UHSP Collections (University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy)
Not a member yet
1490 research outputs found
Sort by
Medication and Road Test Performance among Cognitively Healthy Older Adults
No full textImportance: Older adults are increasingly prescribed medications that have adverse effects. Prior studies have found a higher risk of motor vehicle crashes to be associated with certain medication use. Objective: To determine whether specific medication classes were associated with performance decline as assessed by a standardized road test in a community sample of cognitively healthy older adults, to evaluate additional associations of poor road test performance with comorbid medical conditions and demographic characteristics, and to test the hypothesis that specific medication classes (ie, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, sedatives or hypnotics, anticholinergics, antihistamines, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or acetaminophen) would be associated with an increase in risk of impaired driving performance over time. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a prospective cohort study of 198 cognitively healthy adults 65 years and older with a valid driver\u27s license who were followed up annually, with rolling enrollment. Data were collected from participants in St Louis, Missouri, and neighboring Illinois who were enrolled in the Knight Alzheimer\u27s Disease Research Center. Data were collected from August 28, 2012, to March 14, 2023, and analyzed from April 1 to 25, 2023. Participants with healthy cognition, defined as a Clinical Dementia Rating score of 0 at baseline and subsequent visits, who had available clinical, neuropsychological, road tests, and self-reported medication data were included. Exposure: Potentially driver-impairing medication use. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome measure was performance on the Washington University Road Test (pass or marginal/fail). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate associations between potentially driver-impairing medication use and road test performance. Results: Of the 198 included adults (mean [SD] baseline age, 72.6 [4.6] years; 87 female [43.9%]), 70 (35%) received a marginal/fail rating on the road test over a mean (SD) follow-up of 5.70 (2.45) years. Any use of antidepressants (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.68; 95% CI, 1.69-4.71), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (aHR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.54-4.64), sedatives or hypnotics (aHR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.40-5.19), or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aHR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.31-5.63) was associated with an increase in risk of receiving a marginal/fail rating on the road test compared with control individuals. Conversely, participants taking lipid-lowering agents had a lower risk of receiving a marginal/fail rating compared to control individuals. There were no statistically significant associations found between anticholinergic or antihistamines and poor performance. Conclusions and Relevance: In this prospective cohort study, specific medication classes were associated with an increase in risk of poor road test performance over time. Clinicians should consider this information and counsel patients accordingly when prescribing these medications.
Recommitting to AACP Engaged Governance for the Common Good: Report of the 50th Anniversary Commission to Reimagine the AACP House of Delegates
No full textThe 50th Anniversary Commission to Reimagine the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) House of Delegates (HOD Commission) was charged to consider and recommend changes to the AACP Board of Directors and AACP HOD regarding a broad range of issues related to the HOD. The 2021-2022 HOD Commission met virtually many times throughout the year as 2 sub-groups and a full commission, using Basecamp for shared documents and timelines, and it provided interim reports to the Board of Directors in November and February. A survey of 2022 delegates was developed and administered; responses from 163 delegates informed final recommendations as described in the report. The HOD Commission affirms the need for and purpose of AACP\u27s HOD and urges that all schools/colleges of pharmacy recommit to engaged governance for the common good
Impact of Vitamin K Administration on Elevated International Normalized Ratio in Chronic Liver Disease
No full textLimited studies assess the efficacy of vitamin K administration in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). However, vitamin K is commonly used to treat elevations in international normalized ratio (INR) in these patients with the intended benefit of reducing bleeding risk. This retrospective, single-center cohort study aimed to evaluate the impact of vitamin K administration on INR in patients with CLD. Hospitalized patients ≥ 18 years of age with a diagnosis of CLD or cirrhosis and received vitamin K were included. The primary outcome was the absolute change in INR from baseline to 24 to 48 h after vitamin K administration. Secondary endpoints included subgroup analyses of the primary outcome by route of administration and single versus multidose administration, and incidence of in-hospital venous thromboembolism (VTE) or major bleeding. A total of eighty-five patients, primarily with Child–Pugh class C (76.5%), were included. Route of vitamin K administration included oral (PO) (72%) and intravenous (IV) (26%) with a mean daily dose of 8.5 ± 2.3 mg. The absolute change in INR was −0.07 ± −0.35 following vitamin K administration. There was no difference in absolute INR change between single versus multiple dose administration (−0.16 ± −0.35 and −0.03 ± −0.35; P=.13) or between PO versus IV administration (−0.06 ± −0.23 and −0.18 ± −0.48; P =.11). The incidences of in-hospital VTE and major bleeding were 2.4% and 3.5%, respectively. The administration of vitamin K in hospitalized patients with CLD resulted in minimal INR change, suggesting this intervention may not have the intended benefit of reducing bleeding risk
Gender equity perceptions among social and administrative science faculty: A qualitative evaluation
No full textBackground: Anecdotal evidence suggests that gender inequity persists in academic pharmacy. To date, there are limited published data about the perception of gender inequity in academic pharmacy. Objective: The objective of this project was to determine themes associated with gender inequity perceptions in social and administrative science faculty from 2 national pharmacy organizations. Methods: A gender equity task force comprising 13 members from Social and Administrative Sciences (SAS) sections of the American Pharmacists Association and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy was formed. The task force designed a semistructured interview guide comprising questions about demographics and core areas where inequities likely exist. When the survey invitation was sent to faculty members of the SAS sections via Qualtrics, faculty indicated whether they were willing to be interviewed. Interviews were conducted by 2 members of the task force via video conferencing application. The interviews were transcribed. Topic coding involving general categorization by theme followed by refinement to delineate subcategories was used. Coding was conducted independently by 3 coders followed by consensus when discrepancies were identified. Results: A total of 21 faculty participated in the interviews. Respondents were primarily female (71%), were white (90%), had Doctor of Philosophy as their terminal degree (71%), and were in nontenure track positions (57%). Most respondents (90%) experienced gender inequity. A total of 52% reported experiencing gender inequity at all ranks from graduate student to full professor. Four major themes were identified: microaggression (57%), workload (86%), respect (76%), and opportunities (38%). Workload, respect, and opportunities included multiple subthemes. Conclusion: Faculty respondents perceive gender inequities in multiple areas of their work. Greater inequity perceptions were present in areas of workload and respect. The task force offers multiple recommendations to address these inequities
Design and structural validation of peptide–drug conjugate ligands of the kappa-opioid receptor
No full textDespite the increasing number of GPCR structures and recent advances in peptide design, the development of efficient technologies allowing rational design of high-affinity peptide ligands for single GPCRs remains an unmet challenge. Here, we develop a computational approach for designing conjugates of lariat-shaped macrocyclized peptides and a small molecule opioid ligand. We demonstrate its feasibility by discovering chemical scaffolds for the kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) with desired pharmacological activities. The designed De Novo Cyclic Peptide (DNCP)-β-naloxamine (NalA) exhibit in vitro potent mixed KOR agonism/mu-opioid receptor (MOR) antagonism, nanomolar binding affinity, selectivity, and efficacy bias at KOR. Proof-of-concept in vivo efficacy studies demonstrate that DNCP-β-NalA(1) induces a potent KOR-mediated antinociception in male mice. The high-resolution cryo-EM structure (2.6 Å) of the DNCP-β-NalA–KOR–Gi1 complex and molecular dynamics simulations are harnessed to validate the computational design model. This reveals a network of residues in ECL2/3 and TM6/7 controlling the intrinsic efficacy of KOR. In general, our computational de novo platform overcomes extensive lead optimization encountered in ultra-large library docking and virtual small molecule screening campaigns and offers innovation for GPCR ligand discovery. This may drive the development of next-generation therapeutics for medical applications such as pain conditions
Assessing the utility of pre-course assessment and voluntary pre-work in two required integrated pharmacotherapy courses
No full textBackground and purpose: Self-assessment and self-learning are essential skills for student pharmacists. Data demonstrating the association between these skills in pharmacy courses are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of providing pre-course review and administering a pre-course assessment on performance in two required integrated pharmacotherapy (IP) courses - IP: Pulmonology and IP: Cardiology. Educational activity and setting: This study included second-year student pharmacists enrolled in fall semester IP: Pulmonology and IP: Cardiology from 2019 to 2021. Voluntary pre-course review materials and pre-course assessments were added in fall 2021. Overall course grades and examination scores between each year were analyzed. Student perceptions of the pre-course assessment were also captured. Findings: Of the 454 students analyzed, there was no difference in median overall IP: Pulmonology grades (85.93%, 86.67%, 86.29%; P = .63) or IP: Cardiology grades (80.25%, 78.3%, 79.96%; P = .41) for 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. IP: Pulmonology Exam 1 scores were statistically higher in 2021. For IP: Cardiology, Exam 1 and Final Exam scores were statistically higher in 2020 compared to 2019 and Exam 3 scores were significantly higher in 2021 than 2019. Pre-course assessment scores had a statistically significant, positive association with overall course grade. Half of the students surveyed agreed that completing the course prep work was an effective approach to learning. Although overall course grades did not differ between years, pre-course assessment scores correlated with overall course grade. Thus, voluntary pre-course assessments could provide early identification of poor performance
Key Points for Pharmacists From the ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway for Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure
No full textHeart failure (HF) is a complex condition, and its clinical course often includes periods of decompensation that represent a deterioration in clinical status. During these periods, patients may experience worsening HF symptoms requiring hospitalization. Heart failure that necessitates hospitalization increases the risk of mortality and rehospitalization. In order to help facilitate appropriate care of patients hospitalized with HF, the American College Cardiology (ACC) published an expert consensus decision pathway (ECDP) that focuses on a multidisciplinary approach. The ECDP is divided into multiple nodes and pharmacists play integral roles in each one. There are many opportunities for pharmacists to optimize medical therapy, reinforce adherence, and provide medication and disease state education throughout hospitalization. This review article will highlight inpatient medication management of HF for hospital pharmacists
Assessing the utility of pre-course assessment and voluntary pre-work in two required integrated pharmacotherapy courses
No full textBackground and purpose: Self-assessment and self-learning are essential skills for student pharmacists. Data demonstrating the association between these skills in pharmacy courses are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of providing pre-course review and administering a pre-course assessment on performance in two required integrated pharmacotherapy (IP) courses - IP: Pulmonology and IP: Cardiology. Educational activity and setting: This study included second-year student pharmacists enrolled in fall semester IP: Pulmonology and IP: Cardiology from 2019 to 2021. Voluntary pre-course review materials and pre-course assessments were added in fall 2021. Overall course grades and examination scores between each year were analyzed. Student perceptions of the pre-course assessment were also captured. Findings: Of the 454 students analyzed, there was no difference in median overall IP: Pulmonology grades (85.93%, 86.67%, 86.29%; P = .63) or IP: Cardiology grades (80.25%, 78.3%, 79.96%; P = .41) for 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. IP: Pulmonology Exam 1 scores were statistically higher in 2021. For IP: Cardiology, Exam 1 and Final Exam scores were statistically higher in 2020 compared to 2019 and Exam 3 scores were significantly higher in 2021 than 2019. Pre-course assessment scores had a statistically significant, positive association with overall course grade. Half of the students surveyed agreed that completing the course prep work was an effective approach to learning. Although overall course grades did not differ between years, pre-course assessment scores correlated with overall course grade. Thus, voluntary pre-course assessments could provide early identification of poor performance
Predictors of persistent opioid use in non-cancer older adults: a retrospective cohort study
No full textBackground: Long-term opioid use and associated adverse outcomes have increased dramatically in recent years. Limited research is available on long-term opioid use in older adults. Objective: We aimed to determine the incidence and predictors of long-term or persistent opioid use (POU) amongst opioid-naïve older adults without a cancer diagnosis. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using five national administrative healthcare databases in New Zealand. We included all opioid-naïve older adults (≥65 years) who were initiated on opioid therapy between January 2013 and June 2018. The outcome of interest was POU, defined as having continuously filled ≥1 opioid prescription within 91-180 days after the index opioid prescription. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the predictors of POU. Results: The final sample included 268,857 opioid-naïve older adults; of these, 5,849(2.2%) developed POU. Several predictors of POU were identified. The use of fentanyl (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.63-4.95), slow-release opioids (AOR = 3.02; 95%CI 2.78-3.29), strong opioids (AOR = 2.03; 95%CI 1.55-2.65), Charlson Comorbidity Score ≥ 3 (AOR = 2.09; 95% CI 1.78-2.46), history of substance abuse (AOR = 1.52; 95%CI 1.35-1.72), living in most socioeconomically deprived areas (AOR = 1.40; 95%CI 1.27-1.54), and anti-epileptics (AOR = 2.07; 95%CI 1.89-2.26), non-opioid analgesics (AOR = 2.05; 95%CI 1.89-2.21), antipsychotics (AOR = 1.96; 95%CI 1.78-2.17) or antidepressants (AOR = 1.50; 95%CI 1.41-1.59) medication use were the strongest predictors of POU. Conclusion: A significant proportion of patients developed POU, and several factors were associated with POU. The findings will enable healthcare providers and policymakers to target early interventions to prevent POU and related adverse events
Asthma exacerbations in New Zealand 2010-2019: A national population-based study
No full textIntroduction: Asthma is one of the most common long-term conditions in the world, with New Zealand (NZ) having one of the highest rates of asthma symptoms. Despite the significant burden of asthma in NZ, there is a lack of data on asthma exacerbation rates in NZ and how these have varied over time. This study is a national population-based study of asthma exacerbation rates in NZ between 2010 and 2019, and explores how these rates vary amongst different demographic groups. Methods: A retrospective population-based observational cohort study covering the ten years 2010–2019 to determine asthma prevalence, and asthma exacerbation and hospitalisation rates, using de-identified data from five national healthcare datasets. Exacerbations were defined based on hospital discharge diagnoses or oral corticosteroid dispensing. Results: Total number of patients with asthma was 447,797 in 2010 to 512,627 in 2019, equating to approximately 10% of the population. Of these 19.4% experienced an exacerbation in 2010 (a population rate of 376.2 per 1000 patient-years); this exacerbation rate increased to 25.1% in 2019 (438.3 per 1000 patient-years). Exacerbations rates were consistently higher for females than males, and among Pacific peoples and Māori. In contrast, hospital admissions 25% lower in 2019 than 2010, decreasing from 1.4% to 0.9%, however over 50% of these admissions were in Māori and Pacific peoples. Conclusion: Asthma exacerbation rates in NZ have increased over 2010-2019, however hospitalisation rates have decreased. This potentially suggests a move away from secondary to primary care management of exacerbations and provides important information for asthma care planning