Randomized Trial Comparing Standard Versus Ultrasound-Assisted Thrombolysis for Submassive Pulmonary Embolism: The SUNSET sPE Trial.

Objectives: The aim of this trial was to determine whether ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis (USAT) is superior to standard catheter-directed thrombolysis (SCDT) in pulmonary arterial thrombus reduction for patients with submassive pulmonary embolism (sPE).

Background: Catheter-directed therapy has been increasingly used in sPE and massive pulmonary embolism as a decompensation prevention and potentially lifesaving procedure. It is unproved whether USAT is superior to SCDT using traditional multiple-side-hole catheters in the treatment of patients with pulmonary embolism.

Clopidogrel Resistance in Lower Extremity Arterial Endovascular Interventions.

Antiplatelet pharmacotherapy for endovascular interventions has been widely adopted, with clopidogrel being one of the most common agents prescribed. A fraction of patients is resistant to clopidogrel resulting in decreased platelet inhibition despite adequate use. This finding is often termed high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) and may lead to decreased patency in lower extremity arterial endovascular interventions.

A study of time saved by emergency medicine physicians through working with clinical pharmacists in the emergency department.

Purpose: To describe quantitatively the impact on physician efficiency when an Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist (EMCP) is available to Emergency Department (ED) physicians while working under a collaborative care agreement in a Michigan-based Health System.

Methods: Four EMCPs each logged and categorized their time during 14 ten hour shifts, for a total of 56 shifts or 560 total hours worked. There were nine categories observed including: culture call back, urine, blood, or other culture follow up, antibiotic changes, patient call-backs, pharmacy call backs, critically ill, and general questions.