Pharmacist’s Letter: July 2017; Vol: 33, No. 7
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!
Topic of the month: Medication Adherence
Plenty pf prescriptions are not picked up at the pharmacy, this can be a result of forgetfulness, high cost or unpleasant experience/effect after taking the medication. Poor adherence is linked to treatment failure and may increase hospitalization, which all in turn lead to increasing healthcare cost. If you would like your patients to get the best out of their medications, improve their medication adherence by using these strategies, which are featured in this month’s Pharmacist’ Letter!
Clinical updates:
- Appropriate use of statins in elderly:
Ever had the dilemma of whether to give a statin to a patient over 75 years old?If you need help to decide, look no further, this article examines the evidence and the risk-benefit of using statins in the elderly.
- Role of new drugs for Systolic Heart Failure:
Lately there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the use of Entresto (sacubitril/valsartan) and Ivabradine in systolic heart failure. What is the place of therapy of these new agents? Hear about it in PL voices where a panel of expert shall discuss the role and the risk-benefits of using these new medications.
- Controversy of short course corticosteroids:
Corticosteroids are associated with an array of adverse drug reactions. Short-course corticosteroids are often considered safer (i.e., fewer adverse drug reactions) than long-term steroids. However, a new study reports an increased association of serious adverse effects (sepsis, venous thromboembolism, fracture) with short-course steroid use. This article discusses the known risks of short-course steroids, as well misuses and appropriate uses for short-course corticosteroids.
Frequently asked questions at the community pharmacy:
- Will this Cranberry Capsule help in preventing urinary tract infection?
Cranberry is believed to be a “natural” way of preventing UTI, however what is the evidence behind it? Truth or myth? Find out the evidence and learn more about preventing recurrent UTI in this PL article.
- Can I cut this nicotine replacement patch?
Not all transdermal patches are made the same. Learn more about the characteristics of transdermal patches and the Dos + Don’ts with patches.
