Pharmacist’s Letter: February 2017; Vol: 33, No. 2
Hello there! The Pharmacist’s Letter is a nifty resource for succinct and informative updates on new drugs, disease states management, complementary medications etc. It is also recognized by Singapore Pharmacy Council as an online CPE point provider. Wait no longer, use it as a resource to refresh your pharmacy knowledge regularly!
Topic of the month: Sieving through drug interactions alerts
Drug interactions are important causes of adverse effects and can negatively impact therapy. While drug interactions software are in place to provide some aid, these software may generate nuisance alerts and fail to detect important interactions. Being the last line of defense against risky combinations of drugs, it is important for us to catch clinically significant interactions without being bore down by the sheer volume of alerts. Check out Drug Interactions: A Practical Approach and CE: Drug Interaction Overload – How to Sort Through Intervention Alerts for some useful tips on how to pick up drug interactions more efficiently.
Clinical updates:
- Removal of psychiatric events boxed warning from varenicline and bupropion
The psychiatric events associated with varenicline and bupropion were originally added based on case reports. The recent EAGLES trial suggested that both medications do not increase psychiatric side effects in patients who quit smoking. These effects might be due to smoking cessation instead. For more information on smoking cessation and other therapies available, listen to the PL VOICES and read the PL article.
- Do alpha-blockers help in the removal of kidney stones?
Alpha-blockers such as tamsulosin are commonly used in clinical practice to relax the ureters and facilitate the passage of kidney stones. A recent study suggested that alpha-blockers may help in passage of larger stones and earlier passage as well. Refer to the COMMENTARY: Passing Kidney Stones – Do Alpha-blockers Help? to find out more.
Frequently asked questions at the community pharmacy:
- Will this medication cause taste disturbances?
taste disturbances are generally dose and duration related. However, they have also been reported after a single dose. In order to reduce the impact of taste changes on medication adherence, assure patients that this is just temporary and offer strategies that can help minimise taste disturbances. See CHART: Drug-induced taste disturbances for more information.
- How do I manage eczema?
Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis. Many people are affected by eczema. Recently, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Crisaborole ointment (EUCRISA®), a novel topical phosphodiesterease-4 inhibitor, for the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. Read the PL article to better understand how Crisaborole works and how pharmacists can help to manage atopic dermatitis in the community.
