Questionnaire on the Current Status and Awareness of Palliative Medicine by Community Cooperation Pharmacies.

Community cooperation pharmacies are equipped to prepare narcotics and sterile injectable drugs for palliative medicine at home for cancer pain and end-of-life care; however, to the best of our knowledge, the actual status of the system to provide palliative medicine at home has not yet been examined. Therefore, in this study, given that home palliative medicine is one of the accreditation criteria for community cooperation pharmacies, a questionnaire survey was conducted among managing pharmacists engaged in community cooperation pharmacies to investigate the actual status of the system to provide appropriate services, mainly pain management, to patients who need home palliative medicine. An analysis of responses to the questionnaire showed that pharmacists working in community cooperation pharmacies had a high level of understanding of the proper use of rescue doses of medical narcotics and patient guidance.

Effect of Central Venous Nutrition Infusion, Intravenous Fat Emulsion, and Therapeutic Agents on the Particle Size of Fat Emulsion for Simultaneous Administration of Three Drugs.

Background: In Japan, therapeutic agents are often administered through the side tube of a central venous line or mixed with a total parenteral nutrition (TPN) infusion. This is expected to result in the mixture of three drugs in the infusion line: the infusion product for TPN, the fat emulsion, and the therapeutic agent. Therefore, we investigated whether various therapeutic agents affect the particle size of the fat emulsion.

Visualization of cross-resistance between antimicrobial agents by asymmetric multidimensional scaling.

What Is Known And Objective: In our previous studies, we developed a cross-resistance rate (CRR) correlation diagram (CRR diagram) that visually captures the magnitude of CRRs between antimicrobials using scatter plots. We used asymmetric multidimensional scaling (MDS) to transform cross-resistance similarities between antimicrobials into a 2-dimensional map and attempted to visually express them. We also explored the antibiograms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa before and after the transfer to newly built hospitals, and we determined by the CRR diagram that the CRRs among β-lactam antimicrobials other than carbapenems decreased substantially with the facility transfer.

Bacterial contamination of lightproof covers for high-calorie infusion solutions in wards.

Deterioration of drugs due to light exposure is one of the major concerns, especially regarding protection of high-calorie infusion solutions, lightproof covers are used in hospitals. In the absence of any set standards regarding their usage, they are often reused. This study aimed to investigate bacterial contamination of lightproof covers used in hospital wards.

Monitoring antimicrobial cross-resistance with cross-resistance rate correlation diagrams: Changes in antibiotic susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa due to hospital relocation.

What Is Known And Objective: Though most medical institutions calculate antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance rates of microbes isolated at their own facility as part of their efforts to promote the proper use of antibiotics, very few, if any, regularly monitor cross-resistance rates between antimicrobial agents. The authors have devised a tool in the form of a cross-resistance rate correlation diagram (CRR diagram) that allows easy identification of increases or decreases in, or changes in the pattern of, antimicrobial cross-resistance. The objective was to perform an analysis by CRR diagrams of the effect of relocation to a newly built facility on antimicrobial resistance and cross-resistance rates at a medical facility.

Drug-induced lung disease adverse effect with Ledipasvir Acetonate/Sofosbuvir.

Background: Interferon and ribavirin have been used as therapeutic agents for chronic hepatitis C infection or C-compensated cirrhosis in the conventional treatment. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) -specific direct-acting antiviral agents that directly inhibit the growth process of HCV have been approved since 2011. However, in the early post-marketing vigilance phase of ledipasvir acetonate/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF), there were reports of interstitial lung disease in 4 out of 32,700 cases with death in 1 case; the onset mechanism is unknown.

Effects of semi-solidification of enteral nutrients on the pharmacokinetic behavior of orally administered carbamazepine in rats.

The use of semi-solid enteral nutrients plays an extremely important role in accurate nutrition management. In the present study, we compared the pharmacokinetic profile of orally administered carbamazepine (CBZ) in rats treated with liquid RACOL, semi-solid RACOL, and HINE E-gel, which are enteral nutrients marketed in Japan. Since liquid and semi-solid formulations are both marketed in Japan for RACOL, liquid RACOL was orally administered to control rats.

Compatibility of Intravenous Fat Emulsion with Antibiotics for Secondary Piggyback Infusion.

Background: The Guidelines for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition in Japan state that parenteral fat emulsion can be infused through a secondary administration set. We tested the compatibility of fat emulsion with antibiotics in piggyback infusions in terms of changes in the size distribution of fat particles.

Methods: Test mixtures of 5% glucose solution, fat emulsion, and 25 antibiotic agents were prepared in the ratio appropriate for piggyback infusion (33: 10: 40) and analyzed serially for the number of fine particles by size using a light-shielded automatic fine particle counter.

Alterations in Pharmacokinetics of Orally Administered Carbamazepine in Rats Treated with Sodium alginate: Possible Interaction between Therapeutic Drugs and Semi-solid Enteral Nutrients.

Objective: The use of enteral nutrients plays an extremely important role in accurate nutrition management. Sodium alginate (SA) is frequently used for the semi-solidification of enteral nutrients. In the present study, we investigated whether the pharmacokinetic profile of orally administered carbamazepine (CBZ) is altered by a treatment with SA immediately before and after dosing of the drug.

Prevention of Doxorubicin-Induced Renal Toxicity by Theanine in Rats.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly potent anti-neoplastic agent widely used in clinical practice, but its dosage and duration of administration are strictly limited due to dose-related organ damage. In the present study, we examined whether theanine, an amino acid derivative found in green tea leaves, can protect against DOX-induced acute nephrotoxicity in rats. Decreases in the creatinine clearance by DOX administration were attenuated by concurrent treatment with theanine, which was consistent with the change in histological renal images assessed by microscopic examination.

Bactericidal effects of deep ultraviolet light-emitting diode for solutions during intravenous infusion.

Ultraviolet irradiation is effectively used as a disinfection method for inactivating microorganisms. We investigated the bactericidal effects by irradiation with a deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diode (DUV-LED) on the causative microorganisms of catheter related blood stream infection contaminating the solution for intravenous infusion. For irradiation, prototype modules for water disinfection with a DUV-LED were used.

In vitro and in vivo effects of selected fibers on the pharmacokinetics of orally administered carbamazepine: Possible interaction between therapeutic drugs and semisolid enteral nutrients.

Objective: The management of nutrition using semisolid enteral nutrients is considered useful for avoiding the adverse effects associated with liquid enteral nutrients. In the present study, we used an in vitro analysis to investigate whether carbamazepine (CBZ) is adsorbed by the fibers included in semisolid enteral nutrients. The effects of these fibers on the pharmacokinetic profile of CBZ following its oral administration were also examined in rats.

Water Soluble Vitamins Enhance the Growth of Microorganisms in Peripheral Parenteral Nutrition Solutions.

Peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) solutions contain amino acids, glucose, and electrolytes, with or without some water soluble vitamins. Peripheral venous catheters are one of the causes of catheter related blood stream infection (CRBSI), which requires infection control. In Japan, PPN solutions have rarely been prepared under aseptic conditions.

Altered tolbutamide pharmacokinetics by a decrease in hepatic expression of CYP2C6/11 in rats pretreated with 5-fluorouracil.

1. We investigated the change in the pharmacokinetic profile of tolbutamide (TB), a substrate for CYP2C6/11, 4 days after single administration of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and the hepatic gene expression and activity of CYP2C6/11 were also examined in 5-FU-pretreated rats. 2.

Enhanced Understanding of the Levels of Palliative Care in Pharmacy Students Through Participating in Clinical Training in Hospitals.

Objective: A palliative care knowledge survey was conducted involving pharmacy students to examine their perceived usefulness and the educational effect of clinical training in hospitals.

Methods: A questionnaire sheet was distributed to fifth-year pharmacy students before and after clinical training. The questionnaire consisted of questions to clarify the details of palliative care-related training in hospitals and students' knowledge of such care.