Blood Biomarkers for Triaging Patients for Suspected Stroke: Every Minute Counts.

Early stroke diagnosis remains a big challenge in healthcare partly due to the lack of reliable diagnostic blood biomarkers, which in turn leads to increased rates of mortality and disability. Current screening methods are optimised to identify patients with a high risk of cardio-vascular disease, especially among the elderly. However, in young adults and children, these methods suffer low sensitivity and specificity and contribute to further delays in their triage and diagnosis.

Pharmacists' Perspectives on the Use of My Health Record.

(1) Background: My Health Record (MHR) is a relatively new nationwide Australian digital health record system accessible by patients and a range of healthcare professionals. Pharmacists will be key contributors and users of the MHR system, yet little is known about the perceived barriers and benefits of use. (2) Objective: To explore pharmacists' perspectives related to potential benefits and barriers associated with use of MHR.

Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Compounding Training in the Australian Undergraduate Pharmacy Curricula.

In recent decades the role of the Australian community pharmacist has evolved to focus primarily on pharmaceutical care provision. Despite this, compounding remains an important product service offered by pharmacists. The aim of this study was to qualitatively describe the current integration of training in compounding within Bachelor of Pharmacy courses in Australia.

Pharmacists as a Source of Advice on Medication Use for Athletes.

: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) specifies substances that competitive sportspersons are not allowed to take. Some of these substances are contained in common medicines used in everyday medical practice and could be used by athletes by accident. This study aimed to explore pharmacists' knowledge and confidence in guiding athletes about the use of medicines in professional sport.

Identification of Risk of QT Prolongation by Pharmacists When Conducting Medication Reviews in Residential Aged Care Settings: A Missed Opportunity?

QT interval prolongation is associated with torsade de pointes and sudden cardiac death. QT prolongation can be caused by many drugs that are commonly prescribed in elderly residential aged care populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of use of QT-prolonging drugs and to identify interventions made by pharmacists to reduce the risk of QT prolongation when conducting medication reviews in aged care.

Drug-disease interactions: narrative review of aspirin in gastric ulcer.

Introduction: Drug-disease interactions include the impact of a drug and a particular disease condition on each other. However, the current practice in addressing drug-disease interaction is unbalanced and mostly limited to how the drug worsens the disease or health condition.

Areas Covered: Aspirin and gastric ulcer interaction are used as an example to illustrate this concept, especially the narration of how disease affects drug efficacy.

SULT 1A3 single-nucleotide polymorphism and the single dose pharmacokinetics of inhaled salbutamol enantiomers: are some athletes at risk of higher urine levels?

The study was designed to investigate the effect of a common genetic variation of the main salbutamol metabolizing enzyme SULT1A3 (single nucleotide polymorphism 105A>G, rs1975350) on the stereoselective pharmacokinetics of salbutamol. Subjects were administered a 400 µg dose of inhaled salbutamol via a large volume spacer and blood samples were collected over 4 h. Plasma levels of (R)- and (S)-salbutamol were determined by an enantioselective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay.

Enantioselective disposition of (R/S)-albuterol in skeletal and cardiac muscle.

Significant enhancement of skeletal muscle function has been observed with racemic albuterol (salbutamol). There is now general acceptance that the R-albuterol enantiomer elicits the pharmacological response, both in the lungs and extrapulmonary, while S-albuterol is pharmacologically inert. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of (R/S)-albuterol enantiomers into skeletal and cardiac muscle.

Cardiovascular risk assessment in prediabetes and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus study: international collaboration research overview.

The study aims to develop a screening protocol for the risk of future cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus in people with prediabetes and undiagnosed diabetes; and to establish a framework for early identification and intervention of prediabetes including strategies for holistic management and monitoring of progression. The first phase is to identify prediabetes and undiagnosed diabetes in volunteers who are ≥18-years-old for 5 years. Point-of-care testing and questionnaire will be used to screen for prediabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Albuterol enantiomer levels, lung function and QTc interval in patients with acute severe asthma and COPD in the emergency department.

Background: This observational study was designed to investigate plasma levels of albuterol enantiomers among patients with acute severe asthma or COPD presenting to the emergency department, and the relationship with extra-pulmonary cardiac effects (QTc interval) and lung function. Recent reviews have raised concerns about the safety of using large doses of β2-agonists, especially in patients with underlying cardiovascular comorbidity. It has been demonstrated that significant extrapulmonary effects can be observed in subjects given nebulised (R/S)-albuterol at a dose of as little as 6.