Intermittent hemodialysis: a review of the top antimicrobial stewardship practices to be employed.

The vulnerability of patients on hemodialysis (HD) to infections is evident by their increased susceptibility to infections in general and to resistant organisms in particular. Unnecessary, inappropriate, or suboptimal antimicrobial prescribing is common in dialysis units. This underscores the need for dedicated antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions that can be implemented both in the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatitis in renal transplant patient with pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis.

Hepatotoxicity is a major side-effect of the medicines used in tuberculosis therapy. Although the guidelines for the management of antituberculosis drug induced hepatitis have been published from varieties of health institutes and organizations, they are to a great extent highly similar, there are nevertheless some important differences. We report a case of hepatitis in a renal transplant recipient admitted with pulmonary and extra pulmonary (abdominal) tuberculosis and review the literature on this topic.

Clinical Audit of Pharmaceutical Care provided by a Clinical Pharmacist in Cardiology and Infectious Disease in-patients at the Royal Hospital, Muscat/Oman.

Objectives: To characterise the pharmaceutical care provided by a clinical pharmacists working in a tertiary health care institute, where the extent to which the pharmacist contributes to changes in prescribing patterns use of medications, and patient knowledge was described.

Methods: A retrospective single cohort study design was used. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of a documented pharmaceutical care plan was undertaken.

A Study of Prescribing Valsartan in Out-patient Clinics at the Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.

Objectives: Angiotensin Receptor Blockers such as Valsartan, are a newer class of drugs associated with significant reductions in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. They are commonly used in hypertension, chronic heart failure, diabetes-related nephropathy and post-myocardial infarction in patients who are intolerant to Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitors (ACEi). A review of medicines used in Royal Hospital (an Omani tertiary health care centre) during 2004 and 2005 showed that Valsartan was one of 20 most expensive drugs used.