Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) are chronic, relapsing inflammatory bowel diseases associated with significant morbidity. Conventional therapies for these diseases include corticosteroids, aminosalicylates, immunomodulators, and monoclonal antibodies. Over the years tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonists alone or in combination with other therapies have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for induction and maintenance of remission of moderate to severe UC and CD. Unfortunately, some patients with moderate to severe UC and CD are unable to attain or maintain remission with TNF-α antagonist treatment. Vedolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, is the first integrin receptor antagonist approved that selectively antagonizes α4β7 gastrointestinal integrin receptors. US Food and Drug Administration approval is for treatment of patients with moderate to severe active UC and CD who have inadequate response with, lost response to, or are intolerant to a TNF-α antagonist or an immunomodulator; or have inadequate response with, are intolerant to, or demonstrate dependence on corticosteroids. When administered according to approved dosing in patients with moderate to severe CD and UC, vedolizumab induces clinical response rates up to 31.4% and 47.1% at week 6, and clinical remission rates up to 39% and 41.8% at week 52, respectively. Serious adverse events reported with vedolizumab include serious infections, malignancies, and anaphylaxis. Since vedolizumab is gastrointestinal selective, to date, it has not shown evidence of causing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy; however, postmarketing studies monitoring for this adverse effect are ongoing. Further assessment of vedolizumab earlier in the course of these diseases and in combination with other therapies is warranted.
The 2012 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Certification Affairs Committee was charged with developing guidelines for the desired professional development pathways for clinical pharmacists. This document summarizes recommendations for postgraduate education and training for graduates of U.S. schools and colleges of pharmacy and describes the preferred pathways for achieving, demonstrating, and maintaining competence as clinical pharmacists. After initial licensure within the state or jurisdiction in which the pharmacist intends to practice, completion of an accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency is recommended to further develop the knowledge and skills needed to optimize medication therapy outcomes. An accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency should be completed if a pharmacist wishes to seek employment in a specific therapeutic area or practice setting, if such a residency exists. Clinical pharmacists intending to conduct advanced research that is competitive for federal funding are encouraged to complete a fellowship or graduate education. Initial certification by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) or other appropriate sponsoring organizations should be completed in the desired primary therapeutic area or practice setting within 2 years after accepting a position within the desired specific therapeutic area or practice setting. Clinical pharmacists subsequently will need to meet the requirements to maintain pharmacist licensure and board certification. Traineeships, practice-based activities, and certificate programs can be used to obtain additional knowledge and skills that support professional growth. Pharmacists are strongly encouraged to adopt a lifelong, systematic process for professional development and work with ACCP and other professional organizations to facilitate the development and implementation of innovative strategies to assess core practice competencies.
High-quality experiential education builds on didactic education to enable graduates to meet the full spectrum of entry-level pharmacy-related roles and responsibilities, including lifelong learning and professional development. The 2019 Educational Affairs Committee A, an ACCP standing committee, was charged to review and update the 2008 ACCP white paper and position statement on quality experiential education. The main objective of this white paper is to provide colleges and schools of pharmacy (C/SOPs) and affiliated partners in experiential education with practices expected to assist in achieving excellence in experiential education and fulfilling the goal of developing fully competent practice-and team-ready pharmacy graduates. K E Y W O R D Sclinical pharmacist, experiential education, preceptors
Oral ARVs should continue to be used in the treatment of CHB; however, research is needed to define the optimal duration of therapy, evaluate the utility of combination therapy, and explore novel targets within the hepatitis B life cycle.
The nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) indomethacin has been shown to increase blood pressure in normotensive individuals. The effect of other NSAID on blood pressure has not been as well studied. We evaluated the effects of ibuprofen, an NSAID currently available without a prescription, on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in ten young, healthy, normotensive women. Using a randomized, crossover, double-blind design, subjects received ibuprofen 800 mg and a placebo identical in appearance to ibuprofen three times a day for eight days with a washout period between regimens. Subjects were instructed to follow a no-added salt diet during the study. Twenty-four-hour blood pressure monitoring and 24-hour urine collection for prostaglandin E2, creatinine, and sodium were performed on days 1 and 8 of each study week. Tablet counts and a 40 percent reduction in urinary prostaglandin E2 documented compliance with ibuprofen. Ibuprofen had no significant effect on systolic or diastolic blood pressure at any hour during the 24-hour period. Mean blood pressure for the 24-hour period was 112/73 and 111/73 mm Hg on day 1 and 111/73 and 112/73 mm Hg on day 8 for placebo and ibuprofen, respectively. We conclude that ibuprofen at doses as high as 2400 mg/d for up to seven days has no effect on blood pressure in normotensive women. Further studies are needed in hypertensive subjects.
Anaphylaxis occurs in the surgical population and may have devastating consequences. Anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions are immediate hypersensitivity reactions that are most commonly precipitated by medications, insect stings, and foods. In the surgical population, 47.4% of immediate hypersensitivity reactions were precipitated by neuromuscular blocking agents, followed by latex and antibiotics in 20% and 18.1% of cases, respectively. Initial treatment consists of removing the precipitating trigger, administering epinephrine, and correct patient positioning. Secondary prevention measures should be instituted to prevent future occurrences. All health care professionals should have an understanding of the clinical presentation and medical management of anaphylaxis to improve patient outcomes.
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