U.S. Pharmacist Weekly News

July 12, 2023

GLP-1 Agonists Urged to Be Held Before Procedures/Surgery

With more and more prescriptions for glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for weight loss as well as for type 2 diabetes, the original indication, a panel of the American Society of Anesthesiologists have come out with new guidelines on discontinuation of the drugs before procedures/surgery. Find out when patients should cease taking the drugs before receiving anesthesia.

Link Between Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Dementia in Women?

On the one hand, a nationwide, nested, case-control study from Denmark published in The BMJ suggested the possibility of a link between the use of menopausal hormone therapy and dementia in women. On the other hand, a linked commentary from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, declared that any causal link is unlikely. What is going on and what should pharmacists advise? Read more.

Using Stimulants for Pediatric ADHD Does Not Predispose to Later SUD

Concerns have been expressed for years that the use of stimulants in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could make it more likely they could suffer from substance use disorder (SUD) in the future. Find out what a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry said about that risk and what pharmacists can tell worried parents.

Biomarker Helps Rule Out Kidney Damage From Drug Reactions

It is a rare adverse effect, but the use of some common drugs can cause acute tubulointerstitial nephritis and related acute kidney injury in some patients. A new study urged the use of a recently discovered biomarker to detect the condition instead of the wholesale discontinuation of any medications that might have caused the condition. Read more.