UHSP Collections (University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy)
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Pilot study of focus groups exploring student pharmacists\u27 perceptions of a medication management center internship
No full textIntroduction: Student pharmacists are expected to participate in real-life, patient-centered experiences to help develop clinical knowledge and professional skills. This study explored student pharmacist intern perceptions of work experience at a medication management center (MMC). We also examined how working at the MMC helped fulfill curricular requirements, helped develop leadership skills, and provided professional development opportunities. Methods: Two focus groups were conducted with first-, second-, and third-year student pharmacist interns at the MMC in April 2019. The focus groups were audio recorded for verification purposes, transcribed, and analyzed thematically by two independent reviewers. Results: A total of five student pharmacist interns participated. Four main themes were identified: (1) knowledge; (2) communication; (3) time management; and (4) leadership, mentorship, and networking. Participants had opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills outside the classroom, providing them an academic advantage while recognizing areas of deficiency. Students practiced communication skills that helped improve language skills and manage difficult patients, although telephonic consultations were challenging. Students learned to prioritize time with patients but reported difficulty managing their work schedules. Leadership, mentorship, and networking opportunities facilitated learning and improved their self-confidence. Conclusions: This qualitative analysis identified four key themes, highlighting the many benefits available for student pharmacist interns working at an academic-based MMC. Further research is needed to address challenges reported in this study and should include a larger sample of student pharmacists for more generalizable results
Pharmacists’ perceptions of the pharmacists’ patient care process and performance in a simulated patient interaction
No full textObjectives: To (1) evaluate the use of the pharmacists’ patient care process (PPCP) by licensed pharmacists through a simulated patient activity and (2) describe pharmacists’ awareness and perceptions of the PPCP in the state of Arizona. Design: Interviews were conducted to elicit pharmacists’ perceptions and awareness of the PPCP. A simulated patient activity involved a role-play pharmacist-patient interaction in a community pharmacy setting. The PPCP was employed as the evaluative framework to assess pharmacist behavior. Setting and participants: Pharmacists licensed in the state of Arizona practicing in various pharmacy settings were recruited through e-mail list serves and snowball recruitment. Data were collected in person, by telephone, and via video chat. Outcome measures: Emergent qualitative themes from interviews were used to describe pharmacists’ awareness and perceptions of the PPCP. The presence or absence of PPCP elements were assessed during the simulations. Results: A total of 17 pharmacists were interviewed; 16 participated in the simulated activity. Of these, 7 (41.2%) participants recalled specific details regarding the PPCP process. Participants felt that the PPCP accurately reflected their daily workflow. Accordingly, a mean of 15.8 of the 19 PPCP elements was observed in simulated pharmacist-patient interactions, still allowing room for improvement in pharmacist-led care planning. Participants indicated perceived value in a shared patient care process that facilitates collaboration with myriad health professionals and as an aid to leverage pharmacists’ role on health care teams. Conclusion: In this study, pharmacists practicing in Arizona in various settings expressed an awareness of the PPCP, felt it accurately reflected the work they do, and expressed that the tool potentially added value to their work
Flecainide is well-tolerated and effective in patient with atrial fibrillation at 12 months: a retrospective study
No full textIntroduction: Current atrial fibrillation (AF) guidelines recommend flecainide as a first-line rhythm control option in patients without structural heart disease. While there is proven efficacy in clinical trials and guideline support, it is hypothesized that flecainide may be underutilized due to negative outcomes in the CAST trial and that adverse effects are less common than previously perceived. Methods: This retrospective chart review evaluated patients ⩾18 years initiated on flecainide for AF from August 2011 to October 2016 by a cardiology provider at the study site. Exclusion criteria included: \u3c5 days of flecainide therapy, AF due to a reversible cause, and inadequate documentation. The primary outcome was efficacy of flecainide at maintaining symptomatic control at 6 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes included characterization of alterations in rhythm control strategies and documented normal sinus rhythm per electrocardiogram at 6 and 12 months. Results: Of the 326 patients identified, 144 patients were included. After 6 and 12 months, 102 patients (70.8%) and 89 patients (61.8%) of the 144 were symptomatically controlled. Atenolol use (p = 0.024), female sex (p = 0.006), hypertension (p = 0.040), and dronedarone failure (p = 0.012) were associated with flecainide discontinuation at 6 months. At 12 months, only previous propafenone failure (p = 0.032) was significant. Of the 144 patients, 16 (11.1%) reported adverse effects with dizziness, hot flashes, bradycardia, and headache (1.4% each) being the most common. Conclusion: Flecainide is a well-tolerated medication, even at 12 months, with very minor adverse effects. These results support the utility of flecainide in guideline recommended patient populations
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Policy
No full textThis policy implements the procedures for reporting alleged copyright infringement and the removal of infringing materials from the University’s website as required under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
WHO biowaiver study project for COVID-19 outbreak: Dexamethasone solubility results for biopharmaceutical classification system
No full textAn Ethics-based Approach to Global Health Research Part 2: Strategies for Overcoming Logistic and Implementation Challenges
No full textWith the growth of global pharmacy partnerships and collaborative research, particularly between high-income countries and low- or middle-income countries, it is necessary to establish best practices for fair and ethical collaboration and research. There is a gap in the pharmacy literature in this regard. Through this commentary, authors will present a pathway for future global health researchers including generating ideas based on mutual needs of the partnership and the community; exploring the importance of regulations including the need to conduct research and partnership projects within the confines of each participant\u27s professional scope of practice, expertise, and licensure; describing the need to develop agreements and the components that should be included in such an agreement; discussing ethical guidelines for research planning, obtaining ethical approval, and planning for adverse events; and illustrating ethical considerations for research implementation with considerations around consent, data collection, linking patients to care after the completion of the study, and dissemination. Global examples, with a pharmacy-specific approach where applicable, within each section highlight the importance of discussion and action around ethics and equity when pursuing collaborative research, recognizing that many of these situations involve difficult decisions
A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate Interventions Designed to Improve University Students\u27 Subjective Financial Wellness in the United Kingdom
No full textThis article describes a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention tools designed to help people save more or spend less money by enhancing their capabilities, motivations, and opportunities. The participants included 177 students from an English University who were randomly allocated to either the Control, Savings-Tool, or Savings+Habit-Tools group. Participants provided with the intervention tool(s) for 4 weeks were more likely to experience improvements in both their financial satisfaction and subjective perceptions than those in the Control group not asked to use either tool. The tools did not significantly affect financial behaviors or objective financial wellness. The discussion examines limitations of the study and discusses avenues for future research such as including a longer follow-up period
Pharmacotherapy for Small Fiber Neuropathy
No full textPurpose of review: Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a condition that affects small nerve fibers leading to a variety of symptoms, including pain, discomfort, tingling, and sensory loss. The development of new drugs is commonly complicated by variable medication pharmacokinetics and patients’ response to treatment due to comorbidities. In this review, we discuss currently used drugs, including the evidence about their efficacy. We also mention the medications with a questionable response in SFN treatment and those that are potential emerging therapies. Recent findings: SFN treatment is aimed towards addressing the cause of neuropathy and alleviating its symptoms. Determining the best treatment option may be challenging. Current drug treatments include antiseizure drugs, antidepressants, opioids, immunomodulating agents, topical medications, and NMDA antagonists. Each of these drugs has different molecular targets, efficacy, and adverse effect profiles. In some cases, the exact underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Summary: Current drug treatments provide patients with varying, often suboptimal, relief of symptoms. The need for new, effective, and safe therapies for SFN warrants intensive development and testing of new agents
A Systematic Review of the Prevalence and Diagnostic Workup of PIK3CA Mutations in HR+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer
No full textPIK3CA mutation frequency varies among breast cancer (BC) subtypes. Recent evidence suggests combination therapy with the PI3K inhibitor (PI3Ki) alpelisib and endocrine therapy (ET) improves response rates and progression-free survival (PFS) in PIK3CA-mutant, hormone receptor positive (HR+) BC versus ET alone; thus, better understanding the clinical and epidemiologic elements of these mutations is warranted. This systematic review characterizes the PIK3CA mutation epidemiology, type of testing approaches (e.g., liquid or tissue tumor biopsy), and stability/concordance (e.g., consistency in results by liquid versus solid tumor sample, by the same method over time) in patients with HR+/HER2- advanced (locally unresectable) or metastatic disease (HR+/HER2- mBC) and explores performance (e.g., pairwise concordance, sensitivity, specificity, or predictive value) of respective mutation findings. A comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, and select conference abstracts (i.e., AACR, ASCO, SABCS, ECCO, and ESMO conferences between 2014 and 2017) identified 39 studies of patients with HR+, HER2- mBC. The median prevalence of PIK3CA mutation was 36% (range: 13.3% to 61.5%); identified testing approaches more commonly used tissue over liquid biopsies and primarily utilized next-generation sequencing (NGS), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or Sanger sequencing. There was concordance and stability between tissues (range: 70.4% to 94%) based on limited data. Given the clinical benefit of the PI3Ki alpelisib in patients with PIK3CA mutant HR+/HER2- mBC, determination of tumor PIK3CA mutation status is of importance in managing patients with HR+/HER2- mBC. Prevalence of this mutation and utility of test methodologies likely warrants PIK3CA mutation testing in all patients with this breast cancer subtype via definitive assessment of PIK3CA mutational status
Posting and Promotions Policy
No full textUniversity of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis recognizes the need to provide students an avenue to post and advertise events and information for their various activities. The University also takes its role as a steward of the environment seriously. This includes balancing the overall aesthetic appearance of campus with the need for student information sharing. Therefore, this policy has been developed to provide guidelines and procedures by which students, groups and organizations can post materials at various specifically designated areas in or around UHSP Facilities. The Posting and Promotions Policy applies to the posting of printed and electronic announcements and promotions on campus including event-related information, promotions, publicity materials and fundraising collateral. The policy outlines guidelines for posting and sharing information anywhere on campus including sidewalks, bulletin boards, video boards and any other display areas