Key considerations in navigating ticagrelor's reported effect on heparin-induced thrombocytopenia functional assays in a landscape of limited data.

Purpose: This article discusses key considerations regarding ticagrelor's reported effect on heparin-induced thrombocytopenia functional assays, such as literature gaps and possible management strategies.

Summary: Limited data indicate that ticagrelor may induce false-negative results in functional assays used in the diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. False-negative functional assays for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia could have catastrophic consequences.

Effect of an Educational Video Miniseries on Interprofessional Preceptor Development.

Objective: Experiential rotation preceptors may lack confidence in instructing interprofessional learners. This study examined the effect of a 12-episode, professionally produced video miniseries on attitudinal, satisfaction, and confidence outcomes in a cohort of interprofessional preceptors comprising pharmacy, medicine, nursing, and other allied health professionals.

Methods: An invitation to view the miniseries was distributed to all health science preceptors within 1 large, public health science university.

Corticosteroid administration and glycemic outcomes during treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: While international guidelines recommend low doses of systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) clinical practice patterns show significant heterogeneity. Increasing doses of corticosteroids have inconsistently been associated with a greater risk of hyperglycemia.

Methods: Patients admitted to inpatient services for AECOPD were retrospectively enrolled.

Student Pharmacists' Perceptions of Male Faculty Teaching Female-Specific Sex and Gender Health Topics.

The primary objective of this study was to assess perceptions of second year pharmacy students regarding predominantly male faculty instructing them regarding female physiology, pathophysiology, and gender health topics. A cross-sectional survey was administered to second year pharmacy students at a small, private, non-profit college of pharmacy at the conclusion of their women's health integrated pharmacotherapeutics course. Students were asked to rate their level of agreement with various statements using a five-point Likert scale on which 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree.

Gagné's 9 Events of Instruction With Active Learning: Teaching Student Pharmacists How to Measure Blood Pressure.

As the scope of practice for pharmacists expands to include rendering physical assessment procedures, colleges and schools of pharmacy are increasingly incorporating various assessment skills into the curriculum. Pharmacy practice faculty are increasingly tasked with teaching and assessing learners on professional competency in entrustable professional activities and skills such as manual blood pressure measurement. Manual measurement using a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope is considered the gold standard with regard to evaluating blood pressure.

A retrospective analysis of clinical acuity markers on hospital length of stay in patients with febrile neutropenia.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to identify factors that have predictive value in determining total hospital length of stay in patients with febrile neutropenia, particularly time to first antibiotic dose.

Methods: This study was a retrospective chart review analyzing patients admitted to a 443 bed tertiary county teaching hospital from 1 November 2010 through 1 November 2015. Patients were eligible for enrollment into the study if they met Infectious Diseases Society of America accepted criteria for febrile neutropenia.

Linezolid-Associated Hypoglycemia.

Our case describes a 77-year-old, African American male who was experiencing recurrent hypoglycemic episodes, which resulted in two emergency department (ED) visits and a subsequent inpatient admission during his second ED visit. He was prescribed linezolid 600 mg twice daily for 14 days for the treatment of a Staphylococcus hominis urinary tract infection. Nine and a half days into therapy, the patient began having recurrent hypoglycemic episodes.