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Articles 162391 - 162420 of 325757

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Celiac Disease: Current And Investigational Therapies And The Role Of The Pharmacist, Sarah Turley, Gabriella Gegenheimer, Emily Blum, Erin Petersen Oct 2019

Celiac Disease: Current And Investigational Therapies And The Role Of The Pharmacist, Sarah Turley, Gabriella Gegenheimer, Emily Blum, Erin Petersen

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Celiac disease is a genetically-linked autoimmune disease which affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is an inflammatory reaction to ingested gluten-containing substances that produces the most frequent symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating and intermittent or chronic diarrhea. Diagnosis can be made by blood testing for specific IgA autoantibodies and a confirmation duodenal biopsy to look for the characteristic scalloping and villous atrophy that occurs in response to the inflammation. A gluten-free diet, until recently, was the only treatment available and continues to be the mainstay of treatment. Newer adjunct therapies to dietary management include larazotide acetate, peptidases, the use of parasite …

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A Comparison Of Mipomersen (Kynamro®) And Lomitapide (Juxtapid®): Medications For The Treatment Of Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Ann Marie Ruhe, Austin Brown, Ginny Daniels, Kelsey Fink, David Bright Oct 2019

A Comparison Of Mipomersen (Kynamro®) And Lomitapide (Juxtapid®): Medications For The Treatment Of Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Ann Marie Ruhe, Austin Brown, Ginny Daniels, Kelsey Fink, David Bright

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is a rare disease that involves mutations in the genes coding for low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors, preventing the uptake of LDL cholesterol from the serum and resulting in extremely high cholesterol levels.1 Between December 2012, and January 2013, two orphan drugs were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HoFH. Mipomersen (Kynamro®) is a subcutaneous injection that functions as an antisense oligonucleotide inhibitor and ultimately prevents the translation of mRNA coding for apolipoprotein B (apoB)-100 which binds to LDL and very low density lipoprotein (vLDL) cholesterol.7 Lomitapide (Juxtapid®) is …

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Signifor® Receives Fda Approvalfor The Management Of Cushing's Disease, Justin Steele, Ann Marie Ruhe, Andrew Skouby, Eric Stack, Sandra L. Hrometz Oct 2019

Signifor® Receives Fda Approvalfor The Management Of Cushing's Disease, Justin Steele, Ann Marie Ruhe, Andrew Skouby, Eric Stack, Sandra L. Hrometz

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Cushing's disease is a disorder characterized by supraphysiologic levels of circulating cortisol due to excessive adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion. Most often hypersecretion of ACTH is due to a pituitary adenoma, where surgical resection of the tumor is considered first-line treatment for the disease. Alternatively, the FDA has recently approved the somatostatin analogue, Signifor® (pasireotide), for the management of Cushing's disease in patients for whom surgery is not an option. In clinical trials, pasireotide has shown a statistically significant reduction in urinary free cortisol levels, as well as significant improvements in quality of life. Based on current data, pasireotide appears to …

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Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine For Her2 Positive Breast Cancer, Kimberly Baucher, Taylor Beale, Maria Laikos, Eric Stack, Mary Ellen Hethcox Oct 2019

Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine For Her2 Positive Breast Cancer, Kimberly Baucher, Taylor Beale, Maria Laikos, Eric Stack, Mary Ellen Hethcox

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

No abstract provided.

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Novel Oral Anticoagulants: A Comparative Study Of The Clinical Potential For Dabigatran, Rivaroxaban, And Apixaban Versus Warfarin, Lindsay Mark, Joanne Tran, Zachary Jones, Jessica Beck, David Bright Oct 2019

Novel Oral Anticoagulants: A Comparative Study Of The Clinical Potential For Dabigatran, Rivaroxaban, And Apixaban Versus Warfarin, Lindsay Mark, Joanne Tran, Zachary Jones, Jessica Beck, David Bright

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Although Coumadin® (warfarin) has been the standard outpatient anticoagulant for long-term prevention of thrombosis for many decades, it presents with significant challenges for both patients and health care providers in optimizing standards of care including dietary and drug restrictions, regular monitoring of the patient's International Normalized Ratio (INR), and difficulty maintaining therapeutic levels. Despite its unmistakable effectiveness, there has been an interest from the medical community in developing potential alternative drug therapies. As a result, within the past three years the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of three new oral anticoagulant drugs (dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and …

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Understanding The Pharmacokinetic Interaction Between Alcohol And Long-Acting Opioids, Emily Blum, Brittany Crowe, Tanya Wilsmann, Heather Helsel, David Kisor Oct 2019

Understanding The Pharmacokinetic Interaction Between Alcohol And Long-Acting Opioids, Emily Blum, Brittany Crowe, Tanya Wilsmann, Heather Helsel, David Kisor

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

In response to the fatal interaction of alcohol with extended-release hydromorphone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a class-wide Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for extended-release (ER) and long-acting (LA) opioid analgesics in July 2012. Due to the rising concern of dose-dumping effects, it is important for pharmacists to understand the pharmacokinetic interaction between two of the most commonly prescribed LA opioids (oxycodone and morphine) and alcohol. Clinical trials have looked at the pharmacokinetic profile of these long-acting formulations in conjunction with alcohol, and the results have varied depending on the formulation. For this reason, it is …

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Antidepressant Therapy: A Review Of Current Treatment Options And A Glance At The Future, Brittany Dye, Stacy Henthorne, Molly Kulp, Tristan Maiers, Zachary Crawford, Erin Petersen Oct 2019

Antidepressant Therapy: A Review Of Current Treatment Options And A Glance At The Future, Brittany Dye, Stacy Henthorne, Molly Kulp, Tristan Maiers, Zachary Crawford, Erin Petersen

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Depression and anxiety disorders are two of the most common mental illnesses experienced by people within the United States, affecting 6.7 percent of the adult population per year. This article will focus on one specific type of depression, major depressive disorder (MDD), characterized by two or more weeks of depressed mood and/or decreased interest in normally enjoyed activities. Depression complicates treatment of other disease state(s), making successful treatment of depression essential in the management of a patient's overall health. This review will evaluate the pathophysiology, antidepressant treatment, and new approaches to treatment, specifically vortioxetine, for MDD.

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Makena®: A Drug For Reducing The Risk Of Preterm Labor, Amanda Lovell, Kasie Bellman, Kelsey Fink, Jessica Beck, Michelle Musser Oct 2019

Makena®: A Drug For Reducing The Risk Of Preterm Labor, Amanda Lovell, Kasie Bellman, Kelsey Fink, Jessica Beck, Michelle Musser

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Makena®, hydroxyprogesterone caproate, is an intramuscular injection that is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved to reduce the risk of preterm delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy in pregnant women with a history of spontaneous preterm birth, who are not currently carrying multiple children. One in nine babies born in the United States each year is born prematurely, or before 37 weeks gestation, and mothers who have previously delivered a premature baby are 2.5 times more likely to deliver another baby prematurely. Makena® is administered by a health care professional as a single intramuscular injection to the hip and …

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Fda Approves New Tuberculosis Drug: Bedaquiline (Sirturo®), Megan Ruffner, Kent Wilin, Charles Hay, Zachary Crawford, Andrew Roecker Oct 2019

Fda Approves New Tuberculosis Drug: Bedaquiline (Sirturo®), Megan Ruffner, Kent Wilin, Charles Hay, Zachary Crawford, Andrew Roecker

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the acid-fast bacilli (AFB) Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is an infectious disease that continues to greatly impact morbidity and mortality worldwide; in 2011 it caused 1.4 million deaths. Some strains of the bacteria have become resistant to current treatment regimens, resulting in multidrug-resistant (MOR) and extensively drugresistant (XOR) TB. The emergence of these resistant strains of bacteria calls for new treatment regimens that can quickly and effectively eradicate the organism. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Sirturo® (bedaquiline) with the indication of MDR pulmonary TB. Bedaquiline introduces a novel mechanism of action via the inhibition …

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Endometriosis: The Etiology And Recommended Treatment, Amanda Lovell, Kasie Bellmann, Kelsey Fink, Jessica Beck, Michelle Musser Oct 2019

Endometriosis: The Etiology And Recommended Treatment, Amanda Lovell, Kasie Bellmann, Kelsey Fink, Jessica Beck, Michelle Musser

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Endometriosis is a gynecological condition that occurs in women between the ages of 15 and 49 years, in which endometrial cells grow outside the uterus. Normally, endometrial cells form the endometrium and respond to hormones throughout the menstrual cycle, but when endometrial cells are located outside the endometrium, painful bleeding and other side effects may occur. Treatment of endometriosis is usually symptomatic relief, including the use of oral contraceptives and other hormone replacement options, as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. To ensure that patients receive the appropriate treatment for this condition, pharmacists should be able to recognize the signs and …

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Immunization Guidelines For Pregnant Women, Kelly Dye, Maria Laikos, Tristan Maiers, Eric Stack, Natalie Dipietro Oct 2019

Immunization Guidelines For Pregnant Women, Kelly Dye, Maria Laikos, Tristan Maiers, Eric Stack, Natalie Dipietro

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

There are many misconceptions among the general public regarding the administration of vaccinations during pregnancy. It is imperative for pharmacists to be current regarding guidelines and updates about recommended vaccines. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that while some vaccines are highly recommended during pregnancy, others have limited safety data or are contraindicated. As new data emerges on the safety and efficacy of immunizations during pregnancy, pharmacists should continue to review the literature to stay up-to-date on vaccination recommendations. The CDC also has information available for pharmacists and other health care professionals regarding the use …

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Truvada® Recommended By Fda Committee For Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis In High-Risk Hiv-Negative Individuals, Justin Steele, Emily Blum, Alison Steinbrunner, Lara Long, Andrew M. Roecker Oct 2019

Truvada® Recommended By Fda Committee For Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis In High-Risk Hiv-Negative Individuals, Justin Steele, Emily Blum, Alison Steinbrunner, Lara Long, Andrew M. Roecker

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Once-daily combination tenofofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC) has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection in high-risk individuals. In clinical trials, FTC/TDF has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV acquisition by 62 percent in sexually active heterosexual men and women. Similarly, use of FTC/TDF demonstrated a 44 percent reduction in HIV infection within the men who have sex with men population.7 When used compliantly and in conjunction with safe sex practices, it appears that FTC/TDF can play an important role in reducing the …

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Comparing The Glp-1 Receptor Agonists: Byetta®, Victoza® And Once-Weekly Bydureon™, Todd A. Tucker Jr., Sarah Turley, Kaila Bollinger, Jessica Beck, Sandra L. Hrometz Oct 2019

Comparing The Glp-1 Receptor Agonists: Byetta®, Victoza® And Once-Weekly Bydureon™, Todd A. Tucker Jr., Sarah Turley, Kaila Bollinger, Jessica Beck, Sandra L. Hrometz

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has traditionally been managed with oral medications. However, in the last few years, subcutaneous glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have risen to fame. These agents serve as a reliable addition to current monotherapy. GLP-1 receptor agonists offer a significant reduction in hemoglobin AlC (HbAlc), fasting plasma glucose, and have the added benefit of weight loss. They work primarily by enhancing glucose-dependent insulin secretion while inhibiting glucagon secretion. The available GLP-1 agonists are Byetta® (exenatide), Victoza® (liraglutide), and Bydureon™ (exenatide extended-release). Studies suggest that they are similar in safety and efficacy, with the longer acting GLP-1 …

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Sildenafil As An Appropriate Monotherapy Option In The Treatment Of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Pah), Kaitlin Horton, Kent Wilin, Sarah Ginty, Lara Long, David Bright Oct 2019

Sildenafil As An Appropriate Monotherapy Option In The Treatment Of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Pah), Kaitlin Horton, Kent Wilin, Sarah Ginty, Lara Long, David Bright

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a debilitating disease characterized by constriction in the diameter of the pulmonary arterial lumen.1,2 This leads to increased pressure and stress on the right ventricle of the heart, which may lead to heart failure and death.2,3 Currently there are only a few treatment options for patients with PAH. Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor, can be used to treat PAH. Sildenafil inhibits the degradation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Increased cGMP concentration results in pulmonary vasculature relaxation. Current clinical trials have indicated that sildenafil can significantly improve many of the symptoms of PAH. The …

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Use Of Pharmacogenomics In Mtm Services, Molly Kulp, Halle Orlinski, Zachary R. Jones, Zachary Crawford, David Kisor Oct 2019

Use Of Pharmacogenomics In Mtm Services, Molly Kulp, Halle Orlinski, Zachary R. Jones, Zachary Crawford, David Kisor

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Incorporation of pharmacogenomic data into Medication Therapy Management (MTM) allows pharmacists to optimize treatment regimens for patients leading to better overall outcomes. Utilizing pharmacogenomics makes it easier for health care professionals to initiate medication regimens with reduced adverse reactions, improves outcomes due to specialized dosing and therapies and allows the treatment process to be as cost-effective as possible for the patient. Pharmacists have an opportunity to educate the rest of the health care team on issues such as: which ethnicities possess higher odds of carrying certain genetic variants, the most common or most relevant medications that can have variable effects …

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Overview Of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome And Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, Christina Spinaris, Sarah Kradel, Tara Tokar, Zachary Crawford, Michael M. Milks Oct 2019

Overview Of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome And Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, Christina Spinaris, Sarah Kradel, Tara Tokar, Zachary Crawford, Michael M. Milks

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are immunologic reactions that typically present due to drug hypersensitivity. These reactions present with serious mucocutaneous manifestations that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The pathogeneses of SJS and TEN have yet to be clearly elucidated, but three potential immunologic mechanisms have been defined in literature: granulysin, Fas-FasL, and perforin and granzyme B. Medications have been immunologically linked as the primary causative agents of SJS/TEN. Corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin administration (IVIG) and cyclosporine have been employed as treatments; however, none have resulted in consistent positive outcomes. Pharmacists have a significant role in …

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E-Prescribing: Benefits And Challenges In Enhancing Patient Safety, Kayla Durkin, Rebecca Airel, Lauren Desko, Jamie Amero, Natalie Dipietro Oct 2019

E-Prescribing: Benefits And Challenges In Enhancing Patient Safety, Kayla Durkin, Rebecca Airel, Lauren Desko, Jamie Amero, Natalie Dipietro

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

As technology is becoming ever more prevalent in the delivery of health care, implementation of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) has proven to be beneficial in many aspects. However, new challenges have arisen which may be problematic for pharmacy workflow and patient safety. Pharmacists must recognize potential medical errors due to e-prescribing and take the lead on identifying and preventing such errors to enhance patient safety.

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The Impact Of Pharmacogenomics On Chemotherapeutic Drug Development And Use, Lara Long, Amy Pasternak, Ellen Hazelet, David Kisor Oct 2019

The Impact Of Pharmacogenomics On Chemotherapeutic Drug Development And Use, Lara Long, Amy Pasternak, Ellen Hazelet, David Kisor

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Cancer therapy is largely dependent on general treatment guidelines, and patients undergoing chemotherapy often experience treatment failure with standard drugs. The development of individualized drug therapy through pharmacogenomics has the potential to enhance chemotherapy regimen selection and improve patient outcomes. Antineoplastic agents such as cetuximab and trastuzumab are effective in treating cancers possessing specific genetic biomarker characteristics. Patients need to undergo genetic testing before these agents are administered to ensure appropriate use. Cetuximab has been shown to improve outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancers and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas positive for EGFR. Trastuzumab has shown benefit in human epidermal …

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Emerging Therapies For The Treatment Of Multiple Sclerosis, Sara Swick, Amy Gillman, Lauren Bajbus, Jennifer Bauer, Jeffery Talbot Oct 2019

Emerging Therapies For The Treatment Of Multiple Sclerosis, Sara Swick, Amy Gillman, Lauren Bajbus, Jennifer Bauer, Jeffery Talbot

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that affects millions of people worldwide, yet is not entirely understood. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis most frequently include muscle spasms and extreme fatigue, but patients can experience a wide variety of issues. There are four categories in which patients with multiple sclerosis are typically classified: relapse-remitting, primary-progressive, secondary-progressive and progressive-relapsing. The pathophysiology of the disease is largely unknown, but many theories are being researched. Currently, there are treatments that can alleviate symptoms and halt disease progression, but no cure is known at this time. Most symptomatic relief medications focus on anti-inflammatory mechanisms of action, …

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Improving Maternal And Fetal Health: A Look At Thyroid Function During Pregnancy, Sarah Ginty, Jessica Beck, Taylor Gauthier, Amanda Meyer, Michelle R. Musser Oct 2019

Improving Maternal And Fetal Health: A Look At Thyroid Function During Pregnancy, Sarah Ginty, Jessica Beck, Taylor Gauthier, Amanda Meyer, Michelle R. Musser

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Maintenance of thyroid function during pregnancy is critical for both maternal and fetal health and development; therefore, knowledge regarding the relationship between thyroid hormones and pregnancy is essential. The American Thyroid Association task force has developed clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease during pregnancy. Gestational thyroid diseases are divided into two classifications, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, which are further divided into more specific classifications based on clinical presentation. Differentiation, diagnosis, and monitoring of thyroid diseases throughout pregnancy require assessing symptoms, as well as obtaining levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) concentration by a simple …

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Dronedarone: An Update To A Controversial Therapy For Atrial Fibrillation, Zachary Crawford, Sara Mcallister, Amanda Hoersten, Jennifer Bauer, Megan Keller, David Bright Oct 2019

Dronedarone: An Update To A Controversial Therapy For Atrial Fibrillation, Zachary Crawford, Sara Mcallister, Amanda Hoersten, Jennifer Bauer, Megan Keller, David Bright

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

As of 2004, it was estimated that 2.2 million Americans were diagnosed with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) resulting in one out of every six strokes in the United States. AF leads to a reduction in pumping efficiency of the heart increasing the risk of several serious sequelae such as thromboembolic stroke and congestive heart failure (CHF). It also results in a reduced quality of life for the patients suffering from the disease. Patients with AF require appropriate antiarrhythmic therapy to control symptoms and prevent adverse effects of the condition. Multaq® (dronedarone), an antiarrhythmic drug approved for AF in …

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Laboratory Mutations Of H5n1 Confer Efficient Transmission In Animal Models And Generate International Debate Regarding Publication Of Dual Use Research, Morgan A. Belling, Kelly Dye, Joshua Ilenin, Jamie Amero, Andrew M. Roecker Oct 2019

Laboratory Mutations Of H5n1 Confer Efficient Transmission In Animal Models And Generate International Debate Regarding Publication Of Dual Use Research, Morgan A. Belling, Kelly Dye, Joshua Ilenin, Jamie Amero, Andrew M. Roecker

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

H5N1, a subtype of influenza A virus that originated in Hong Kong in 1997 and has since spread across Asia and Africa, features a reported case fatality rate of nearly 60 percent in humans. Although naturally-occurring H5N1 has not developed the ability to be efficiently transmitted from human to human, two independent research teams have recently mutated strains of the virus, resulting in facile transmission among laboratory ferrets, which are considered the most accurate models for humans in viral studies. As a consequence of the security and public health risks of such information, the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for …

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Lysteda® For Heavy Menstrual Bleeding, Erica B. Schoenberger, Todd A. Tucker Jr., Justin W. Steele, Amanda Meyer, Sandra L. Hrometz Oct 2019

Lysteda® For Heavy Menstrual Bleeding, Erica B. Schoenberger, Todd A. Tucker Jr., Justin W. Steele, Amanda Meyer, Sandra L. Hrometz

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Lysteda®, a novel formulation of tranexamic acid, is an antifibrinolytic medication recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding. Tranexamic acid has been shown to significantly reduce menstrual blood loss while simultaneously allowing a woman to safely become pregnant. The major advantage of Lysteda® (an oral modified-release formulation of tranexamic acid) compared to oral immediate-release tranexamic acid, is the decreased occurrence of gastrointestinal side effects. As there are no therapeutic equivalents to Lysteda® for heavy menstrual bleeding, it is important for pharmacists to be able to counsel patients appropriately on the specific …

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Impact Of Community Pharmacists On Management Of Cancer Chemotherapy And The Resulting Side Effects, Jacquline M. Nunner, Jessica Stemen, Courtney Porter, Ellen Hazelet, Mark E. Olah Oct 2019

Impact Of Community Pharmacists On Management Of Cancer Chemotherapy And The Resulting Side Effects, Jacquline M. Nunner, Jessica Stemen, Courtney Porter, Ellen Hazelet, Mark E. Olah

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

The severe side effects of chemotherapy negatively affect quality of life and may limit the amount of life-saving drug delivered to patients with cancer. These adverse events can be difficult to manage and evidence-based guidelines are lacking. Insufficient supportive care can amplify common side effects, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), myelosuppression, alopecia, gastrointestinal effects and neuropathy. Therefore, it is important to recognize the most commonly dispensed chemotherapy agents and the side effects that accompany them. Community pharmacists, as easily accessible health care professionals, can provide valuable supportive care to help manage potentially debilitating side effects. However, a major …

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Pharmacogenetic Implications Regarding Second Generation Antipsychotics Clozapine And Risperidone, Sarah E. Ginty, Amy Pasternak, Lauren Desko, Jamie Amero, David Kisor Oct 2019

Pharmacogenetic Implications Regarding Second Generation Antipsychotics Clozapine And Risperidone, Sarah E. Ginty, Amy Pasternak, Lauren Desko, Jamie Amero, David Kisor

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Pharmacogenomics is a growing area of pharmacy that has the potential to improve individualization of medication choices, dosing and predictability of side effects. Clozapine and risperidone are atypical antipsychotics whose metabolism, efficacy and side effects are influenced by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a patient's genetic makeup. It has been shown that a polymorphism in the D3 dopamine receptor is associated with an increased risk in developing tardive dyskinesia as an adverse event while taking risperidone. Also, there is evidence that a patient with a homogenous C genotype in the gene coding for the 5-HTzc receptor has a higher risk …

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Effects Of Hormone Therapy On Cognition In Post-Menopausal Women, Jessica Langhals, Megan Meyer, Erica Schoenberger, Amanda Meyer, Kristen Finley Sobota Oct 2019

Effects Of Hormone Therapy On Cognition In Post-Menopausal Women, Jessica Langhals, Megan Meyer, Erica Schoenberger, Amanda Meyer, Kristen Finley Sobota

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Menopause occurs as a result of decreased natural estrogen production by the body. A variety of short-term and long-term symptoms can occur during menopause, which may significantly impact a woman's daily life. Hormone therapy (HT) is commonly employed to alleviate these unwanted symptoms and to regain balance of hormone levels. Options include estrogen-only or estrogen-progestin combination therapy. While HT may help relieve symptoms such as cognitive decline caused by menopause, it also carries potential side effects. Although HT has shown a potential benefit in women with Alzheimer's disease (AD), overall outcomes measuring cognitive function improvement are inconclusive. Therefore, HT should …

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The Use Of Crizotinib In Late Stage Lung Cancer Patients With An Abnormal Alk Gene, Lara Long, Kelly Dye, Courtney Porter, Ellen Hazelet, Karen L. Kier Oct 2019

The Use Of Crizotinib In Late Stage Lung Cancer Patients With An Abnormal Alk Gene, Lara Long, Kelly Dye, Courtney Porter, Ellen Hazelet, Karen L. Kier

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

The relatively new anti-cancer drug, crizotinib (Xalkori®, Pfizer), has created excitement in the research community. This drug has exhibited dramatic clinical benefits for select non-small cell lung cancer patients showing evidence of a mutation in the EML4-ALK gene. This gene mutation is present in 4 to 5 percent of non-small cell lung cancer patients. Crizotinib acts through a tyrosine kinase inhibition pathway, targeting the ALK and MET tyrosine kinases, to inhibit phosphorylation of activated ALK, which halts the ALK gene mutation and impedes metastasis. In phase I clinical trials, a 57 percent overall response rate was shown, and researchers calculated …

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Lithium Therapy In Alzheimer's Disease, Ross Robison, Sara Swick, Lauren Bajbus, Jennifer Bauer, B. Shane Martin Oct 2019

Lithium Therapy In Alzheimer's Disease, Ross Robison, Sara Swick, Lauren Bajbus, Jennifer Bauer, B. Shane Martin

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with no known cure which has a strong impact on patients and their caregivers. Current treatments for AD can slow the disease progression, but cannot reverse the damage that has already been done, resulting in some level of lifelong disability for affected patients. The use of lithium has shown promising results in mice models of AD. While animal models have produced positive results, additional human trials need to be conducted in order to determine a place for lithium in Alzheimer's disease therapy. Pharmacists should be aware of this potential new use of lithium …

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Safety And Efficacy Of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (Hcg) In Weight Loss, Todd A. Tucker Jr., Justin W. Steele, Amanda Hoersten, Amanda Meyer, Sandra L. Hrometz Oct 2019

Safety And Efficacy Of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (Hcg) In Weight Loss, Todd A. Tucker Jr., Justin W. Steele, Amanda Hoersten, Amanda Meyer, Sandra L. Hrometz

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) has recently experienced a resurgence in popular media. Late night television commercials and Internet advertisements have suggested that it is an essential, unequivocal means to losing weight fast. ls hCG really a miracle cure to help patients shed unwanted pounds? In 1954, A.T.W. Simeons claimed that hCG impacts weight loss by decreasing hunger, increasing fat redistribution, and increasing overall mood. Knowing that weight loss cannot be directly attributed to hCG use, Simeons developed a very low calorie diet (VLCD) to which the success of the therapy can be attributed. He saw hCG as a means to …

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An Update On Acetaminophen Labeling Changes: A Pharmacist's Call To Action, Rebecca Airel, Kayla Durkin, Taylor Gauthier, Jamie Amero, Natalie A. Dipietro Oct 2019

An Update On Acetaminophen Labeling Changes: A Pharmacist's Call To Action, Rebecca Airel, Kayla Durkin, Taylor Gauthier, Jamie Amero, Natalie A. Dipietro

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Due to the number of acetaminophen overdoses each year, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Center for Prescription Drug Programs made changes and recommendations regarding the labeling of acetaminophen-containing products. It is important for pharmacists to understand these changes and to educate patients on the correct use of these products.

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