Colchicine and/or Naltrexone for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Not Requiring High Levels of Ventilatory Support (COLTREXONE): A Prospective, Randomized, Open-Label Trial.

We assessed the efficacy and safety of colchicine and low-dose naltrexone (LDN), alone and in combination, in preventing progression to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In this prospective, randomized, open-label trial, colchicine and LDN were compared to standard of care (SOC) in patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 not requiring high levels of ventilatory support. Patients were randomly assigned to colchicine alone, LDN alone, colchicine/LDN in combination, or SOC.

Reducing Medication Therapy Problems in the Transition from Hospital to Home: A Pre- & Post-Discharge Pharmacist Collaboration.

Background: With 30-day Medicare readmission rates reaching 20%, a heightened focus has been placed on improving the transition process from hospital to home. For many institutions, this charge has identified medication-use safety as an area where pharmacists are well-positioned to improve outcomes by reducing medication therapy problems (MTPs).

Methods: This system-wide (425 bed community hospital plus 18 primary care clinics) prospective study recruited inpatient and ambulatory pharmacists to provide comprehensive medication management before and after hospital discharge.

Identifying Core Content for Electrocardiogram Instruction in Doctor of Pharmacy Curricula.

Minimum competencies for diagnostic tools, such as the electrocardiogram, are not well-defined in current standards or publications. The electrocardiogram has significant pharmacotherapeutic implications that pharmacists should have an adequate understanding of. This commentary highlights the importance of pharmacists' understanding of key elements of the electrocardiogram and drafts a set of recommended minimum competencies for graduating pharmacy students.

Supporting formative peer review of clinical teaching through a focus on process.

Background: The professional need for development of clinical faculty is clear. Previous scholarship provides insight into the formative potential of peer review in both didactic and experiential settings. Less information exists on a comprehensive peer review process (PRP) designed to support faculty change.

A Five-Year Evaluation of Examination Structure in a Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy Course.

Objective. To evaluate the composition and effectiveness as an assessment tool of a criterion-referenced examination comprised of clinical cases tied to practice decisions, to examine the effect of varying audience response system (ARS) questions on student examination preparation, and to articulate guidelines for structuring examinations to maximize evaluation of student learning. Design.

Warfarin monitoring in antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus anticoagulant.

Objective: To review the available literature on international normalized ratio (INR) and chromogenic factor X (CFX) monitoring in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), specifically lupus anticoagulant (LA), and furthermore, to identify benefits of one monitoring test compared with the other in the presence of LA.

Data Sources: A literature search was conducted through MEDLINE (1946-May 2014) utilizing the following MeSH terms chromogenic compounds, anticoagulants, and factor X. Further articles were identified from original literature citations.

Pilot assessment of patient satisfaction and clinical impact of Medicare Part D in diabetic geriatric patients.

Objectives: To assess patients' 1) satisfaction with their decision to enroll or not enroll in the Medicare Part D program, and 2) clinical status of diabetes before and after decision to enroll in Medicare Part D.

Methods: Patients 65 years or older were enrolled in the study from November 2006 through February 2007. Patients were screened by a clinical pharmacist at their clinician visit and administered a Medicare Part D satisfaction survey.

Model for medication therapy management in a university clinic.

Purpose: Experience with a referral-based medication therapy management (MTM) clinic in a university medical center is described.

Summary: The MTM clinic's mission is to assist patients who take multiple medications due to multiple chronic conditions with the management of their drug therapy to improve or maintain their health and prevent or minimize drug-related problems. The clinical services provided at the clinic have evolved into a comprehensive program providing five distinct service areas: access, adherence, coordination of care, medication therapy review, and education.

Information resources used in antimicrobial prescribing.

To describe resources clinicians use when they prescribe antimicrobials, the authors surveyed prescribers by telephone within hours (median 2.9) after they ordered one or more antimicrobials for a patient. Among 157 prescribers, 87 (55%) used one or more external resources to aid in decisions about their order.