Racial disproportionality of students in United States colleges of pharmacy.

Objective: To describe the disproportionality of racial and ethnic people of color (i.e., minorities) among the student body in schools and colleges of pharmacy (COPs) compared to county-specific United States Census Bureau data.

Evaluation of Antidiabetic Injectable Technique: Is There an Association between Accuracy and Health Literacy or Duration of Diabetes?

Introduction: Effective diabetes pharmacotherapy often involves injectable medications, which if used inappropriately represents a type of unintentional medication nonadherence that leads to poor outcomes.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess the percent of patients who accurately prepared, administered, stored, and disposed of their injectable diabetes medication. Secondary objectives included comparing the accuracy of injectable use among those with diabetes <5 years vs.

Hypothyroid Symptoms in Levothyroxine-Treated Patients.

Purpose: Approximately 15% of patients with hypothyroidism are dissatisfied with their treatment due to persistence of residual symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. The purpose of this study was to compare thyroid symptoms using the hypothyroid symptom scale (HSS) in patients receiving stable thyroid therapy for 6 months to patients without hypothyroidism. The HSS was used to identify the percentage of levothyroxine-treated hypothyroid patients with residual or persistent hypothyroid symptoms.

Immuno-Oncology Medicines: Policy Implications and Economic Considerations.

Significant progress has taken place in the field of cancer immunotherapy in recent years. Cancer immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, have shown rather dramatic results and are believed to have completely transformed the field of oncology. However, these transformational therapies are more expensive than previous cancer therapies.

Effects of Denosumab After Treatment Discontinuation : A Review of the Literature.

Objective: To review and summarize studies on the effects of denosumab on bone mineral density following the discontinuation of therapy.

Data Sources: A search of PubMed (1966-July 2017) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-July 2017) was conducted using the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms denosumab, osteoporosis, and withholding treatment in combination with free term searches including the words drug holiday, discontinue, discontin*, and drug discontinuation.

Study Selection And Data Extraction: An initial review yielded 10 articles.

Retained Skeletal Effects of Zoledronic Acid Following Discontinuation of Treatment: A Review of the Literature.

Objective: To evaluate the effects on bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover markers (BTMs), and fracture incidence following zoledronic acid (ZOL) discontinuation.

Data Sources: A search of PubMed (1966-May 2016) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-May 2016) was conducted using the MeSH terms zoledronic acid, osteoporosis, and withholding treatment. Free text searches included drug holiday and drug discontinuation.

Enzymatic Stability of Alteplase Solution for Injection: Effect of Various Methods of Thawing Frozen Solutions.

Objective: To modify and evaluate an established chromogenic assay protocol for measuring plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) activity to measure tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) activity and compare the enzymatic activity of alteplase as a function of the conditions under which it is thawed.

Methods: A 50 mg vial of alteplase was reconstituted with sterile water to make a 1 mg/mL stock solution (nominal concentration). Plastic syringes were loaded with 0.

Characteristics of FDA drug recalls: A 30-month analysis.

Purpose: The characteristics of drug recalls issued over 30 months by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were analyzed.

Methods: All FDA-issued recalls for drugs (prescription and nonprescription, including dietary supplements) and biological products issued from June 20, 2012, to December 31, 2014, were included in this retrospective analysis. Data for all drug recalls were downloaded and sorted by the inclusion criteria from weekly FDA enforcement reports.

Future of bisphosphonates and denosumab for men with advanced prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer occurring in American men of all races. It is also the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the USA. Bone metastasis is a frequent occurrence in men with advanced prostate cancer, with skeletal-related events being a common complication and having negative consequences, leading to severe pain, increased health care costs, increased risk of death, and decreased quality of life for patients.

Preapproval and postapproval availability of published comparative efficacy research on biological agents.

Purpose: Preapproval and postapproval availability of published comparative efficacy studies on biological agents approved between 2000 and 2010 was investigated.

Methods: Approval packages published on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website were examined for all biological agents approved between 2000 and 2010 to determine if comparative efficacy studies were available at the time of FDA approval. The availability of comparative efficacy studies published subsequent to approval was determined by searching PubMed for randomized, active-controlled experimental or observational study designs that measured efficacy as the primary endpoint and were relevant to the original FDA-approved indication.

Dabigatran for the prevention of thromboembolic complications in the elderly: a RE-LY-able alternative to warfarin?

On October 19, 2010, the Food and Drug Administration approved dabigatran (Pradaxa) for reducing the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). The use of warfarin sodium has been considered a mainstay therapy for the prevention of thromboembolic complications secondary to AF. Despite its efficacy among oral antithrombotic agents for the prevention of thromboembolic complications secondary to AF, only about 67% of candidates for warfarin receive appropriate antithrombotic therapy.

Tablet splitting: a review of the clinical and economic outcomes and patient acceptance. Second of a 2-part series. Part 1 was published in May 2012 (Consult Pharm 2012;27:239-53).

Objective: To describe the clinical outcomes, patient acceptance, and economic effect associated with tablet splitting.

Data Sources: PubMed (1966-June 2011) and International Pharmaceutical Abstract (1975-June 2011) searches were conducted using tablet splitting as the search terms.

Study Selection: All studies that evaluated the clinical outcome (n = 4), patient acceptance (n = 5), and economic effects (n = 8) of tablet splitting were included.

Tablet splitting: a review of weight and content uniformity.

Objective: To describe the product integrity and ethical/ legal issues associated with tablet splitting.

Data Sources: PubMed (1966-June 2011), International Pharmaceutical Abstract (1975-June 2011), and bibliographic searches were conducted.

Study Selection: All studies that evaluated the weight/dose variations (N = 13) of split tablets were included.

Clinical Considerations for Roflumilast: A New Treatment for COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes significant morbidity and mortality and represents the fourth leading cause of death in the world. Roflumilast is the first oral phosphodiesterase inhibitor indicated to reduce the risk of COPD exacerbations in patients with severe COPD associated with chronic bronchitis and history of exacerbations. Roflumilast and its active metabolite have been associated with increased cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in the lungs and positive responses with inflammatory markers.

Dronedarone: an alternative to amiodarone?

Objective: To review the safety and efficacy of the newly approved, mixed-activity antiarrhythmic dronedarone (classes I-IV) versus its parent compound comparator, amiodarone (class III, with mixed activity).

Data Sources: A MEDLINE/PUBMED (January 1966 to March 2010) and International Pharmaceutical Abstract (January 1975 to March 2010) search of English language papers in addition to a bibliographic search of retrieved papers.

Study Selection: All human studies of dronedarone, alone or in combination with amiodarone, were reviewed.

Thienopyridine antiplatelet agents: focus on prasugrel.

Objective: To assess the potential role of prasugrel in the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in older adults.

Data Source: PubMed and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts searches (1966 to 2009) were conducted to identify pertinent English-language studies on the use of prasugrel.

Study Selection And Data Extraction: All human studies evaluating pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic or clinical efficacy of prasugrel were evaluated.

Google Scholar versus PubMed in locating primary literature to answer drug-related questions.

Background: Google Scholar linked more visitors to biomedical journal Web sites than did PubMed after the database's initial release; however, its usefulness in locating primary literature articles is unknown.

Objective: To assess in both databases the availability of primary literature target articles; total number of citations; availability of free, full-text journal articles; and number of primary literature target articles retrieved by year within the first 100 citations of the search results.

Methods: Drug information question reviews published in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy Drug Information Rounds column served as targets to determine the retrieval ability of Google Scholar and PubMed searches.

Prazosin for treatment of nightmares related to posttraumatic stress disorder.

Purpose: The efficacy of prazosin for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related nightmares is reviewed.

Summary: PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults. The event that induced PTSD is often relived through nightmares or flashbacks.

Preparing students for community pharmacy practice during a drug information advanced practice experience.

Objective: To determine whether students completing an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) at an academic-affiliated drug information center received questions similar to those received by pharmacists practicing in community settings.

Methods: Graduates of Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy residing in Southeastern states were surveyed via US mail to determine the characteristics of inquiries received from health care providers and the public in community practice. Survey results were compared to inquiries received at Samford University Global Drug Information Center (SUGDIS).

Modafinil augmentation for residual symptoms of fatigue in patients with a partial response to antidepressants.

Objective: To evaluate the literature discussing the use of modafinil in the treatment of residual symptoms of fatigue in patients with depression.

Data Sources: PubMed (1966-March 2007) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-March 2007) were searched using the key words modafinil and depression. A manual search of the reference section of the articles retrieved was conducted to identify articles not indexed in either of these sources.

Student perceptions of online lectures and WebCT in an introductory drug information course.

Objectives: To determine student perceptions regarding online lectures and quizzes during an introductory drug information course for first-year professional doctor of pharmacy students.

Design: Formal and online lectures, online quizzes, written semester projects, a practice-based examination, a careers in pharmacy exercise, and a final examination were used to deliver the course content and assess performance. A multiple-choice survey instrument was used to evaluate student perceptions of WebCT and online lectures.

Approximate equivalent rosuvastatin doses for temporary statin interchange programs.

Objective: To estimate approximate doses of rosuvastatin equivalent to the other hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) for a temporary substitution program.

Data Sources: A literature search was conducted to locate clinical trials directly comparing rosuvastatin with other statins that evaluated the magnitude of cholesterol lowering.

Data Synthesis: The mean low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol values from the clinical trials were assessed.