Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pharmacists’ Role In The Management Of Patients Receiving Dual Or Triple Antithrombotic Therapy, Laura Neubauer, Radhan Gopalani, Kristen De Almeida

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Purpose: Patients on dual and triple antithrombotic therapy present the therapeutic dilemma of mitigating bleed risk while sustaining antithrombotic efficacy. Lack of literature and variability in existing published guidance potentiates inconsistent management of these patients. Furthermore, suboptimal dosing of direct oral anticoagulants is relatively common. One study reported as high as 43% of patients receive higher and 13% receive lower than clinically indicated doses. These findings were associated with a significantly increased risk of major bleeding and incidence of stroke, thus highlighting the importance of selecting an ideal regimen. The purpose of this project is to highlight pharmacists’ role in …

Optimizing Empiric Vancomycin Use In Febrile Neutropenia Patients, Nicole Tadros, Erika Dittmar, Radhan Gopalani

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Introduction: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a complication of chemotherapy resulting in a temperature 100.4⁰F or greater plus an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) below 500 cells/mm³ or an ANC below 1000 cells/mm³ and expected to decrease below 500 cells/mm³ within 48 hours. Timely administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy is a cornerstone for the initial management of FN. However, prolonged empiric antimicrobial treatment can lead to resistance and toxicity. National guidelines and published literature do not support vancomycin as a routine part of empiric antimicrobial regimens in FN; it is only recommended in patients with specific clinical indications. This …

Evaluation And Optimization Of Medication Related Fall Risk At A Community Hospital, Giselle Chahili, Thomas Wolfel, Heidi Clarke, Erika Dittmar

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Background: Falls occur commonly in older adults at a rate of 3-5 per 1000 beds in healthcare settings. They can results in increased length of stay, morbidity and mortality, and healthcare costs. Some risk factors include older age, environmental hazards and medications. Currently at BHM, patient’s risk for falling is assessed based on Morse Fall Scale (MFS), which does include drugs as part of its assessment. The purpose of this project is to integrate medication risk evaluation into our current fall assessment.

Methodology: single-centered, retrospective, IRB-reviewed quality improvement project at BHM. We included patients over age 18 who fell with …

Optimization Of Albumin 5% Use In A Community Hospital, Robyn Feldman, Stephanie Palma, Erika Dittmar, Heidi Clarke

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Background: The debate surrounding the use of crystalloids versus colloids remains a source of controversy due to limited and conflicting evidence. Emerging data favors the use of crystalloids over colloids in addition to cost benefits. Baptist Hospital of Miami (BHM) has evidence-based guidance for albumin 5%, but it is unclear the degree of appropriate usage. The purpose of this study is to assess the prescribing practices of albumin 5% at BHM and optimize appropriate use through pharmacy driven interventions.

Methodology: A single-center, IRB-reviewed, bi-phasic study was conducted within a community hospital. In phase I, a retrospective chart review of patients …

Evaluation Of Antiplatelet-Related Bleeding Events In A Community Hospital, Frank C. Moreno Exposito, Heidi Clarke, Erika Dittmar

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Background:Bleeding rate among patients who take high-dose aspirin is approximately 1.92% with an expected 2-3 fold increase after a second antiplatelet is added. Similarly, the addition of an anticoagulant to single or dual antiplatelet therapy results in increased bleeding rates of approximately 13.9% and 15.7% respectively. The concomitant use of antiplatelets and anticoagulants has become a common practice due to the high incidence of clinical conditions for which these agents are used. Hence, reversal of antithrombotic agents is often needed during major bleeding events or invasive procedures. However, the use of antiplatelet reversal is still under-utilized, and its efficacy …

Evaluation Of An Elevated Vte Thromboprophylaxis Guideline For Critically Ill Patients Infected With Covid-19, Tony Nguyen, Heidi Clarke

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Retrospective studies and systematic-review meta-analysis have shown an association in inducing a prothrombotic state in patients infected with COVID-19. The risk of VTE are compounded in the critically ill. Current practices at Baptist Hospital of Miami (BHM) is to routinely order standard prophylactic dosed chemical thromboprophylaxis for all patients infected with COVID-19. In August 2020 an anticoagulation guidance document was approved to tailor anticoagulation dosing for critically ill COVID-19 patients. At risk patients were based on clinical and laboratory markers such as D-dimer, CRP, and ferritin. Following implementation, our analysis show a statistically significant reduction in the number of treatment …