Evaluation of the Impact of Corticosteroid Dose on the Incidence of Hyperglycemia in Hospitalized Patients with an Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Purpose: Guidelines recommend systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) albeit in lower doses than studies that cemented corticosteroids' place in therapy. Corticosteroids potentiate hyperglycemia, however it is undetermined how corticosteroid dose impacts hyperglycemia incidence.

Objectives: To establish whether a greater incidence of steroid-induced hyperglycemia (SIHGLY) exists for high- versus low-dose corticosteroids.

A Cross-sectional Analysis Investigating Organizational Factors That Influence Near-Miss Error Reporting Among Hospital Pharmacists.

Objective: Underreporting near-miss errors undermines hospitals' ability to improve patient safety. The objective of this analysis was to determine the extent to which punitive work climate, inadequate error feedback to staff, or insufficient preventative procedures are associated with decreased frequency of near-miss error reporting among hospital pharmacists.

Methods: Survey data were obtained from the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality 2010 Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture.

Associations between communication climate and the frequency of medical error reporting among pharmacists within an inpatient setting.

Objective: Although error-reporting systems enable hospitals to accurately track safety climate through the identification of adverse events, these systems may be underused within a work climate of poor communication. The objective of this analysis is to identify the extent to which perceived communication climate among hospital pharmacists impacts medical error reporting rates.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used survey responses from more than 5000 pharmacists responding to the 2010 Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC).

Asenapine: a clinical review of a second-generation antipsychotic.

Background: Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are both prevalent types of psychiatric illness in the United States. As second-generation antipsychotics have become a more viable first-line treatment option, their use has been associated with a new era of adverse events (AEs), most notably metabolic and cardiovascular concerns. Although treatment options for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have arguably improved, there continues to be a need for medications that achieve and maintain desired efficacy with minimal AEs.

Impact of health literacy on health outcomes in ambulatory care patients: a systematic review.

Objective: To examine the relationship between low health literacy and disease state control and between low health literacy medication adherence in the primary care setting.

Data Sources: The following databases were searched for relevant articles from date of inception to April 2008: The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, Education Resources Information Center, PsycINFO, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and Iowa Drug Information Service. MEDLINE was searched from 1966 to April 2008.