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| Editor's Notebook |
A Fighting Chance
Pepper spray, available in many pharmacies, can be an effective self-defense tool. These products feature capsaicinoids, chemicals responsible for burning, coughing, and sneezing effects. |
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| Counseling Pearls |
 New Approaches in Managing Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome
IC/BPS is a chronic condition of the bladder, which causes pain or discomfort in the absence of infection or other identifiable causes. The American Urological Association guideline recommends a stepwise approach in the selection of treatment options. |
 Myocardial Infarction and Older Women
Women tend to experience atypical symptoms of a heart attack and are often misdiagnosed or diagnosed too late. Identifying sex differences in the etiology, epidemiology, and pathophysiology of MI can assist healthcare providers in developing individualized action plans. |
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| Senior Care |
Ovarian Cancer: Treatment Considerations in Older Women
While it is not clear at present if age is a negative prognostic factor, in the elderly, pharmacodynamic changes can potentially decrease efficacy and increase toxicity of cytotoxic treatments. |
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| Clinical Corner |
 Medications Used for In Vitro Fertilization
IVF is a common form of assisted reproductive technology. Because of the complex interplay of the various drugs used to replicate the different stages of the fertilization process, pharmacists should be an active part of the IVF healthcare team. |
 The Pharmacology of Uterine Transplants
This experimental procedure is undertaken to enable a woman with a damaged, underdeveloped, or absent uterus to bear children. Since 2000, 12 patients worldwide have undergone uterine transplants with varying rates of success. |
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| Consult Your Pharmacist |
Managing the Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
Many women are now seeking alternatives to hormone replacement therapy to help relieve their vasomotor menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats. |
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| Educational Spotlight |
A Review of the Management of Nephrolithiasis
For patients with recurrent kidney stones despite adequate fluid intake, pharmacologic treatment is recommended to prevent formation. |
Pulmonary Embolism Prevention and Treatment Update
Novel oral anticoagulant agents are a major addition to the CHEST antithrombotic guidelines. |
Overview of Plaque Psoriasis Treatment
Treatment consists of a variety of options, including phototherapy, topical agents, oral agents, and biologics. |
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| Newswire |
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First Drug to Treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Approved
Silver Spring, MD—
The FDA has granted accelerated approval to eteplirsen injection (Exondys 51, Sarepta Therapeutics), the first drug approved to treat patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most common type of muscular dystrophy. DMD is a rare genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle deterioration and weakness. Exondys 51 is specifically indicated for patients who have a confirmed mutation of the dystrophin gene amenable to exon 51 skipping, which affects about 13% of the DMD population. Under the accelerated approval provisions, the FDA is requiring the manufacturer to conduct a clinical trial to confirm the drug's clinical benefit in improving motor function. |
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Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea a Growing Concern
Atlanta, GA—
Health officials from the CDC and the Hawaii State Department of Public Health have identified the first cluster of gonorrhea infections in the United States to show resistance to available antibiotics. Gonococcal isolates taken last spring from seven patients in Honolulu showed resistance to azithromycin at dramatically higher levels than typically seen in the U.S. Five of the samples also showed reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone. The CDC currently recommends dual therapy with ceftriaxone (250 mg IM) and azithromycin (1 g oral) to treat gonorrhea. "Our last line of defense against gonorrhea is weakening," said Jonathan Mermin, MD, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. |
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DEA Issues Warning About Carfentanil
Springfield, VA—
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a public warning about the health and safety risks of carfentanil, a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than fentanyl. Carfentanil is a Schedule II controlled substance used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and other large mammals; it is not approved for human use. Sometimes sold as heroin, carfentanil has been linked to a significant number of overdose deaths nationwide. Improper handling of the compound can be life-threatening. It is recommended that first responders exercise extreme caution when encountering carfentanil or other synthetic opioids and be ready to administer the rescue agent naloxone if exposure should occur. |
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U.S. Pharmacist is a monthly journal dedicated to providing the nation's pharmacists with up-to-date, authoritative, peer-reviewed clinical articles relevant to contemporary pharmacy practice in a variety of settings, including community pharmacy, hospitals, managed also useful to pharmacy technicians, students, other health professionals and individuals interested in health management. Pharmacists licensed in the U.S. can earn Continuing Education credits through Postgraduate Healthcare Education, LLC, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. |
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