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Editor's Notebook |
Ethics and Honesty Are Top Priority
As exhibited by the annual Gallup poll, rising above other professions in ethics and honesty is a top priority for pharmacists. |
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Counseling Pearls |
The Pharmacist's Role in Managing Pain Associated With Ocular Trauma
The pain associated with an eye injury can be particularly debilitating. As a result, it is common for patients to consult pharmacists about OTC or home remedies in an attempt to self-medicate before they are able or willing to seek further medical attention from a physician or eye care specialist. |
 
Disordered Eating in Type 1 Diabetes: Insulin Omission and Diabulimia
Young adults with diabetes are at increased risk for developing psychiatric comorbidities, including eating disorders, because of the complex nature of chronic disease management as well as the effects of chronic disease on psychosocial functioning. |
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It's the Law |
DEA Continues Corporate Responsibility Drive
Another chain-store pharmacy is being investigated for distributing "too much" oxycodone. |
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Clinical Corner |
Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia: An Emerging Treatment Challenge
Management of chronic pain with medications such as opioids is a common strategy, but chronic pain can persist or worsen despite aggressive opioid therapy. This article aims to shed light on the phenomenon of opioids that are prescribed to treat pain but cause new or paradoxically worsening pain. |
Chronic Tumor-Related Pain
Typically ongoing and unmitigating irrespective of cancer stage, this type of pain necessitates long-lasting, round-the-clock coverage. Although cancer pain can be debilitating, appropriately prescribed pharmacologic therapy plays an important role in easing this burden while minimizing adverse effects. |
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Consult Your Pharmacist |
Treating Minor Ear Problems
Pharmacists can suggest self-treatment for earwax impaction and water-clogged ears. |
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Educational Spotlight |
Recent Advances in the Treatment of Psoriasis
There is presently no cure for this autoimmune disorder, and so the search continues for effective therapies. |
Acute Bacterial Meningitis
This infection is a medical emergency, and prompt recognition and treatment are imperative. |
Managing Heart-Related Complications in Patients With Diabetes
Cardiovascular problems are common and a major cause of death in patients with this metabolic disorder. |
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Routine PSA Tests Not Recommended
Rockville, MD — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is recommending that men of all ages no longer be routinely screened for prostate cancer with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The task force concluded that PSA screenings may only help one man in every 1,000 to avoid dying from prostate cancer, and that screening results in overdiagnosis of prostate cancer and unnecessary treatment that can cause impotency, incontinence, and persistent anxiety. Critics of the task force's decision said the group underestimated the PSA test's benefits and overestimated its harms. |
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At-Home HIV Test Backed by FDA Panel
Rockville, MD — An FDA advisory panel has recommended approval of the first HIV test that can be administered in the privacy of one's own home. Oraquick detects the presence of HIV in oral fluid within 20 minutes. The test is already used by medical professionals at hospitals and physician offices. Its overall accuracy is similar to that of a blood test, although it is slightly less accurate. Experts have expressed concern about the lack of counselor support for newly identified HIV-positive individuals taking the at-home test. The FDA usually follows the recommendations of its advisory panels. |
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Osteoporosis Drugs Linked to Thigh Fractures
Geneva, Switzerland — A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found a link between bisphosphonates and atypical thigh fractures. Physicians at the University Hospitals of Geneva in Switzerland examined the records of 477 patients treated at the hospital for broken legs between 1999 and 2010, and discovered that of 39 patients who had the more unusual thigh breaks in which the thigh snaps apart with minimal or no trauma, 32 had taken a bisphosphonate. Although this type of break is very rare, these new findings add to evidence suggesting patients should reconsider taking these osteoporosis medications after 3 to 5 years of use. |
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