The Impact of a Pharmacist-Driven Bacteremia Initiative in a Community Hospital: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

Purpose: is a leading cause of bacteremia with a 30-day mortality of 20%. This study evaluated outcomes after implementation of a pharmacist-driven bacteremia (SAB) initiative in a community hospital.

Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis compared patients admitted with SAB between May 2015 and April 2018 (intervention group) to those admitted between May 2012 and April 2015 (historical control group).

Factors Associated With Prolonged Antibiotic Use in the Setting of Suspected Pneumonia and Negative Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cultures.

Diagnostic criterion for pneumonia includes clinical data and bronchoalveolar lavage cultures (BALCx) to identify pathogens. Although ~60% of BALCx are negative, there may be reluctance to discontinue antibiotics, leading to prolonged antibiotic use (PAU). The purpose of this study is to compare outcomes of subjects with negative BALCx with PAU versus without prolonged antibiotic use (nPAU).

Clinically Significant Bradycardia and Hypotension Following Consumption of Betel Leaf in a Patient Treated for Chronic Atrial Fibrillation.

A case of new onset bradycardia and hypotension following betel leaf consumption in combination with verapamil and metoprolol in an atrial fibrillation (AF) patient. A 66-year-old Nigerian woman presented to the emergency department for evaluation of multiple near syncope episodes with underlying AF and slow ventricular response. After initial evaluation, the patient disclosed she had ingested several betel leaves that morning.

Comparison of pharmacist- and provider-managed lithium in an inpatient medical center: A 6-month review.

Background: Lithium is commonly used for the treatment of mood disorders and possesses a narrow therapeutic index. A medication utilization evaluation performed regarding its use at an academic medical center found that only 89.9% of patients received a lithium level within 24 hours of admission.

Piperacillin-Tazobactam Versus Carbapenems for the Treatment of Nonbacteremic Urinary Tract Infections due to Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Carbapenems are the drug of choice for treatment of infections due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Current evidence regarding piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ) as an effective treatment alternative remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of PTZ versus carbapenems for treatment of nonbacteremic urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Retrospective Analysis of Oxcarbazepine in Pregnant Women With Substance Use Disorders: Focus on Safety.

Background: Published safety data in pregnant epileptic women suggests that oxcarbazepine (OXC) may be a treatment option in nonepileptic pregnant women with substance use disorders (SUDs) and psychiatric symptomatology.

Objective: To compare safety outcomes associated with OXC exposure versus non-exposure in nonepileptic pregnant women with SUD and comorbid psychiatric symptomatology.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify pregnant women 18 years or older with a SUD who delivered at the study site.

Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome: Phenobarbital vs CIWA-Ar Protocol.

Background: Benzodiazepine-based therapy for alcohol withdrawal is associated with agitation and respiratory depression. Treatment can be complicated by a need for adjunctive therapy to control these symptoms and in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. Strong evidence for the effectiveness of alternative treatment modalities is lacking, despite the availability of promising pharmacological agents such as phenobarbital.

The Role of Computerized Clinical Decision Support in Reducing Inappropriate Medication Administration During Epidural Therapy.

The use of epidural anesthesia has been shown to improve outcomes in the postoperative setting. To minimize risk of complications, avoiding certain medications with epidural anesthesia is advised. This study sought to determine the role of a computerized clinical decision support module implemented into the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system on the incidence of administration of medications known to increase complications with epidural anesthesia.