, national quality measures for breast and colon cancer treatment are now in place. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, working with two other professional organizations, recently received endorsement from the National Quality Forum for the first nationally recognized hospital-based performance measures for breast and colorectal cancer.

In proposed legislation that could save millions of taxpayer dollars in drug costs, the U.S. Senate is considering extending current 340B program discounts to include inpatients.

Changes in the health-care workplace environment have put an increased emphasis on the importance of leadership skills to help address this challenge.

Your smart infusion pumps-are they winners or also-rans? One of the first head-to-head technology comparisons by third-party consultants has some answers. Cardinal's Alaris system got top marks from leaders in pharmacy, nursing, information technology (IT), and other hospital departments. Out of a possible 100 points, Alaris got 89.8 for product technology, vendor service, product performance, business impact, and percentage of positive user comments. B. Braun's Outlook system came in second with 88.3, followed by Hospira's Plum A+/ MedNet at 85.9. Baxter's COLLEAGUE system ended a distant fourth at 61.2. Sigma missed the race entirely.

ASHP has released ResiTrak, a Web-based tool expected to enhance the mentoring of pharmacy residents enrolled in their residency learning system while facilitating the administrative process for preceptors and program directors.

The move toward all-electronic health records is gathering momentum and support. Just over 38% of U.S. hospitals now use EHRs, according to a recent survey conducted by ASHP, up 31% in 2007. In hospitals that use EHRs, 94% of pharmacies have access to patient records.

An interim action that the Joint Commission initially viewed as a relief to hospitals regarding the timeline for pharmacists' review of emergency department medication orders was suspended after 14 weeks because the accrediting organization realized it had instead created a huge burden.

Causes and treatment for repeat nocturnia

R.Ph.s are making an impact on treating metabolic syndrome by paying attention to the differences between antipsychotics

In an effort to keep pace with advances in the management of infectious complications in immunosuppressed cancer patients who are hospitalized, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network has released updated guidelines for the prevention and treatment of cancer-related infections.

New guidelines for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke continue to endorse the use of intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator while now including recommendations for palliative care.

Doctors are hopeful that a new treatment using patients' own cells to treat prostate cancer will be approved by the FDA, although the approval has been delayed. Patient cells may trigger immune response that will fight cancer cells.

A new electronic system helps emergency departments circumvent drug diversion

Preventing and treating pneumonia in critically ill patients.

Responding to hospital customers' demand for environmentally friendly products, the major intravenous container manufacturers are going "green." Hospira Inc., Baxter Healthcare, and B. Braun Medical are shipping more and more containers made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride)- and DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate)-free materials.

New over the counter items with unique formulations

Updated studies show that the greater use of life-enhancing highly active antiretroviral therapy, the more reports proliferate of unusal side effects, including lipodystrophy, lactic acidosis, insulin resistance, and recently, male osteoporosis.