Multicenter Retrospective Review of Ketamine Use in the ICU.

Unlabelled: The response of ICU patients to continuously infused ketamine when it is used for analgesia and/or sedation remains poorly established.

Objectives: To describe continuous infusion (CI) ketamine use in critically ill patients, including indications, dose and duration, adverse effects, patient outcomes, time in goal pain/sedation score range, exposure to analgesics/sedatives, and delirium.

Design Setting And Participants: Multicenter, retrospective, observational study from twenty-five diverse institutions in the United States.

Introduction to leadership development using the "Five Practices" framework in a co-curricular pharmacy student-development program.

Introduction and leadership framework: With the increased expectation that pharmacy education should prepare students to become pharmacy leaders, schools of pharmacy are struggling to find ways to incorporate leadership topics. One way to incorporate content is to build co-curricular programs that introduce and practice leadership frameworks. The co-curricular program described in this study introduces leadership content using Kouzes and Posner's Student Leadership Challenge.

The use of aloe vera in cancer radiation: An updated comprehensive review.

Introduction: Many cancer patients require radiation therapy and often experience adverse effects including erythema, itching, and pain. Aloe vera has been studied for its potential use in the prevention and treatment of radiation related adverse effects as it possesses a variety of properties and is considered an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Multiple controlled trials have been performed in order to evaluate the efficacy of aloe vera for the prevention and treatment of radiation side effects.

Basics of Compounding: Vehicles for Compounded Oral Liquid Medications: A Review.

Compounded oral liquid medications play an important role in addressing the unmet needs of special patient populations, including pediatric, geriatric, and tube fed patients. The use of manufactured vehicles can streamline the compounding activities for pharmacists. In recent years, there is an increase in the availability of manufactured vehicles with various promotional features.

Pegvaliase: a novel treatment option for adults with phenylketonuria.

Objective: In May 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved pegvaliase-pqpz (Palynziq*), the first enzyme substitution therapy for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU). This article provides an overview of the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic properties, clinical efficacy, and the safety and tolerability profile of pegvaliase.

Methods: Relevant information was identified through a comprehensive literature search of several databases using the keywords pegvaliase, rAvPAL-PEG, and phenylketonuria.

Evidence for the use of "medical marijuana" in psychiatric and neurologic disorders.

Introduction: Cannabis is listed as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, meaning the US federal government defines it as an illegal drug that has high potential for abuse and no established medical use; however, half of the states in the nation have enacted "medical marijuana" (MM) laws. Clinicians must be aware of the evidence for and against the use of MM in their patients who may consider using this substance.

Methods: A PubMed database search was performed using the text string: "Cannabis"[Mesh] OR "Marijuana Abuse"[Mesh] OR "Medical Marijuana"[Mesh] OR "Marijuana Smoking"[Mesh] OR "cannabi*" OR "tetrahydrocannabinol.

The Report of the 2016-2017 Professional Affairs Standing Committee: Formally Embracing and Engaging Preceptors in the Academy - The Time Has Come.

The 2016-2017 AACP Professional Affairs Committee (PAC) was charged to examine strategies to include adjunct/affiliate preceptors as AACP members and to determine the value proposition of AACP membership for this group of educators. The PAC defined adjunct/affiliate preceptors as preceptors who are neither full-time employees nor have a primary employment commitment (≥50% of the preceptor's work salary) at a school/college of pharmacy. Specific charges to the PAC included: recommend an approach to increase the number of adjunct/affiliate preceptors as AACP members, examine AACP membership from an adjunct/affiliate preceptor value perspective, and prepare a concise summary of available literature describing value-added contributions of student pharmacists and pharmacy preceptors to pharmacy practice models, interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP).

Solithromycin (CEM-101): A New Fluoroketolide Antibiotic and Its Role in the Treatment of Gonorrhea.

Solithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic that has undergone review for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Solithromycin is also being investigated and has shown promise for the treatment of gonorrhea. With increasing antibiotic resistance, the development of novel antibiotics to combat infections is essential.

Clinical efficacy of turmeric use in gingivitis: A comprehensive review.

Introduction: Gingivitis affects an estimated 80% of the population, and is characterized as the world's most predominant inflammatory periodontal disease. Without intervention, gingivitis can advance to alveolar bone loss. Therefore, the primary goal in patients suffering with gingivitis is to control plaque buildup and soft tissue inflammation.

Online Self-testing Resources Prepared by Peer Tutors as a Formative Assessment Tool in Pharmacology Courses.

To assess the effectiveness of optional online quizzes written by peer tutors in a pharmacology course for doctor of pharmacy students. Online quizzes were written by peer tutors for second-year pharmacy students. Quizzes reflected the material taught during lecture and were in a format similar to that of the examinations.

Patiromer: a clinical review.

Importance: Patiromer FOS (for oral suspension), formerly known as RLY5016, is pending FDA approval for the treatment of hyperkalemia. Once approved, patiromer, as well as a second agent known as sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (ZS-9), will be among the new therapeutic options available to treat hyperkalemia in over 50 years.

Objective: The primary objective of this review is to analyze the efficacy and safety of patiromer to treat hyperkalemia and compare its pharmacokinetics to currently available sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) therapy.

Drug-Drug Interactions Among Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Medications.

One-fourth of individuals diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus concomitantly have the hepatitis C virus infection. Since the discovery of highly active antiretroviral therapy, liver complications have become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-HCV coinfected individuals. Optimal treatment in this patient population is critical, as coinfection has been linked to deterioration of both disease states.

Tasimelteon (Hetlioz™): A New Melatonin Receptor Agonist for the Treatment of Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder.

In January 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration approved tasimelteon (Hetlioz™), a melatonin-receptor agonist for the treatment of non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder. This article provides an overview of the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic properties, as well as the clinical efficacy, safety, and tolerability of tasimelteon. Relevant information was identified through a comprehensive literature search of several databases using the key words tasimelteon, Non-24-hour Sleep-Wake disorder, Non-24, and melatonin.

Levomilnacipran (Fetzima): A New Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder.

In July 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration approved levomilnacipran extended release (ER; Fetzima), a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with major depressive disorder. Levomilnacipran is an active enantiomer of the racemic drug milnacipran that is currently approved in the United States for the treatment of fibromyalgia. This article provides an overview of the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic properties, clinical efficacy, safety, and tolerability of levomilnacipran ER.

Primer on pramlintide, an amylin analog.

Purpose: Pramlintide is an injectable synthetic analog of human amylin. It is indicated for patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who are taking mealtime insulin but have been unable to achieve desired glucose targets. Pramlintide decreases postprandial glucose by lowering inappropriate postmeal glucagon secretion, slowing gastric emptying, and increasing satiety.