Effectiveness, safety and treatment adherence of biosimilar follow-on insulin in diabetes management.

Aim: To assess the change in HbA1c after initiation of biosimilar follow-on insulin (Basaglar) or reference insulin (Lantus) among patients with type 2 diabetes. We also compared treatment adherence, safety events and costs at 1 year after initiation of insulin.

Materials And Methods: Using claims data from a large US health plan during 2016-2020, we identified adults with type 2 diabetes who initiated either Basaglar or Lantus.

Major Bleeding Risk During Anticoagulation with Warfarin, Dabigatran, Apixaban, or Rivaroxaban in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: The use of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) has increased steadily following marketing approval; however, their relative safety in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients in real-world clinical practice remains unclear.

Objective: To compare the risk of major bleeding during anticoagulation therapy between warfarin and NOACs.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed administrative claims data on new NVAF users of warfarin, dabigatran, apixaban, or rivaroxaban in routine clinical care from November 2010 to February 2015 in a commercially insured population in the United States.

Analysis of the comparative effectiveness of 3 oral bisphosphonates in a large managed care organization: adherence, fracture rates, and all-cause cost.

Background: Despite widespread availability and use of oral bisphosphonates, fracture rates and associated medical costs are still high. Differences in fracture risk among these agents, if any, have not been quantified due to the lack of high-quality, head-to-head, randomized, controlled trials assessing this outcome. Randomized, placebo-controlled trials have shown that alendronate and risedronate reduce rates of both vertebral and nonvertebral fractures, whereas only reduction in vertebral fractures has been found for ibandronate.

Gender and age differences in medications dispensed from a national chain drugstore.

Objectives: Our objective was to compare sex and age differences in the medications dispensed in pharmacies from a large national drugstore chain.

Methods: Using a list for the 200 most commonly prescribed medicines, we assessed prescriptions dispensed by a large national chain drug store over 1 year (2002-2003). The analysis used U.

Prescribers' knowledge of and sources of information for potential drug-drug interactions: a postal survey of US prescribers.

Background: Given the high prevalence of medication use in the US, the risk of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) and potential for patient harm is of concern. Despite the rise in technologies to identify potential DDIs, the ability of physicians and other prescribers to recognize potential DDIs is essential to reduce their occurrence. The objectives of this study were to assess prescribers' ability to recognize potential clinically significant DDIs and to examine the sources of information they use to identify potential DDIs and prescribers' opinions on the usefulness of various DDI information sources.

Impact of delayed initiation of erythropoietin in critically ill patients.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) use for anemia of critical illness at a practice site where delayed initiation is common.

Methods: Retrospective medical record review involving patients treated with rHuEPO for anemia of critical illness. Those patients given rHuEPO or diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prior to ICU admission were excluded.

Potential drug-drug interactions within Veterans Affairs medical centers.

Purpose: This study assessed the prevalence of 25 clinically important drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in the ambulatory care clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs).

Methods: This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional database analysis of pharmacy records to assess the prevalence of 25 clinically important DDIs. For each DDI, the object drug was defined as the medication that has its therapeutic effect modified by the drug interaction process.

Reliability evaluation of the adapted national coordinating council medication error reporting and prevention (NCC MERP) index.

Purpose: Adapted National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP) Index criteria were used in a study undertaken to evaluate commercial computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system impact on community hospital medication errors. This article describes: (1) adaptation of the Index, (2) classification criteria and processes used to assess the adapted Index, and (3) inter-rater reliability results.

Methods: A random sample of 130 (17%) of 2251 medication safety events (MSEs) were classified based on event type, that is, adverse drug event (ADE) or potential ADE (PADE); preventability, that is, 'yes' or 'no,' and outcome severity.

Pharmacist workload and pharmacy characteristics associated with the dispensing of potentially clinically important drug-drug interactions.

Background: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are preventable medical errors, yet exposure to DDIs continues despite systems that are designed to prevent such exposures. The purpose of this study was to examine pharmacy characteristics that may be associated with dispensed potential DDIs.

Methods: This study combined survey data from community pharmacies in 18 metropolitan statistical areas with pharmacy claims submitted to 4 pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) over a 3-month period from January 1, 2003 to March 31, 2003.

Practitioners' views on computerized drug-drug interaction alerts in the VA system.

Objectives: To assess Veterans Affairs (VA) prescribers' and pharmacists' opinions about computer-generated drug-drug interaction (DDI) alerts and obtain suggestions for improving DDI alerts.

Design: A mail survey of 725 prescribers and 142 pharmacists from seven VA medical centers across the United States.

Measurements: A questionnaire asked respondents about their sources of drug and DDI information, satisfaction with the combined inpatient and outpatient computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) system, attitude toward DDI alerts, and suggestions for improving DDI alerts.

Pharmacologic management of constipation in the critically ill patient.

Study Objective: To compare the effectiveness of common laxatives in producing a bowel movement in patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU).

Design: Retrospective medical record review.

Setting: MICU of an academic medical center.

Evaluation of the performance of drug-drug interaction screening software in community and hospital pharmacies.

Background: Computerized drug-drug interaction (DDI) screening is widely used to identify potentially harmful drug combinations in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of drug-drug interaction (DDI) screening software in identifying select clinically significant DDIs in pharmacy computer systems in community and hospital pharmacies.

Methods: Ten community pharmacies and 10 hospital pharmacies in the Tucson metropolitan area were invited to participate in the study in 2004.

Workload and availability of technology in metropolitan community pharmacies.

Objective: To assess workload characteristics and the presence of prescription processing technologies within metropolitan community pharmacies in the United States.

Design: Cross-sectional postal survey.

Setting: 18 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the United States.

Community pharmacy managers' perception of computerized drug-drug interaction alerts.

Objective: To examine community pharmacists' attitudes toward computerized drug-drug interaction (DDI) alerts and identify factors associated with more favorable perceptions of these alerts.

Design: Cross-sectional postal survey.

Setting: 18 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the United States.

Incremental effects of concurrent pharmacotherapeutic regimens for heart failure on hospitalizations and costs.

Background: Inappropriate medication use in patients with heart failure (HF) presents challenges in providing optimal, evidence-based care.

Objective: To evaluate the incremental differences of concurrent and persistent use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers, loop diuretics, and digoxin on the one-year, all-cause risk of hospitalization and total healthcare costs associated with treatment of HF in patients enrolled in a managed care organization within the US.

Methods: A retrospective database analysis was conducted spanning from January 1, 1997, to December 31, 1999.

Using community indicators to assess nutrition in Arizona-Mexico border communities.

Introduction: Community indicators are used to measure and monitor factors that affect the well-being of a community or region. Community indicators can be used to assess nutrition. Evaluating nutrition in communities along the Arizona-Mexico border is important because nutrition is related to an individual's risk of overweight or obesity; obesity is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.

Longitudinal analysis of the use of etanercept versus infliximab determined from medical chart audit.

Objective: To describe the dosing of etanercept and infliximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Adult patients with a diagnosis of RA who were treated with either etanercept or infliximab between 1999 and 2002 were selected from 16 rheumatology practices in the western and southeastern United States. Patients with a terminal illness or those receiving a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor for an indication other than RA were excluded.

Identification of serious drug-drug interactions: results of the partnership to prevent drug-drug interactions.

Objective: To develop a list of clinically important drug-drug interactions (DDIs) likely to be encountered in community and ambulatory pharmacy settings and detected by a computerized pharmacy system.

Design: Cross-sectional, one-time evaluation.

Setting: United States in fall 2001.

Concordance of severity ratings provided in four drug interaction compendia.

Objective: To evaluate the agreement among drug-drug interaction (DDI) compendia as to designation of interactions as having the greatest clinical importance ("major" DDIs).

Design: Cross-sectional, one-time evaluation.

Setting: United States in fall 2001.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy in patients with heart failure enrolled in a managed care organization: effect on costs and probability of hospitalization.

Study Objective: To evaluate the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy on risk of hospitalization and resource utilization in patients with heart failure enrolled in a managed care organization.

Design: Retrospective medical and pharmacy claims analysis.

Patients: One thousand five hundred seventy-three patients with heart failure enrolled in a managed care organization.