Emergency department patients with acute severe hypertension: a comparison of those admitted versus discharged in studying the treatment of acute hypertension registry.

Objectives: To compare the characteristics, treatments, and outcomes for emergency department (ED) patients with severe hypertension by disposition (admitted versus discharged home).

Methods: Studying the Treatment of Acute hyperTension (STAT) is a multicenter registry of 1566 patients with blood pressure ≥180/110 mm Hg who were treated with intravenous antihypertensive medications in an ED or intensive care unit. Presenting and in-hospital variables, and postdischarge outcomes for the 1053 patients in the ED subset were compared by disposition.

Exposure to celebrity-endorsed small cigar promotions and susceptibility to use among young adult cigarette smokers.

Small cigar smoking among young adult cigarette smokers may be attributed to their exposure to its advertisements and promotions. We examined the association between exposure to a celebrity music artist's endorsement of a specific brand of small cigars and young adult cigarette smokers' susceptibility to smoking that brand. Venue-based sampling procedures were used to select and survey a random sample of 121 young adult cigarette smokers, aged 18-35.

A quantitative professionalism policy in a community pharmacy introductory pharmacy practice experience.

Objective: To determine whether implementing a quantitative professionalism policy would lead to improved behaviors in an introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) and to evaluate students' attitudes about professionalism expectations in the IPPE.

Design: A policy using quantitative parameters for assessing unprofessional behaviors was developed and implemented in the community pharmacy IPPE after discrepancies were identified in the way professional expectations were assessed.

Assessment: The quantitative professionalism policy reduced the number of assignments submitted post deadline (p<0.

Progression to insulin for patients with diabetes mellitus on dual oral antidiabetic therapy using the US Department of Defense Database.

Aim: To compare 'progression to insulin' for three cohorts on oral antidiabetic medication combinations: metformin/sulphonylurea (Met/SU), metformin/thiazolidinedione (Met/TZD) and sulphonylurea/thiazolidinedione (SU/TZD).

Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis design was used. The subjects were US nationwide members of military and their families.

Bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension compared with bupivacaine HCl for the reduction of opioid burden in the postsurgical setting.

Objective: Assess comparative efficacy of liposome bupivacaine administered at doses ≤266 mg and bupivacaine HCl administered at doses ≤200 mg for postsurgical analgesia.

Research Design And Methods: Analysis of pooled efficacy and safety data from nine double-blind, placebo or active (bupivacaine HCl) controlled multimodal analgesia studies using a single dose of liposome bupivacaine or comparator, given via administration into the surgical site before end of surgery (i.e.

Impact of Medicare Part D for Medicare-age adults with arthritis: prescription use, prescription expenditures, and medical spending from 2005 to 2008.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of Medicare Part D on medication utilization, drug expenditures, and medical expenditures in patients with arthritis.

Methods: This was a retrospective study using a national sample of 2,484 Medicare-eligible beneficiaries with arthritis from the pooled Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2005-2008 data. Quantile regression was used to estimate the following outcomes: 1) number of prescription fills, 2) total drug expenditures, 3) out-of-pocket (OOP) drug expenditures, 4) Medicare-paid drug expenditures, 5) total medical expenditures (including all payments for inpatient/outpatient care, prescription drugs, and other medical services), 6) OOP medical expenditures, and 7) Medicare-paid medical expenditures.

Evaluation of health care costs and utilization patterns for patients with gout.

Background: The prevalence of gout has been increasing. Serum uric acid (sUA) levels ≥6 mg/dL have been associated with high morbidity and increased health care utilization.

Objective: To assess the costs and patterns of health care resource utilization for patients with gout, categorized into 3 cohorts based on sUA levels.

Assessing barriers to medication adherence in underserved patients with diabetes in Texas.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess (1) medication adherence in individuals with diabetes, (2) barriers to adherence, and (3) what factors were related to medication nonadherence.

Methods: A self-administered anonymous survey was provided to adults with diabetes (N = 59) who used a grocery store chain pharmacy or a community clinic for the underserved. Participants were recruited by pharmacy staff to complete a 10- to 15-minute survey to assess adherence, access, barriers, medication use, and demographics.

A regional comparison of developing diabetes among VA patients exposed to typical and atypical antipsychotics relative to corticosteroids and proton pump inhibitors.

Background: Metabolic changes, including weight gain and onset of diabetes, have been associated with both systemic corticosteroid use and atypical antipsychotic drugs. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare the risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus in a Veterans Affairs population receiving antipsychotics and corticosteroids, using persons taking proton pump inhibitors as a control group.

Methods: This study included data from subjects treated within Veterans Integrated Service Network 23 who had received an outpatient prescription in fiscal years (FY) 1999 or 2000 for a corticosteroid (CS), a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a typical antipsychotic, or an atypical antipsychotic.

Genotypic and allelic frequencies of SULT1A1 polymorphisms in women receiving adjuvant tamoxifen therapy.

Human sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1) is involved in the metabolism of a number of substances including 4-hydroxytamoxifen. It has been shown that patients who are homozygous for the variant SULT1A1 *2/*2 have lower catalytic activity. Previous data has suggested that patients with this particular genotype may be at a greater risk of developing breast cancer or not responding to tamoxifen therapy.

Treatment of acute and chronic heart failure.

Heart failure is a common, costly, and generally fatal condition that most often results from coronary artery disease or hypertension. All patients with heart failure need education about the importance of sodium restriction and daily weight monitoring. Most patients with heart failure require combination therapy that includes a diuretic, an ACE inhibitor, a beta-blocker, and digoxin.

Dealing with skewed data: an example using asthma-related costs of medicaid clients.

Background: Cost data often are nonnormally distributed due to a few very high cost values that may not necessarily be dismissed as outliers. Researchers have not reached agreement on how to appropriately deal with skewed cost data.

Objectives: This study presents an example of skewed cost data that were collected retrospectively from the Texas Medicaid database.

Sensitivity of testicular germ cells to toxicant-induced apoptosis in gld mice that express a nonfunctional form of Fas ligand.

Germ cell apoptosis in testis is essential for functional spermatogenesis. Recent evidence suggests that the Fas signaling system is critical for the regulation of testicular germ cell apoptosis. To further evaluate the Fas signaling system in testis, we examined the incidence of germ cell apoptosis in gld mice that lack a functional Fas-signaling pathway.

Evaluation of physician intervention letters.

Objectives: The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 requires that Medicaid Agencies perform drug utilization review (DUR). The Texas Medicaid Agency, in cooperation with the Texas DUR Board, have chosen to mail intervention letters to physicians with patient profiles that indicate possible inappropriate use of medications. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of intervention letters indicating duplicative anti-ulcer medications.

Overestimation of serum vancomycin concentrations using a fluorescence polarization immunoassay (Tdx) in preterm neonates.

Serum vancomycin concentrations determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) with a specific high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method in preterm neonates were compared. Preterm neonates (< 38 weeks gestational age) requiring vancomycin therapy and serum vancomycin concentration monitoring were enrolled. Peak serum vancomycin concentration samples were collected and independently analyzed by FPIA and HPLC.

Treatment options for the pharmacological therapy of neonatal meningitis.

Neonatal bacterial meningitis has a relatively low incidence in developed countries, but continues to cause morbidity and mortality despite advances in antimicrobial therapy. Bacterial pathogens commonly associated with neonatal meningitis include Group B streptococci, Escherichia coli K1 and other coliforms, Listeria monocytogenes and staphylococci. As it can be difficult to differentiate meningitis from septicaemia in neonates, empirical antibiotic therapy should be effective for both.