By: Svetlana Akbasheva, Staff Editor – For years, the medications that have been the mainstay of therapy for chronic heart failure have been angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (or angiotensin receptor blockers), beta-blockers, loop diuretics, and aldosterone antagonists, with the occasional addition of digoxin or the hydralazine/isosorbide dinitrate combination.1 Now, a novel medicine is trying…

By: Azia Tariq, Section Editor – Myocardial infarctions, more commonly known as heart attacks, are prevalent in the United States. Each year, approximately 720,000 Americans suffer a heart attack.1 The approval of vorapaxar by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) presents an additional treatment option for patients at high risk for myocardial infarction and stroke.1,2…

By: Svetlana Akbasheva, Staff Editor –       Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS or Willis-Ekbom disease) is a condition that affects an estimated 2 to 3% of adults in the United States.1 Patients with RLS experience a strong urge to move the legs, which is more prevalent at rest and is usually alleviated by physical movement. Symptoms…

By: Benedette Cuffari, BS Toxicology Candidate, ‘16 – “Initial Prescription Free,” “FDA Approved,”  “Save Thousands!” and “Our Generic Drugs are Identical to Those Sold in the U.S.,” are some of the many advertising tools that thousands of websites around the world have been using to lure customers into buying illegal pharmaceuticals online. The U.S. Food…

By: Jacqueline Meaney, PharmD [PGY-1 Resident at Gainesville VAMC in Florida] – Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric disorder that is characterized by feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, and an inability to experience pleasure in activities that were enjoyable in the past.1 Major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent mental disorders among adults…

By: Sean Caltabiano, Ramya Mathew & Praneeta Nagraj – Timeline Overview 5th Year: Start thinking about recommendations Your preceptors on rotations and faculty you have worked with are great people to ask for letters of recommendation July–October (or sooner): Research Start thinking about areas that you would be interested in pursuing (e.g., Regulatory Affairs, Medical…

By: Tyler Valente, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – A growing trend within our progressive society is the advancement of technology. Over the past few years, inventions that were mere fantasies just a decade or two ago have become a reality. Within the medical field, progress can be seen particularly in the development of medical devices.…

By: Jordan Kelley, Rachel Strait, Andrew Smelser, Kelsey Stephens, Trey Warnock, Tia Collier BSPS and PharmD Candidates c/o 2017, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy; email: [email protected] – Adult Vaccination Rates and Statistics Mississippi is ranked the number one state regarding childhood vaccination rates due to a Mississippi state law stating that children are not exempt…

By: Jacqueline Chirico, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – A dilemma that many clinicians face when treating patients with cardiac problems is determining the appropriateness of initiating triple antithrombotic therapy. While this is appropriate in a select patient population, it is important to understand which patients fall in this category and what risks and benefits should…

By: Dimitrios Savva, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – Hypoparathyroidism is a rare disease that affects approximately 60,000 people in the United States.1 People diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism are characterized as having insufficient levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH).2 A person with this disease does not produce or secrete enough of PTH, leading to a decreased level of…

By: Svetlana Akbasheva, Staff Editor, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – Diabetes is one of the biggest health problems in the United States, with the 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report stating that 9.3% of the population, or over 29 million people, has the disease.1 One of the major complications of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus is diabetic retinopathy,…

By: Jacqueline Meaney, PharmD [PGY-1 Resident at Gainesville VAMC in Florida] – Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of chronic pain that affects the musculoskeletal system. Typical symptoms include pain, stiffness, fatigue, insomnia, and tenderness over specific areas. Active depression is seen in one-third of patients with fibromyalgia, and a lifetime history of depression is seen in…

By: Maximilian Magun, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – While the harm in smoking is well known, quitting is easier said than done. Prescription and over-the counter nicotine replacement therapies (e.g. nicotine patch, gum, inhaler, nasal spray, lozenge), as well as oral tablets (e.g. Zyban™, Chantix®) have mediated success for some. In fact, when used correctly,…

By: Tamara Yunusova, Senior Staff Editor – Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes, burdening almost 50% of the diabetic population.1 While diabetic neuropathy is a broad term that may refer to a spectrum of autonomic, focal, proximal and peripheral neuropathies, it is generally characterized by poor gait and abnormal cold/heat sensations.…

By: Svetlana Akbasheva, Staff Writer – Aspirin 81 mg, or “baby” aspirin, has become almost ubiquitously known as being “heart-healthy” and for playing a role in preventing heart attacks and strokes. With cardiovascular disease reigning as the number one cause of death worldwide, more than 50 million adults in the United States currently take daily…

By: Galina Perel, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – Andexanet alfa’s has achieved great advancement in part one of the Phase 3 ANNEXA-A study conducted by Portola Pharmaceuticals. The study demonstrated the effects of andexanet alfa being the proposed antidote to the oral anticoagulant Factor Xa inhibitor: apixaban (Eliquis©).1 Apixaban received FDA approval in late 2012…

By: Hayeon Na, PharmD, Co-Copy Editor [Content-focused] – Going through the PharmD curriculum and working as a student pharmacist, I often wished that I could somehow connect my brain to all the wonderful pharmacy resources I had at home or in my bag. I don’t doubt that you’ve also had a variation of this idea…

By: Tasnima Nabi, Editor-in-Chief – On Sunday, March 29th, the 2014 Executive Board of the Beta Delta Chapter at St. John’s University attended the National Rho Chi Annual Meeting at the Hilton Bayfront in San Diego, CA. The National Meeting is held during the APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition, where thousands of pharmacists, student pharmacists,…

By: Maryam Ahmed and Tyler Valente, PharmD Candidates c/o 2016 – Diabetes Mellitus is a condition in which the body cannot properly maintain its blood glucose. There are two types of Diabetes Mellitus (DM), Type 1 and Type 2, which vary greatly but each have at the crux an inability to transport glucose into the…

By: Azia Tariq, Section Editor – Reported in March 2014, the current Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak has become the deadliest outbreak of its kind since the disease’s initial discovery in 1976. As of April 24, 2015, the epidemic has spread to numerous countries across West Africa including Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone resulting in…

By: Syed Arafath, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, AMSCOP at LIU – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States, behind heart disease and cancer.1 Many patients with COPD often present with multiple-organ dysfunction, especially cardiovascular disease.2,3 COPD and heart failure frequently coexist in approximately 30% of cases…

By: Jacqueline Meaney, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, University at Buffalo: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences – Extended release naltrexone (XR-NTX), marketed as once-monthly IM Vivitrol®, is currently FDA approved for use in treating both alcohol and opiate dependence. Naltrexone is a mu-opioid receptor antagonist that blocks the euphoric effect of heroin and prescription opioids. Naltrexone…

Fifth Time’s a Charm? By: Sylva Ohanian, Staff Writer – Liraglutide (Saxenda®) has recently been approved by the FDA for the treatment of chronic weight management in adult patients.1 The indication is specified for those with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese) or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in…

The Overmedication of Foster Care Children By: Andrew Leong, Staff Writer – There are over 510,000 children in foster care nationwide.1 They face tremendous emotional stress, affecting their behavior and mental health. To treat their symptoms, many are prescribed psychotropic medications. A study published in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics found that…

By: Jacqueline Meaney, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, University at Buffalo: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences – Chronic alcohol consumption may lead to a deficiency in thiamine (Vitamin B1), which can lead to alcohol-induced brain damage. Since thiamine is a cofactor for essential pathways in the brain, decreased levels of thiamine in the body can…

By: Fatima Elzin, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of asthma has risen dramatically in the past two to three decades.1 In the United States, 6.8 million children were diagnosed with asthma in 2012.1 Recent data suggests that this increase in children with asthma may…

How Many Drugs is Too Many? By: Caitlyn Cummings, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 and Ruby Lee, PharmD Candidate c/o 2017 – In Dina Spector’s Business Insider article, “The World’s 2nd-Smartest Man Reveals The ‘Brain Drugs’ That He Thinks Make Him Smarter,” the daily medications taken by Rick Rosner, said genius, are revealed.1 There are unsubstantial…

By: Sebanti Bhowmik and Elissa Tam, PharmD Candidates c/o 2015 – On October 10, 2014, the Food and Drug Administration approved ledipasvir-sofosbuvir (Harvoni™) to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection in adults. Harvoni™, marketed by Gilead Sciences, consists of Gilead’s sofosbuvir (Sovaldi™) and a new drug, ledipasvir.1 Harvoni™ is the first combination…

By: Nancy Rizkalla, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – NSAIDs are effective agents used in the management of several types of pain. They mitigate the negative effects of inflammation by inhibiting two key enzymes called cyclooxygenase (COX)—COX-1 and COX-2—and their subsequent products. However, the inhibition of these enzymes’ other beneficial functions is associated with negative side…

By: Jacqueline Meaney, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, University at Buffalo: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences – Psychiatric disorders are common in the United States, as nearly half of all Americans will meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder, mood disorder, impulse-control disorder or substance abuse disorder at some point in their lifetime. It is estimated…

By: Nicollette Pacheco, Staff Editor [Graphics-focused] – With an increase in the use of alternative medicine in the United States, the field of oncology is seeing a rise in the use of unconventional methods to treat symptoms in a wide range of cancers. Since 1990, it has been found that an increasing number of patients…

By: Davidta Brown, Copy Editor [Content-focused] – On February 10th, the Beta Delta chapter of Rho Chi Society granted membership to a new class of students; 52 fourth year pharmacy, fifth year pharmacy, and Ph.D. students from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences were inducted in a simple and elegant ceremony in Whitestone, Queens.…

By: Katharine Cimmino, Co-Copy Editor [Content-Focused] – Dear Readers, Working on the Rho Chi Post has been an amazing opportunity. Entering a science heavy program, I truly thought I would be putting my love for reading and writing on the back burner. The Rho Chi Post has allowed me to combine my passion for reading…

By: Luxi Wang, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, Lev Gurevich, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, and Gladys El-Chaar, PharmD, Clinical Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice, St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences – Case Presentation A 17-year-old female presented to the ED after experiencing a tonic-clonic seizure with loss of consciousness lasting 5 minutes…

By: Azia Tariq, Section Editor – With the deaths of thirteen pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy occurring post operation between 1969 to 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed the safety of codeine in children in its August 2012 Drug Safety Communication. The FDA subsequently issued a black box warning and a contraindication…

By: Svetlana Akbasheva, Staff Writer – Pregnancy categories in drug labeling were created in order to facilitate decisions on a medication’s use during pregnancy. With only five possibilities – A, B, C, D, or X – they provided a quick and simple reference regarding a medication’s teratogenic potential. However, in practice this grading system has…

By: Katharine Cimmino, Editor-in-Chief – Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common pediatric psychiatric disorder, and it affects the education, social interactions, and over-all wellbeing of both children and adolescents.1 Symptoms of ADHD can persist into adulthood, and those with this disorder are more likely to suffer from other mental health co-morbidities.2 According to guidelines…

By: Davidta Brown, Copy Editor [Content-Focused] – It’s difficult to have a discussion about antibiotics without mentioning the developing crisis of antibiotic-resistance. Pathogens like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) have become a part of the general public’s consciousness – a household name and a community-acquired “superbug.” With the last new class of antibiotics developed in the…

By: Tasnima Nabi, Copy Editor [Content-Focused] – Social media is a powerful platform, allowing for the quick and easy exchange of ideas. Although the Internet has facilitated universal access, for many, it can be difficult to find reliable information. By combining the power of the Internet with his dedication to the pharmacy profession, Eric Christianson,…

By: Benedette Cuffari, BS Toxicology Candidate c/o 2015 – Hemophilia B is an inherited bleeding disorder that is caused by a substantially reduced or complete lack of blood clotting factor IX. Therefore, people suffering from hemophilia B experience bleeding episodes that cause pain, irreversible joint damage, and life threatening hemorrhages. Approximately 28,000 people are currently…

By: Nancy Simon, PharmD c/o 2016 – Last November, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) submitted a proposal for a Generic Drug Labeling Plan.  This new plan will allow generic drug companies to use the same process as the one used by brand drug companies to update their medication labels to reflect new safety information.1…

By: Jacqueline Meaney, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, University at Buffalo: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences — Psychotropic medications are typically used in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy to treat behavioral problems that affect children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Symptoms of ASD typically include a need for routines (change intolerance), difficulty with verbal and…

By: Melissa Roy Co-Copy Editor [Graphics focused] — Many people do not realize the opportunities that are available to pharmacists. Joanne Bollhofer-White has taken the path less traveled by entering into the Air Force. Her position in the military has allowed her to travel all over the country while serving her country. The Air Force…

By: Andrew Leong, Staff Writer — This year, the FDA approved three new antibiotics to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA. They are dalbavancin (DalvanceTM), tedizolid phosphate (SivextroTM), and oritavancin (OrbactivTM). Dalbavancin was approved on May 23, 2014 and is administered intravenously in two doses (1000…

By: Kevin Lin, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 — The FDA recently completed an observational cohort study that compared Pradaxa® (dabigatran) to warfarin for rates of ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, major gastrointestinal bleed, myocardial infarction, and death. The study enrolled more than 134,000 patients, with 64% over the age of 65 and found a lower risk…

By: Stephanie Chiu and Elissa Tam, PharmD Candidates c/o 2015 — According to the Dartmouth Atlas project, health care spending in the United States has risen dramatically and yet health outcomes are not improving; meanwhile, many other countries that spend far less per person than the United States have better health outcomes.1 Studies have since…

By: Diana Gritsenko, PharmD Candidate 2015 – Multiple complications can arise during pregnancy. While venous thromboembolism (VTE) has a prevalence rate of just 0.06% it is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. It is recommended that at-risk pregnant women receive anticoagulation therapy for a minimum of 3 months and VTE prophylaxis for the…

By: Elissa Tam, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – Patients with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes who cannot control their glucose levels simply by taking oral medications have to inject insulin daily. They also have to measure their glucose levels by using strips and lancets on a regular basis. For patients, especially elderly ones, the…

By: Azia Tariq, Staff Editor – With the sale of counterfeit drugs reaching an alarmingly higher rate than ever, The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in collaboration with the Skoll Global Threats Fund, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the multi-agency…

By: Melissa Roy Co-Copy Editor [Graphics focused] – Our dedicated preceptor Kimberly Defronzo, RPh, MS, MBA is currently a Consumer Safety Officer at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She attended the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy for her Bachelors of Pharmacy. She then went to St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health…