By: Rubab Hassan, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration and weakness along with various other symptoms. It is predominantly caused by deletions of one or more exons, which lead to mutations of the dystrophin gene. Dystrophin stops muscle fibers from being degraded by proteases.…

By: Nishanth Viswanath, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              Multiple myeloma (MM)  is a hematological malignancy characterized by an accumulation and proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. 1 Throughout the course of the disease, malignant plasma cells induce an overproduction of non-functional immunoglobulin (paraproteins), which is evident during urine and blood screenings. 2…

By: Oluwafemi Popoola, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021, SUNY Binghamton School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences              A patient with past medical history of von Willebrand’s disease (VWD) and myasthenia gravis on chronic prednisone therapy, presented for follow-up for VWD at the hematology/oncology clinic. The provider considered having the patient undergo a “desmopressin challenge” with desmopressin…

By: Jordan Plair, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Marina Beshara, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              While the focus over the last year has been fixated on the deadly coronavirus, the importance of a long-standing health pandemic exacerbated by salt intake cannot be overlooked. Hypertension, more commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a medical…

By: Arya Firoozan, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023              Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition that causes a sudden and frequent urge to urinate. It is also associated with incontinence and nocturia. Nocturia refers to waking up at night due to the urge to urinate. OAB is diagnosed if there is no other current infection or…

By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024              Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic inflammatory condition that primarily affects a person’s back.¹ It is a form of arthritis that affects the spine and causes inflammation of the spinal joints, leading to severe, chronic pain and discomfort.² Ankylosing spondylitis can also impact other areas of the…

By: Daniela Farzadfar, PharmD,PGY-1 Resident at Long Island Jewish Medical Center              In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus disease- 2019 (COVID-19) a global pandemic. 1 To date, over 30 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the United States and drug companies have been scrambling to develop therapies for the…

By: Lyana Sayilar, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              On August 31, 2020, the FDA approved the first automated diabetes management device for patients aged 2 to 6-years old. The MiniMed 770G System automatically adjusts basal insulin doses based on glucose levels, facilitating the lives of the patient and caregiver. Prior to its approval, patients and/or…

By: Pooja Dasgupta and Sonya Wadhawan, PharmD Candidates c/o 2025              The coronavirus, also known as SARS CoV-2 or COVID-19, has widely affected various people globally. The study of SARS CoV-2 has shifted from studying individuals and their unique symptoms during their disease duration to studying different populations and their backgrounds that increase the risk…

By: Jeng Lee, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022               Throughout the past decade, there has been an increase in the prevalence of medical and recreational consumption of cannabis, also referred to as marijuana. 1 These numbers are expected to rise over the upcoming years in the United States as marijuana use is currently legalized in 33…

By: Cindy Van, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022, Shireen Farzadeh, PharmD, BCPS              Insomnia is a condition characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both, despite an adequate opportunity to sleep. Consequently, insomnia can lead to daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. This condition can be categorized into short-term and chronic insomnia. While short-term insomnia…

By: Tanay Maddula PharmD Candidate c/o 2022               Rybelsus (oral semaglutide) was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2019 to help control blood sugar in adult patients with Type 2 Diabetes alongside diet and exercise. It is the first oral GLP-1 (glucagon like peptide-1) agonist as typical drugs of this…

By: Bisma Sekhery, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021              Fostemsavir (Rukobia) is a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved antiretroviral agent for the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It was approved in July 2020 for multidrug-resistant HIV-1. It is a pro-drug, metabolized to its active moiety, temsavir, which binds to the gp120 subunit within…

By: Zarnab Jillani PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              The link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a new and ongoing debate given the etiology of AD is still not fully understood. Diabetes continues to be a major public health crisis as diagnoses around the world continue to rise. Diabetes is a chronic disease that…

By: Pallak Sharma, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Rebecca Samuel, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              Statins, some of the most well-known cholesterol lowering medications, have been demonstrating increasing evidence of safety and benefits to the elderly patient population. 5 Statins are a class of medication that can help lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)…

By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Introduction The British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has agreed to sell its rights to two cardiovascular drugs to Germany’s Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH for $400 million. This decision allows AstraZeneca to reinvest in the company’s main areas of focus: cardiovascular, renal and metabolism, cancer, respiratory, inflammation and…

By: Alisha Kuriakose, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 “The Pharmacist” is a Netflix documentary that showcases pharmacist Dr. Daniel Schneider’s crusade against OxyContin® abuse. It highlights his discovery of a corrupt doctor who exploited her medical license and destroyed communities in Louisiana. It also illustrates his fight to expose Purdue Pharma of falsely reporting the addictive…

By: Aiśa Mrkulic PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common reasons children require referrals for mental health services.¹ In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the screening of every child with ADHD for neuropsychiatric comorbidities. With, “one in every 20 children affected,” it exists…

By: Edwin Gruda, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022; Aiśa Mrkulic, PharmD. Candidate c/o 2022              Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications are typically used for mild pain relief. Many patients rely on their OTC medications to treat headaches, fevers, muscle pain, tooth aches and mild arthritis. In March of 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new…

By: Lyana Sayilar PharmD. Candidate c/o 2022              Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare disorder affecting 4,000 to 8,000 Americans. Adults with this disorder are often found to have anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4)antibodies that primarily attack healthy cells and proteins in the optic nerves and spinal cord. The majority of patients have relapses within three…

By: Anjali Rana PharmD. Candidate c/o 2025              While too much of any food or substance is not good, sodium-rich diets are especially harmful to the body causing increases in blood pressure and fluid retention. Sodium is found in majority of the foods consumed. People should be cautious of processed goods and restaurant meals which…

By: Bisma T. Sekhery PharmD. Candidate c/o 2025              COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the health, economic, and social aspects of life for every person. Currently, there is only one Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment for COVID-19–remdesivir (Veklury®). The lack of approved therapies makes COVID-19 difficult to treat and increases overall mortality…

By: Rebecca Samuel, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Pallak Sharma, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              It is flu shot season! That’s a phrase that causes almost every pharmacy staff member to take a deep breath. Amid the pandemic, flu shot season is busier than ever and it is directly affecting pharmacies across the country. In…

By: Darien Lee, Pharm D Candidate c/o 2021              Vancomycin, a glycopeptide antibiotic, is one of the most commonly used medications in hospitals. Its widespread use is attributed to its efficacy for the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections caused by gram-positive bacteria. One of its most notable features is its coverage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus…

By: Natalia Jucha PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              Due to the overuse and misuse of these medications, antibiotics are no longer as effective against their intended pathogens.1 In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its AWaRE Classification Database which stands for “Access, Watch and Reserve”.2 Clinicians use this database as a guide to appropriately…

By: Preethi Samuel, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o of 2021              In the United States, at least one person has a heart attack every 40 seconds and 1 of every 5 is silent.1 Heart attacks are commonly a result of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Preceding plaque buildup in arterial walls can potentially lead to a heart attack…

By: Jeremy Mesias, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              It starts with a simple cough or a wheeze. Suddenly, it escalates to tightness in the chest. Breathing gets quicker but shallower, making you feel short of breath. These are the most common and recognizable symptoms of an asthma attack.  Around the world, nearly 300 million people…

By: Erica Tonti, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, is a recent syndrome recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The emergent outbreak of COVID-19 brought concern as to who would be affected by MIS-C and how severe the impact of the syndrome would be. Children, thought to…

By: Sami Barakat, PharmD. and Natalia Jucha, PharmD. Candidate c/o 2022              Since the publication of the Institute of Medicine report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, there has been a growing movement to improve patient safety. The report revealed that more than 7000 deaths occur annually due to medication errors.1 It…

By: Adrian Wong, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021 On May 5, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its approval for Farxiga® (dapagliflozin) oral tablets to have a new indication: to lower the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for adults with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II-IV heart failure (HF) with reduced…

By: Katharine Russo, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021              As of July 1, 2000, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) mandated for the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree to be the sole degree required to enter pharmacy practice in the United States. ¹ With this advanced degree came the complex education, training, and clinical practice…

By: Shea Dorsey, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021            COVID-19 has taken a major toll on the mental wellbeing of people around the world and continues to do so today, almost 7 months after the United States first announced quarantine. Many individuals previously diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, trauma-and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) or expressed…

By: Mah Noor, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021              Over the past decade, pharmacists across the nation have joined in a number of grassroots efforts to gain legislative recognition as health care providers. As of 2019, thirty-four states have recognized pharmacists as providers in at least one section of their state statute or in their state…

By: Jeremy Mesias, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022            As we begin another October, we mark the start of American Pharmacist Month and celebrate pharmacists and their work around the country. We are also reminded of the great leaps and bounds our profession has made over the years to advance patient care. Behind all great progress,…

By: Aiša Mrkulić , PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              In fulfilling our vow to uphold the Oath of a Pharmacist, we must regard, “the welfare of humanity and relief of suffering” as our top priority. Voluntary are the promises which accompany this oath, promises with wellness at their forefront. ² It is not without reason…

By: Nishanth Viswanath, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Introduction   Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)  is a hematological malignancy of mature CD5 positive B-lymphocytes that primarily affects elderly patients.1 With the average age of diagnosis being 71, the incidence of CLL is relatively rare in younger populations, though cases have occurred in those under the age of 50.1…

By: Dana Weinstein, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022              Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection in humans is caused by two main species, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare. These species are difficult to differentiate and therefore are collectively referred to as Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI).1 These acid-fast, atypical nontuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM) are the most common cause of lung disease in the U.S.2 MAC is…

By: Lyana Sayilar, PharmD Candidate c/o 2020 Approved on April 17, 2020, tucatinib (TukysaTM) is indicated to aid in the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive metastatic breast cancer and could be a potential add-on therapy.3 Among the different types of breast cancers, an increase of HER2, a transmembrane glycoprotein consisting…

By: Jason Ifeanyi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the viral strain responsible for causing COVID-19, continues to have a profound impact on communities at a local, national and global level. As of August 20, 2020, nearly 5.7 million confirmed cases exist in the United States with a total of…

By: William Obilisundar, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023, Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences              One of the most interesting events hosted by the Binghamton University School of Pharmacy during the 2019-2020 academic year was a seminar entitled, “Mental Health Awareness: A Focus on Suicide & Stigma,” presented by Dr. Carolyn M. Tyler, Ph.D.,…

By: Preethi Samuel, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021, Aisa Mrkulic, PharmD. Candidate c/o 2022              Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic illness involving misuse of opioids, both prescribed and non-prescribed, as well as the use of illicitly obtained heroin. OUD carries a risk of fatal overdose, preceded by the following triad: pinpoint pupils, respiratory depression,…

By: Evan Cheung, PharmD (c/o 2020)             On March 11th, 2020, a research article was published in the Lancet journal that informed the public about a hypothesized issue regarding the use of ibuprofen in COVID-19 patients.1 Because of the information found in this article, patients and medical professions are wary of utilizing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs…

By:  Natalia Loomis, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 The World Health Organization announced the official name “COVID-19” on February 11, 2020 when the outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, China. ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease and 19 for the year the first case occurred.2 The Center for Disease Control and…

By: Jason Ifeanyi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (Sars-Cov-2), the viral strain responsible for causing COVID-19, continues to have an undeniable impact both on a national level and a global level. As of June 20th, 2020, there have been nearly 2.4 million reported cases in the United States, with nearly 122,000…

By: Shivani Kaneria, Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2020 Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that affects 10 – 20 percent of new mothers post childbirth per year, and is caused by a combination of both physical and emotional factors.5 Mothers who experience this form of depression undergo common symptoms of feeling sad, crying often with…

By: Aiśa Mrkulic, PharmD. Candidate c/o 2022 APhA’s Red Dress Gala continues to be their largest, not-for-profit fundraising event of the year. Welcome were members and non-members all the same. Student pharmacists from other chapters are often present—the 5th Annual Red Dress Gala being no exception! DAC Ballroom housed the festivities, as awareness was brought…

By: Alisha Kuriakose, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Every ten seconds, someone in the United States (U.S.) goes to the emergency room with complaints of head pain, many of which can be attributed to migraines. A migraine is a neurological condition characterized by intense and debilitating headaches. Those suffering from migraines may have experiences including nausea,…

By: Aiśa  Mrkulic, PharmD. Candidate c/o 2022 Thrive NYC’s Adult Mental Health First Aid Training Program has taken Johnnies by storm! Three sign-ups and a wait-list later, I managed to secure my spot as an attendee. Students of various majors, who belonged to any one of a wide range of student-led organizations, flooded into Marillac…

By: Mah Noor, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021 Although the opioid crisis began in the late 1990s, there has been a recent increase in prescription and illicit opioid drug use which has led to an increased prevalence of opioid overdoses due to misuse and dependency. In 2017, the number of overdose related deaths involving opioids, including…

By: Joseph DiPaola (PharmD Candidate c/o 2022), Nishanth Viswanath (PharmD Candidate c/o 2022)            Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are drugs that induce a physiological state of paralysis, and are used in a variety of surgical procedures, disease states, and situations in clinical pharmacy and anesthesiology. Practitioners have been successfully using NMBAs since 1995 after the…