Introduction: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are commonly used for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, prescription errors with DOACs can lead to patient dissatisfaction and harm. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a standardized prescription for DOACs for VTE on prescription appropriateness.
Materials And Methods: The study included patients discharged from the Emergency Department (ED) with a DOAC prescription for an acute VTE. A standardized prescription tool was developed and implemented, and patients were divided into pre- and post-intervention groups. The appropriateness of prescriptions was assessed using the Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI).
Results: A total of 161 patients with VTE were included in the study. The post-intervention group showed a significant increase in prescriptions with an MAI rating of "appropriate" and a decrease in ratings of "inappropriate." Improvements were observed in loading dose duration, maintenance dose frequency and duration, and inclusion of necessary drug coverage codes.
Conclusion: The implementation of a standardized prescription for DOACs in the management of VTE in the ED significantly improved medication appropriateness and reduced inappropriate prescriptions. Standardized prescriptions have the potential to enhance patient safety and optimize care by providing clear and uniform guidance to healthcare providers. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness of medication prescription software systems in real-world clinical settings to improve prescribing practices.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.thromres.2024.02.015 | DOI Listing |
J Appl Clin Med Phys
January 2025
Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, UC San Diego Health, La Jolla, California, USA.
Purpose: Daily online adaptive radiotherapy (ART) improves dose metrics for gynecological cancer patients, but the on-treatment process is resource-intensive requiring longer appointments and additional time from the entire adaptive team. To optimize resource allocation, we propose a model to identify high-priority patients.
Methods: For 49 retrospective cervical and endometrial cancer patients, we calculated two initial plans: the treated standard-of-care (Initial) and a reduced margin initial plan (Initial) for adapting with the Ethos treatment planning system.
Front Pediatr
January 2025
Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa.
Introduction: Surveillance of antibiotic use is crucial for identifying targets for antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs), particularly in pediatric populations within countries like Pakistan, where antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is escalating. This point prevalence survey (PPS) seeks to assess the patterns of antibiotic use in pediatric patients across Punjab, Pakistan, employing the WHO AWaRe classification to pinpoint targets for intervention and encourage rational antibiotic usage.
Methods: A PPS was conducted across 23 pediatric wards of 14 hospitals in the Punjab Province of Pakistan using the standardized Global-PPS methodology developed by the University of Antwerp.
Int J Pharm
January 2025
Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; FABRX Artificial Intelligence, Carretera de Escairón, 14, Currelos (O Saviñao) CP 27543, Spain; FABRX Ltd., Henwood House, Henwood, Ashford, Kent TN24 8DH, UK; Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK. Electronic address:
Compounding medications in pharmacies is a common practice for patients with prescriptions that are not available commercially, but it is a laborious and error-prone task. The incorporation of emerging technologies to prepare personalised medication, such as 3D printing, has been delayed in smaller pharmacies due to concerns about potential workflow disruptions and learning curves associated with novel technologies. This study examines the use in a community pharmacy of a pharmaceutical 3D printer to auto-fill capsules and blisters using semisolid extrusion, incorporating an integrated quality control system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceuticals (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Drug Form Technology, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211 A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland.
Introduction: The official implementation of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis raw materials for medicinal use has permitted doctors to prescribe and pharmacists to prepare cannabis-based formulations. The objective of the pharmaceutical development and manufacturing process optimization work was to propose a suppository formulation containing doses of 25 mg and 50 mg of tetra-hydrocannabinol (∆-9-THC) as an alternative to existing inhalable or orally administered formulations. The formulation could be used for rectal or vaginal administration, thereby providing dosage control in the treatment of endometriosis and other conditions involving pain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceuticals (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Infant Health, University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy.
Background/objectives: This study aims to assess the effects of combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) on bone metabolism markers. It primarily measures osteocalcin and additionally examines other bone health markers, seeking to determine their responses to estrogen-progestogen treatments.
Methods: This study involved a comprehensive evaluation of the pertinent literature and a meta-analysis explicitly conducted on data describing women of reproductive age.
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