Medical Pharmacology Commons^™

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 …

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 …

Fidaxomicin (Dificid®): New Antibiotic Approved For The Treatment Of Clostridium Difficile Infections, Sara M. Mcallister, Zachary Crawford, Joshua Ilenin, Ellen Hazelet, Andrew M. Roecker

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive, spore forming bacteria normally transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Infection develops in patients with decreased normal gut flora and is typically associated with recent antibiotic use. Other risk factors include bowel surgery, compromised immune system function, extended hospital stays, and other underlying diseases. C. difficile bacteria produce two toxins, which cause increased intestinal fluid secretion and inflammation. Patients commonly present with diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, and nausea. Current treatment guidelines are to discontinue antimicrobial agents and increase hydration. Less severe C. difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) cases are treated with metronidazole 500 mg three …

The Emerging Role Of Ticagrelor In Acute Coronary Syndromes, Jennifer Bauer, Brittany Dye, Kimberly Baucher, Megan Keller, David Bright, Karen L. Kier

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Antiplatelet therapy has become a mainstay in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Until recently, options were somewhat limited when it came to individualizing drug selection. Plavix® (clopidogrel) has been successfully used for many years but requires activation by CYP enzymes. Depending on an individual patient's genetic makeup, function of these CYP enzymes may be altered, which may increase the risk for clots. The recent approval of Effient® (prasugrel) and Brilinta® (ticagrelor) has provided physicians and pharmacists with more options and may hopefully lead to improved clinical outcomes. Ticagrelor specifically exhibits clinically different pharmacologic characteristics that require twice daily …

Fondaparinux Is An Effective Alternative To Other Non-Heparin Anticoagulants In The Treatment Of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia, Allan J. Brazier Jr.

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A critical appraisal and clinical application of Kang M, Alahmadi M, Sawh S, Kovacs MJ, Lazo-Langner A. Fondaparinux for the treatment of suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: a propensity score-matched study. Blood. 2014;125(6):924-929. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-09-599498.

Sipuleucel-T (Provenge®): Therapeutic Use And Financial Implications, Courtney Porter, Joshua Ilenin, Lisa Berni, Ashley Overy, Karen L. Kier

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Although mortality rates have been declining, prostate cancer accounts for a large percentage of cancer diagnoses around the world. Sipuleucel-T (Provenge®), an autologous cellular immunotherapy targeted against the antigen expressed in most prostate cancers, has been shown to increase the median survival rate of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Even so, the therapeutic risks and benefits, as well as financial implications, all currently play a role in the governmental decision to reimburse for this new therapy.

Pediatric Poisoning: Overview, Treatment, And Prevention, Margaret Rowland, Taylor Gauthier, Kaitlin Sanders, Caitlin Swann, David Bright

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Pediatric poisoning remains a common and preventable occurrence in the United States. Every year, prescription and over-the-counter medications account for a significant portion of documented poison exposures. Frequent causes of overdose in children include improper medication storage and caregiver or physician dosing error. As easily accessible medication experts, pharmacists have an opportunity to counsel patients in an effort to decrease these preventable poisoning cases. Because children frequently ingest products prescribed for adult use, pharmacist should relay safety considerations to all patients, regardless of age. This article provides a general review of toxicity concerns, discusses clinical implications of common medications resulting …

Will New Mrsa Guidelines Make A Difference In Clinical Outcomes? A Comparison Of United States And United Kingdom Guidelines And Outcomes, Kelly Fargo, Erica Schoenberger, Kristen Thatcher, Lindsey Hallman, Andrew Roecker, Tarek Mahfouz

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

As of February 2011, the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) published the first guidelines assessing the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. S. aureus is present in the environment and is also located on the skin's surface. MRSA can cause a variety of clinical syndromes presenting with different symptoms that vary with the type and stage of the infection. MRSA is also classified into community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) and hospital-acquired (HA-MRSA), both of which possess different treatment options and strategies. Due to the complex treatment of MRSA, as well the concern over the development of resistance, suggested treatment guidelines …

Weighing Harms, Benefits, And Alternatives For A Young Man With A Recent Flare Of Ulcerative Colitis, Louise B. Welsh

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A critical appraisal and clinical application of Sandborn WJ, Su C, Sands B, et al. Tofacitinib as Induction and Maintenance Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis. N Engl J Med. 2017 May 4;376(18):1723-1736. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1606910

Cannabidiol Is Beneficial In Management Of Drug-Resistant Dravet Syndrome, Nikita Desai

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A critical appraisal and clinical application of Devinsky O, Cross H, Laux L, et al. Trial of Cannabidiol for Drug-Resistant Seizures in the Dravet Syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(21):2011-2020. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1611618.

Diabetes-Related Amylin Dyshomeostasis: A Contributing Factor To Cerebrovascular Pathology And Dementia, Han Ly, Florin Despa

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) increases the risk for cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and dementia. The underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive, which hampers the development of treatment or/and effective prevention strategies. Recent studies suggest that dyshomeostasis of amylin, a satiety hormone that forms pancreatic amyloid in patients with T2D, promotes accumulation of amylin in cerebral small blood vessels and interaction with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Overexpression of human amylin in rodents (rodent amylin does not form amyloid) leads to late-life onset T2D and neurologic deficits. In this Review, we discuss clinical evidence of amylin pathology in CVD and AD and identify critical …

A Population Pharmacokinetic Model For Simvastatin And Its Metabolites In Children And Adolescents., Kayode Ogungbenro, Jonathan B. Wagner, Susan M. Abdel-Rahman, J Steven Leeder, Aleksandra Galetin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: Poor adherence to dietary/behaviour modifications as interventions for hypercholesterolemia in paediatric patients often necessitates the initiation of statin therapy. The aim of this study was to develop a joint population pharmacokinetic model for simvastatin and four metabolites in children and adolescents to investigate sources of variability in simvastatin acid exposure in this patient population, in addition to SLCO1B1 genotype status.

METHODS: Plasma concentrations of simvastatin and its four metabolites, demographic and polymorphism data for OATP1B1 and CYP3A5 were analysed utilising a population pharmacokinetic modelling approach from an existing single oral dose (10 mg < 17 years and 20 mg ≥ 18 years) pharmacokinetic dataset of 32 children and adolescents.

RESULTS: The population PK model included …

No Meaningful Drug Interactions With Doravirine, Lamivudine And Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Co-Administration., Matt S. Anderson, Jocelyn Gilmartin, Li Fan, Ka Lai Yee, Walter K. Kraft, Ilias Triantafyllou, Christina Reitmann, Ying Guo, Rachael Liu, Marian Iwamoto

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Doravirine (DOR) is a novel non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor available as a single tablet and a three-drug combination with lamivudine (3TC) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) to treat HIV-1 infection. These analyses assessed pharmacokinetic (PK) interactions with co-administration.

METHODS: Two trials were conducted. Study 1: two-period, fixed-sequence; 8 healthy participants; Period 1, DOR 100 mg followed by ≥7-day washout; Period 2, TDF 300 mg once daily for 18 days, co-administration of DOR 100 mg on day 14. Study 2: three-period, crossover, 15 healthy participants; Treatment A, DOR 100 mg; Treatment B, 3TC 300 mg + TDF 300 mg; Treatment …

Drug Interactions Between Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants And Calcineurin Inhibitors During Solid Organ Transplantation: Considerations For Therapy, Edwin Lam, Babar Bashir, Mark Chaballa, Walter K. Kraft

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Introduction: There is a high incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in solid organ transplant recipients. The safety and efficacy of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOAC) have been well established in clinical practice for the prevention and treatment of VTE in broad populations. However, the management of VTE in the setting of solid organ transplantation remains a challenge to clinicians due to limited evidence of DOAC usage with calcineurin inhibitors.

Areas covered: The current literature available on the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic interaction between DOACs and calcineurin inhibitors is presented. A comprehensive review was undertaken using PubMed, Embase, drug product labeling, and drug …

Investigating Trail Sensitivity In Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer, Nicholas Pathoulas

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy in the United States. While these tumors may have a promising initial response to platinum-based chemotherapies, the patient’s prognosis is commonly hindered by the development of platinum resistant cancer. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been implicated as a potential treatment for many cancers based on its tumor selective nature. Combination therapies with TRAIL and platinum drugs have been shown to increase apoptosis and have been used in a variety of clinical trials, which have thus far failed to pass phase II.1 Researchers have not yet elucidated the complex mechanism(s) of TRAIL …

Selenomethionine Protects Mutant Tau N27a Cell From Oxidative Stress And Decreases Phosphorylation Of Tau, Madelin Locicero

Celebration of Learning

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of cells and aggregated tau in the hippocampus. Hyperphosphorylated tau causes the misfolding of tau proteins (aggregated tau), which are responsible for proper neuronal activity. Selenium-methionine has been known to decrease the amount of phosphorylated tau within mutant and wild type 3xTg- AD mice. However, selenium can be toxic to cell depending on the type of cells and the concentration of selenium. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect selenium-methionine has on decreasing hyperphosphorylation of tau, protecting cells from oxidative stress, and decreasing the amount of aggregated tau …

A Pbpk Model Of Low-Concentration Vitamin D Supplementation In The Absence Of Sunlight, Colton Sawyer

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Antihypertensive Medications Dosing On Blood Pressure Control And Left Ventricular Hypertrophy In Children With Chronic Kidney Disease, Benjamin A. Matta

Research Days

No abstract provided.

Predictive Performance Of Existing Population Pharmacokinetic Models Of Tacrolimus In Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients, Alenka Chapron

Research Days

No abstract provided.

Secreted Tumor-Associated Cytochrome As A Blood-Based Biomarker For Cancer, Rolf Joseph Craven

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Patents

Disclosed herein are methods for detecting Pgrmc 1 in bodily fluids, e.g., blood, plasma and serum, wherein detection of Pgrmcl is a biomarker for the presence of cancer, e.g., lung cancer or head or neck cancer. Pgrmc 1 levels in bodily fluids may be used to predict patient prognosis, e.g., survival and response to therapy.