Pharmacist's Letter: October 2016; Vol: 32, No. 10
Hello! Look nowhere for CPE points! Pharmacist’s letter readings are informative and yet not too lengthy. There are updates on various topics every month and these readings are recognised by Singapore Pharmacy Council for online CPE points.
Let this be your monthly update of pharmacy knowledge and discover that this process can be enjoyable with materials done up by pharmacists in a highly simplified, structured and concise manner!
Pharmacist's Letter: October 2016; Vol: 32, No. 10
Topic of the month: Influenza Vaccination
Flu season almost here! In line with the theme of this year’s Pharmacy Week: ‘Own your health, take action today’, pharmacists play an important role in encouraging patients to protect themselves by getting vaccinated. This issue of Pharmacist’s letter provides a timely update of CDC recommendations for influenza vaccines for year 2016-17. Refer to CHART: Flu Vaccines for 2016-2017 for the route of administration, dose and approved age of use of various FDA-approved influenza vaccines.
Clinical updates:
- War against Diabetes
The number of adults estimated to be living with diabetes has nearly quadrupled over 35 years. Based on a recent report by the International Diabetes Federation, Singapore has the second highest proportion of diabetics among developed countries in 2015. Besides prevention, treatment of diabetic patients is of great importance too. Read up on the Management of Type 2 Diabetes and Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes to stay updated!
- Oral anticoagulation
Warfarin has been the mainstay of anticoagulation for many years but this has since changed with the approval of new oral anticoagulants. Check out the CHART: Comparison of Oral Anticoagulants for a succinct and concise summary (e.g. approved indications, doses and significant drug interactions) of the various oral anticoagulants and find out how to select appropriate anticoagulants for different patient populations (e.g. renal impairment, hepatic impairment) in the Pharmacist’s Letter TOOLBOX: Appropriate use of oral anticoagulants
Frequently asked questions at the community pharmacy:
- Pregnancy/Lactation and Pain
Is Paracetamol the best analgesic for pregnant/lactating women? Can the use of paracetamol cause them to be more likely to have children with behavioural problems? Get those questions answered in the Pharmacist’s Letter Chart ‘Analgesics in Pregnancy and Lactation’.
- Gout
Gout is one of the most commonly reported rheumatic diseases in adults. Preventive and therapeutic measures are important in the management of gout. Read this PL article for a concise summary on prevention, non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies
