Benzodiazepines: a major component in unintentional prescription drug overdoses with opioid analgesics.

The misuse and abuse of prescription medications in the United States continues to increase despite interventions by health care professionals, regulatory, and law enforcement agencies. Opioid analgesics are the leading class of prescription drugs that have caused unintentional overdose deaths. Benzodiazepines when taken alone are relatively safe agents in overdose.

Clinically significant drug interactions with atypical antipsychotics.

Atypical antipsychotics [also known as second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs)] have become a mainstay therapeutic treatment intervention for patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and other psychotic conditions. These agents are commonly used with other medications--most notably, antidepressants and antiepileptic drugs. Drug interactions can take place by various pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and pharmaceutical mechanisms.

Computerized prescriber order entry and opportunities for medication errors: comparison to tradition paper-based order entry.

Purpose: Predefined error opportunity categories were used as a surrogate for medication errors to assess the impact of computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) on the potential for error in the prescribing and order entry phases of the medication-use process.

Methods: This study was performed in a neonatal intensive care unit at a 535-bed tertiary care center. Pre- and post-CPOE implementation incidence of error opportunity was compared by evaluating 500 orders before and after implementation using 18 predefined criteria.

Acamprosate.

Importance Of The Field: Alcohol abuse and dependence are major causes of morbidity and mortality and come with a high societal cost. The illness is notoriously difficult to treat and relapse is a common occurrence. Acamprosate represents an effective addition to the treatment options available for alcohol dependence with a novel mechanism of action.

Barriers to expanding advanced pharmacy practice experience site availability in an experiential education consortium.

Objectives: To compare 2006-2007 and projected 2010-2011 advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) availability and needs for 4 colleges and schools of pharmacy in Georgia and Alabama and to examine barriers and offer potential solutions to increase APPE site and preceptor availability.

Methods: Data on APPE needs and availability were gathered prospectively and evaluated relative to current and projected enrollment and planned programmatic changes.

Results: Combined 2006-2007 non-community APPE needs and availabilities were 3,590 and 4,427, respectively, with a surplus availability of 837.

The effect of adjunctive mood stabilizers on antipsychotic utilization pattern and health resource utilization for Medicaid enrollees with schizophrenia.

Background: Prescribing adjunctive mood stabilizers to manage schizophrenia is prevalent, despite the lack of substantial evidence to support the long-term use of this treatment regimen.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of using adjunctive mood stabilizers on antipsychotic utilization, total health expenditures, inpatient hospitalizations, long-term care stays, and emergency room (ER) visits for patients with schizophrenia.

Methods: Georgia Medicaid claims from 1999 through 2001 were analyzed to identify recipients diagnosed with schizophrenia (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM]: 295.

Development of an instrument to measure professionalism.

Objectives: To develop and validate an instrument that measures professionalism among pharmacy students and recent graduates.

Methods: A pharmacy professionalism survey instrument developed by a focus group was pretested and then administered to all first-year pharmacy students enrolled in the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy and to recent pharmacy graduates who were taking the preparation course for the Georgia Pharmacy Law Examination and North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination. Participants were asked to indicate the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with each of 32 items using a 5-point Likert scale.

Off-label use of antidepressant, anticonvulsant, and antipsychotic medications among Georgia medicaid enrollees in 2001.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with the off-label use of antidepressant, anticonvulsant, and antipsychotic medications.

Method: A retrospective analysis of Georgia Medicaid recipients was conducted. Recipients prescribed antidepressant, anticonvulsant, or antipsychotic medications were identified.