[Translated article] National registry and analysis of pharmaceutical interventions in critical care units: PHARMACRITIC study.

Objective: To design a homogeneous methodology for the registration and analysis of pharmaceutical interventions performed in spanish intensive adults care units (ICUs).

Method: Observational, prospective, and multicentre study. In the first stage, a national registry of pharmaceutical interventions will be agreed upon and subsequently, all the pharmaceutical interventions performed on adult patients admitted to Spanish ICUs during 8 weeks will be recorded.

Activities of the clinical pharmacist in the intensive care units.

The main objective of the activity carried out in an intensive care unit and in general in all hospitalization units, is to provide all the human and material resources to offer the best therapeutic care to admitted patients. Work in multidisciplinary teams, made up of specialists in Intensive Care Medicine as those responsible for the patients, doctors from other specialties, specialized nursing, physiotherapists, nutritionists and clinical pharmacists is an optimal approach to achieve the proposed objective. The activities of the clinical pharmacist can be developed at different levels (basic, intermediate and excellent) depending on the degree of involvement, the time dedicated, the training and the available resources.

National record and analysis of pharmaceutical interventions in critical care units: PHARMACRITIC study.

Objective: To design a homogeneous methodology for the registration and analysis of pharmaceutical interventions performed in Spanish critical adults' care units.

Method: Observational, prospective and multicenter study. In the first stage, a national registry of pharmaceutical interventions will be agreed upon and subsequently all the pharmaceutical interventions performed on adult patients admitted to Spanish CCUs during eight weeks will be recorded.

Standardization and Chemical Characterization of Intravenous Therapy in Adult Patients: A Step Further in Medication Safety.

Background: Intravenous drug administration is associated with potential complications, such as phlebitis. The physiochemical characteristics of the infusate play a very important role in some of these problems.

Aim: The aim of this study was to standardize the dilutions of intravenous drugs most commonly used in hospitalized adult patients and to characterize their pH, osmolarity and cytotoxic nature to better guide the selection of the most appropriate vascular access.

Nationwide current situation of hospital pharmacists in intensive care units.

Objective: To describe the current situation of the hospital pharmacist in intensive care units and their activity in care, in teaching  and in research.

Method: Multicenter and prospective study through a survey  disseminated by the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy, which  consisted of several sections: personal and hospital's data, hospital's  characteristics, pharmacist's involvement in intensive care units and  teaching.

Results: A number of 58 completed surveys were obtained.

Cefepime Associated With Phenytoin Induced Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.

We describe a recent case of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. A 49-year-old man was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of an Anaesthesia and Resuscitation Department because of a Fournier gangrene that derived in a sepsis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and renal failure. He was under treatment with cefepime and suffered a generalized status epilepticus, so started treatment with phenytoin.

Inhaled nitric oxide in adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

In some patients, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) leads to life-threatening refractory hypoxemia developing. Physicians may consider hypoxemic rescue therapies in an attempt to improve oxygenation in these patients while on conventional mechanical ventilation support. Use of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) in ARDS is one of the most widely-studied pharmacological interventions over the past two decades.

Irrigation with Liquid Sevoflurane and Healing of a Postoperative, Recurrent Epidural Infection: A Potential Cost-Saving Alternative.

Background: The general inhalation anesthetic sevoflurane can be used for the topical treatment of complicated wounds. It is applied in liquid form and may be used to irrigate the inside of cavities. Sevoflurane also exhibits in vitro antimicrobial activity.

Drug Interaction Between Oral Cyclosporine Modified and Iron.

Objective: To describe a recent case of suspected interaction between oral cyclosporine modified and iron.

Case Summary: A 33-year-old man underwent urgent cardiac transplantation for refractory cardiogenic shock caused by acute myocarditis. The patient had persistently low levels of cyclosporine despite a dose increase of the drug after the change of administration route from intravenous to oral.