Association of Co-Curricular Activities to ACPE Standard #3 Elements by Student-Reported Competencies.

Objective: To assess the influence of required co-curricular activities on Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards 2016: Standard #3 Elements-Approach to Practice and Care competencies using year-end student surveys.

Methods: Year-end surveys of P1-P4 students compared student self-assessments of their own aptitude for each Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) 2013 outcomes in ACPE Standard #3 from a three-year period where co-curricular activities were voluntary (volunteer period) with three years where a unique co-curricular activity was required each semester without academic credit (required period). A total of 294 unique co-curricular activities were offered through the required period.

Tissue-resident skeletal muscle macrophages promote recovery from viral pneumonia-induced sarcopenia in normal aging.

Sarcopenia, which diminishes lifespan and healthspan in the elderly, is commonly exacerbated by viral pneumonia, including influenza and COVID-19. In a study of influenza A pneumonia in mice, young mice fully recovered from sarcopenia, while older mice did not. We identified a population of tissue-resident skeletal muscle macrophages that form a spatial niche with satellite cells and myofibers in young mice but are lost with age.

Integrating and Assessing Entrustable Professional Activities in Doctor of Pharmacy Curricula.

Objectives: The 2022 Curriculum Outcomes and Entrustable Professional Activities include an updated set of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for Doctor of Pharmacy graduates. To assist pharmacy educators with the integration and assessment of EPAs, this work aimed to review and synthesize approaches to integrate EPAs in health professions curricula, strategies for EPA-related assessments and entrustment in health professions curricula, and challenges and research needs for integrating EPAs in assessment frameworks in Doctor of Pharmacy curricula.

Findings: A literature review resulted in 114 articles identified as having relevance with 33 articles specific to pharmacy education.

Older Adult Misuse of Over-the-Counter Medications: Effectiveness of a Novel Pharmacy-Based Intervention to Improve Patient Safety.

Objectives: Older adults' (ages ≥65) inappropriate over-the-counter medications (OTC) use is prevalent, comprising Drug-Age, Drug-Drug, Drug-Disease, and Drug-Label types. Given that pharmacies sell many OTCs, structurally redesigning pharmacy aisles for improving patient safety (Senior Safe) was conceived to mitigate older adult OTC misuse, using Stop Signs and Behind-the-Counter Signs for high-risk OTCs. This study determined whether Senior Safe reduced high-risk OTCs misuse, while secondarily evaluating misuse changes for all OTCs.

Association of atrial fibrillation with lamotrigine: An observational cohort study.

Background: Drug-induced atrial fibrillation (AF) is recognized as an important causal association. Lamotrigine (LTG) is a widely prescribed neurological agent with Class IB antiarrhythmic properties at therapeutically relevant concentrations. The United States Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning for a higher risk of LTG proarrhythmic events in patients with structural heart disease (SHD) and/or myocardial ischemia.