Assessment of Longitudinal Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Programs in Preparing Pharmacy Students for Residency Training.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) pharmacy residents felt more prepared for residency training after having completed a Longitudinal Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (LAPPE) program during pharmacy school.

Methods: This was a multicenter, two-arm, cross-sectional study among PGY-1 pharmacy residents. The primary outcome was self-reported residency preparedness.

A clinical focus on the use of extended-duration thromboprophylaxis in medically ill patients.

Purpose: This review describes and analyzes literature to provide recommendations for use of extended-duration thromboprophylaxis (EDT) in medically ill patients.

Summary: Guidelines recommend pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis for patients at increased thrombosis risk during hospitalization and recommend against extending thromboprophylaxis beyond hospitalization. Despite these recommendations, observational data demonstrate that venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk persists following hospital discharge.

Comparison of sustained rate control in atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate: Metoprolol vs. Diltiazem.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare sustained rate control with intravenous (IV) diltiazem vs. IV metoprolol in acute treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) with rapid ventricular rate (RVR) in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: This retrospective chart review at a large, academic medical center identified patients with AF with RVR diagnosis who received IV diltiazem or IV metoprolol in the ED.

Effect of Therapeutic Interchange on Medication Changes Between Admission and Discharge.

Therapeutic interchange (TI) is the dispensing of an alternative medication within the same class as the original medication. TI often occurs in hospitals; however, failure to return patients to their original medications may increase the risk of adverse effects following hospital discharge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between TI and discharge medication changes, hospital readmission rates, and emergency department visit rates following hospital discharge.

Factors Influencing Provider and Patient Choice of P2Y Inhibitor Therapy.

Background: Clopidogrel is the most commonly prescribed P2Y inhibitor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or stent placement, though ticagrelor or prasugrel may be preferred. Medication-related factors may influence selection of therapy.

Objectives: To determine which factors most greatly influence cardiology-provider and patient selection of P2Y inhibitor to guide shared-decision making (SDM).

Critically Ill Recipients of Weight-Based Fluconazole Meeting Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network Criteria.

Fluconazole-associated liver injury is estimated to occur in <10% of patients; however, effect of weight-based fluconazole dosing on liver injury is unknown. Furthermore, no studies have systematically applied the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) Criteria to identify patients who may have drug-induced liver injury in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting. This study evaluated how often patients met DILIN criteria when receiving fluconazole daily doses of <6 mg/kg versus ⩾6 mg/kg.

Effect of Nonselective β-Blockers on Mortality in Patients With End-Stage Cirrhosis.

Data regarding safety of nonselective β-blockers (NSBBs) in patients with end-stage cirrhosis are conflicting, making it difficult for practitioners to justify if benefits outweigh the risks. Evaluate the effect of NSBB use on mortality in patients with end-stage cirrhosis. We performed a dual-center retrospective study of patients who received octreotide for a variceal bleed.

The effect of repeated testing of pharmacy calculations and drug knowledge to improve knowledge retention in pharmacy students.

Background And Purpose: Repeated testing has been shown to improve knowledge retention in students. However, there is limited literature on the effect of repeated testing in pharmacy students. Our objective was to determine if repeated testing improved retention of pharmacy calculations and drug knowledge.

The Role of Cefepime in the Treatment of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Infections.

Objective: To review the efficacy of cefepime for use in infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms.

Data Sources: A PubMed literature search (May 2000 to June 2017) was performed using the keyword and the MeSH terms and

Study Selection And Data Extraction: All human, English language studies evaluating cefepime use for the treatment of ESBL-producing and infections were included.

Data Synthesis: Studies assessing the use of cefepime for ESBL infections are few, and clinical studies are limited by design and sample size.

Management of Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants Surrounding Dental Procedures With Low-to-Moderate Risk of Bleeding.

The purpose of this article is to review the available evidence regarding how to safely manage direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy in patients requiring dental procedures with low-to-moderate risk of bleeding. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE and PubMed. Each author performed an independent search to ensure all pertinent articles were identified.

Aspirin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly.

Objective: This article aims to use the available evidence assessing aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) events in the elderly to determine its appropriate use.

Data Sources: A literature search of clinical trials and meta-analyses was conducted using MEDLINE and PubMed with the search terms aspirin, bleeding, CV events, elderly, geriatrics, hemorrhage, myocardial infarction (MI), primary prevention, and stroke.

Study Selection/data Extraction: Twelve hundred fourteen (1,214) articles were initially found, and 55 were reviewed.