By: Joo Hee Kwon, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – There are 3 antigenic types of influenza: A, B, and C. Influenza C causes mild illness and therefore does not cause epidemics.  In contrast, influenza A and B are capable of causing mild to severe flu and in some cases death.  An epidemic can occur depending…

By: Addolorata Ciccone, Co-Copy Editor – Acute Coronary Syndromes Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a myocardial ischemia caused by obstruction of coronary arteries.  ACS is stratified into three types, based on electrocardiogram (EKG) changes and the presence of cardiac biomarkers (e.g. troponin, creatinine phosphokinase, and myoglobin).  To guide treatment plans, it is important to identify…

By: Marina Yermolayeva, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013 – “I’m allergic to the generic; I need the brand name medication,” is a common claim heard by many health care providers.  Managed care organizations get numerous calls from doctors and patients requesting prior authorizations to approve brand name medications whilst there are generic alternatives available on formulary.…

By: Neal Shah, Co-Editor-In-Chief – Migraines can be “classic” or “common.”  While all migraines feature unilateral, pulsating headaches, classic migraines feature an “aura” upon onset (whereas common migraines do not).  Pharmacologic treatment of migraines generally includes serotonin agonists (triptans).1 Triptans are selective agonists of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1B and 1D (5HT1B/1D) subtypes.  By activating these receptors,…

By: Neal Shah, Co-Editor-In-Chief – Contrast dyes enhance imaging for computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and X-rays.1  Dyes usually consist of barium, iodine, or gadolinium, depending on the procedure.2  CT and X-ray scans often use iodine for systemic imaging and barium sulfate for GI imaging, whereas MR imaging primarily uses gadolinium.2  Gadolinium and iodine…

By Mohamed Dungersi, Associate Student Editor – Match the following herbal products with their natural source and reason for use: A. This product is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, primarily docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).  It is used to lower triglyceride levels, to lower high blood pressure, and for a variety of…

By: Neal Shah, Co Editor-In-Chief – Dyskinesias are abnormal, involuntary movement disorders.  Subsets of dyskinesias include choreas and atheosis.  Chorea is irregular and sporadic contraction of muscles whereas athetosis involves a twisting and writhing of muscles.  These two dyskinesias often occur together and are thus termed choreathetosis.1  Common conditions which feature choreatheosis are Huntington’s, and…

By: Raymond Wu, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013   The 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5HT3) antagonists (e.g. ondansetron [Zofran®]) are commonly used in the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting in the inpatient setting.1  Overall, ondansetron is a well-tolerated medication with few side effects.1  Constipation, dizziness, and headache are the most commonly reported side effects associated…

By: Addolorata Ciccone, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – The following medications are easily confused.  Try to match each one with its corresponding fun fact.  This capsule should be swallowed whole; if chewed or dissolved orally, oropharyngeal anesthesia may occur, which poses a choking hazard.  Drinking a glass of water can help bypass this potential adverse…

By: Lauren Kaveski, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – We see proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used in many medication regimens, but it is unknown whether the majority of patients receive these medications for appropriate durations or indications.  For all labeled indications, other than Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (a rare condition characterized by damaging gastrin hypersecretion and subsequent hydrochloric…

By: Mohamed Dungersi & Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi, Associate Student Editors – Each month, the editors at the Rho Chi Post have the opportunity to interview one or more of our faculty members. This month, we had the tremendous opportunity to interview the dean of St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, Dean…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi, with Special Thanks to: Dr. Tomasz Jodlowski – In previous issues, we discussed an upcoming $29.1 billion merger between Express Scripts Inc. and Medco Health Solutions. The merger had been previously delayed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC wanted to verify that this upcoming merger would not violate any antitrust…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – In previous issues, we discussed prescription drug abuse and several bills currently on the floor of the NYS Legislature, sponsored by Sen. Hannon which addressed the issue. On February 7th, I sat down with Sen. Hannon’s director of communications, Mr. Phil Hecken, and his legislative aide, Mr. Timothy Broschardt to…

By: Lunbao (Jerry) Huang, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Counterfeit prescription medications are becoming a great concern for us. They have increased worldwide costs and endangered our public safety. Activities related to counterfeit drugs cost our healthcare system an estimated $75 billion in 2010. Many patients were seriously injured and died due to counterfeit medications.…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – As previously reported, the recent rise in violence against pharmacies (by people in search of narcotic medications) has riled the New York State legislature into action.  The attorney general has also joined the fray in the fight against prescription drug abuse.  Last June, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, proposed setting…

By: Ebey P. Soman – Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are medications commonly prescribed to treat heartburn, acid reflux disease, and ulcers.  Almost a vast majority of patients in the United States seem to be taking a PPI, either as a prescription or from over-the-counter (OTC).  Researchers recently discovered associations between the long-term use of PPIs…

By: Neal Shah – Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone characterized by decreased bone mineral density (BMD), which reduces the ability of bone to provide adequate structural support.  The main cause of this decreased BMD is inadequate calcium intake or absorption.  The decreased BMD can cause diffuse lesions throughout the skeletal system and can…

By: Ebey P. Soman – Since its discovery in Tanganyika (modern day Mozambique and Tanzania in Africa) in 1952, Chikungunya virus outbreaks have been documented in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.  Due to recent globalization and increased travel, infection has also spread outside of tropical regions and even into western nations (such as the…

By: Ebey P. Soman – With clearly established roles for pharmacists, compounding is recognized and upheld as a core foundation of the pharmacy profession.   It allows pharmacists to provide unique and tailored medication regimens for their patients.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) thought otherwise when the agency sued Franck’s Lab, Inc., a Florida-based…

By: Gokul Kalla, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Hypertension is a chronic disease that affects one out of every three Americans.  Leaving the condition untreated could increase the risk of serious health consequences such as a stroke or a heart attack.  On December 21, the FDA approved Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ Edarbyclor® (azilsartan medoxomil and chlorthalidone) for…

By: Jim Fitzgerald, RPh – James Fitzgerald is a SUNY Buffalo School of Pharmacy graduate from the class of 1980. He is currently the supervising pharmacist at Pathmark Pharmacy of Baldwin in Long Island, New York. Mr. Fitzgerald is also a community pharmacy preceptor with St. John’s University and a longtime member of the Rho…

By Ebey P. Soman – Many living organisms occupy our intestines to aid us with metabolism, recycling of hormones, and, most importantly, protection against foreign pathogens.  When this normal flora of bacteria is altered or eliminated via antibiotic use, there is an opportunity for Clostridium difficile to infect us.  Stool transplant, or fecal bacteriotherapy, is…

By: Neal Shah – Part I:              Preface. Part II:             Brief review of cardiac electrophysiology. Part III:           Ivabradine as a novel If blocker for the use of stable angina. Part IV:           On the horizon: trimetazidine. – PREFACE When viewed anatomically, the heart may seem like a simple organ.  However, the electrophysiological aspects of the heart are…

By: Neal Shah – Dr. Ashby is a well-known Pharmacology professor for student pharmacists studying in their professional years. He graduated from the University of Louisville with a BA in Biology and Psychology in 1983. After obtaining his PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Louisville in 1987, he continued his education by obtaining a…

By; Nikunj Vyas, PharmD Candidate c/o 2012 – Seasonal flu vaccines protect us against the three influenza viruses that researchers predict will be the most common viral strains during the flu season. The viruses in the vaccine change each year based on international surveillance and scientists‘ estimations about the types and strains of viruses that…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – Heart failure is a condition in which the heart cannot pump blood efficiently to adequately perfuse tissues. It is often associated with serious consequences, such as kidney failure, liver dam-age, heart attack, and stroke. Patient care is focused on preventing these complications. Recently, attention has turned to other concerns: studies…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – Once again, Albany is in the setting of a fierce debate on pharmacy. On June 15th, 2011, the New York State Assembly passed Bill 5502, which would forbid insurance companies from mandating the use of mail-order pharmacies for patients under their medication plan. Bill 5502 specifically mandates that medication plans…