FDA Approves New Drug ‘Tofacitinib’ for Rheumatoid ...
April 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured By: Erica Dimitropoulos, Senior Staff Editor – Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful and often debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by symmetric polyarthritis, most commonly of the proximal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints, elbows, knees, ankles, and spine.1 Its clinical manifestations vary, from a slowly progressing onset of fatigue and musculoskeletal discomfort to a sudden and worsening destruction… |
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A Look at Primary Medication NonAdherence and How it ca...
February 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Erica Dimitropoulos, Assistant Student Editor – Although clinical trials can affirm the efficacy and advantages of all marketed medications, it is obvious that patients cannot benefit from a drug that they choose not to take. Therefore, promoting medication adherence is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to improve treatment outcomes. In order… |
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Calcium Intake and Risk of Myocardial Infarction...
February 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured By: Lila Ahmed, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013 – In the past, numerous research efforts have attempted to prove the benefits and risks of calcium and multivitamin supplements with little success. Most of the studies performed were inconclusive and did not provide us with significant data; while some studies have found that calcium is beneficial for… |
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Liraglutide (Victoza®) for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus...
February 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured By: Miriam Maltz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013, AMSCOP, Long Island University – Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia that is pursuant to insulin resistance, defects in insulin secretion, or both1. Chronic hyperglycemia is associated with detrimental effects on various organ systems that can increase mortality and impact the patient’s… |
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New Healthcare Law Concerning Birth Control Causes Deba...
January 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Katie Cimmino, Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2015 – With the start of the New Year the French government is enacting a new law concerning contraceptives. Now girls between the ages of 15 to 18 will be able to obtain free birth control. Not only will they have access to it, but the French government… |
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FDA Approves Apixaban For Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillati...
January 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured , In the News / Politics By: Alexandra Alleva, PharmD candidate c/o 2013 – As of December 28th, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer’s brand name oral anticoagulant, Eliquis® (apixaban), attained FDA approval.1 This occurred one month after its approval in Europe and Canada, following longer than expected waits in the US due to further investigation requests by the FDA.2 The much-anticipated anticoagulant is… |
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Adverse Events from Ingestion of OTC Eye Drops and Nasa...
December 1, 2012 - Featured , In the News / Politics By Tasnima Nabi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – The FDA has issued warnings on accidental ingestion of over-the-counter eye drops and nasal sprays because they can cause serious harm in children at and under the age of five. Ingestion of as little as 0.6 ml of OTC nasal decongestants and redness-relief eye drops has been… |
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Safety and Efficacy of Atropine for Salivary Hypersecre...
November 1, 2012 - Clinical By: Elsa Thomas, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013 – Atropine is an anticholinergic used to treat various conditions, such as bradycardia, neuromuscular blockade, mydriasis, nerve agent poisoning, and salivary hypersecretion.1,2 Pharmacologically, it inhibits smooth muscle and glands innervated by postganglionic cholinergic nerves.1,2 It also has functions in the central nervous system (CNS); it could stimulate or… |
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Mechanisms of NSAID Induced Functional Renal Toxicity...
November 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: James W. Schurr & Stephen Argiro, PharmD Candidates c/o 2014 – Patients frequently utilize non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for a wide variety of conditions, including but not limited to arthritis, headaches, and generalized pain. Despite an excellent safety profile, NSAIDs are associated with certain toxicities, including renal complications (particularly among at risk populations).1 Acute… |
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Duloxetine’s Effect on Blood Glucose Levels...
October 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Neal Shah, Co-Editor-in-Chief – Duloxetine is a serotonin (5HT) and norepinephrine (NE) reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) introduced to the US market in 2004, indicated for the treatment of diabetic neuropathic pain.1 A chemical figure of duloxetine is shown [in the PDF].2 It was developed in an effort to mimic tricyclic antidepressant mitigation of neuropathic pain… |
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Medications Causing Body Temperature Fluctuations...
October 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Elsa Thomas, Pharm.D. c/o 2013 – Human body uses various complex mechanisms to maintain its body temperature within a narrow range despite extreme environmental temperature changes as well as physiological changes. Several factors can affect body temperature such as disease states, growth, exercise, hormonal changes, and medications. Hypothermia can occurs as a result of… |
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A Cherokee Experience: The Story of My Ambulatory Care ...
September 1, 2012 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Nandini Puranprashad, Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2013 – I’m sitting in a quaint coffee shop in Cherokee, North Carolina, sipping a dirty chai tea with some of my roommates with 1970s music chiming in the background as I write this article and words cannot describe my experiences at this rotation. The most surprising aspect… |
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Antiplatelet Use Following Acute Coronary Syndromes...
September 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured 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… |
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Brand Vs. Generic: What Every Prescriber Should Know...
September 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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.… |
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Indications for Dialysis: A Mnemonic And Explanation...
August 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Neal Shah, Co-Editor-in-Chief – Dialysis is the removal of substances from intravascular circulation by filtration.1 Typically, dialysis is ordered when kidney function declines to 10–15% of normal function.2 The National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) recommends that planning for dialysis begin when patients reach chronic kidney disease stage 4, which is… |
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Meet the new Beta 3 Agonist: Mirabegron (Myrbetriq®)...
August 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured , In the News / Politics By: Steve P. Soman – Mirabegron (Mybetriq®), known also by the brand name Betanis®in Japan, is a new once daily oral drug. First in its class, it is a selective β(3)-adrenoceptor agonist that improves symptoms associated with over active bladder (OAB) such as urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency by enhancing storage function and relaxing… |
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The Role of N-Acetylcysteine in Contrast Induced Nephro...
August 1, 2012 - Clinical 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… |
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Matching Challenge: Over-the-Counter Products...
July 1, 2012 - Puzzles 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… |
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Understanding Diabetic Ketoacidosis...
July 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Mohamed Dungersi, Associate Student Editor – What is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)? Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute complication of uncontrolled diabetes or hyperglycemia. It is usually observed in cases of extreme hyperglycemia (usually in excess of 500 mg/dl, though it can occur over 250 mg/dl).1,2 It is usually characterized by the presence of hyperglycemia,… |
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The Pathology of Pure Red Cell Aplasia...
July 1, 2012 - Clinical By: Neal Shah, Co Editor-In-Chief – Pure Red Cell Aplasia (PRCA), also known as erythroblastopenia, is characterized by a suppression of erythrocytes in the bone marrow. It is a peculiar oddity that the bone marrow’s progenitor cells still differentiate into white blood cells and platelets.1 PRCA has idiopathic, viral, auto-immune, and genetic etiologies. Diamond-Blackfan syndrome… |
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Student Pharmacist Star of the Month: Albana Alili...
June 1, 2012 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Marie Huang – Each month, the Rho Chi Post has the wonderful opportunity to sit down with an inspiring leader among the student pharmacists here at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences – someone who is not afraid to stand apart from the crowd and can be the change he… |
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Risk versus Benefit: Prescription to Over the Counter M...
June 1, 2012 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Maria A. Sorbera, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Maria Sorbera was the 2011-2012 President of the Rho Chi Beta Theta Chapter at the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy at Long Island University (LIU). She is a strong advocate of networking with fellow pharmacists regardless of their area of expertise, as well… |
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Role of Calcium Channel Blockers and Beta Blockers in C...
May 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Lunbao Huang Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2013 – The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on high blood pressure (JNC-7) states that most classes of antihypertensive drugs such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers (BBs), diuretics, and aldosterone-receptor antagonists can be used for hypertensive heart failure patients except… |
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Lipid Panels: Fasting or Non-Fasting?...
April 1, 2012 - Clinical By: Nagma Gargi, Pharm D. Candidate 2013 – Traditionally, lipid panels are drawn under fasting conditions. Is there data supporting decreased accuracy in a non-fasting lipid panel? Cholesterol is an essential tool for our body for the synthesis of hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. However, an excess of cholesterol pose a serious threat to… |
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Sativex®: A Realistic Option for Advanced Cancer Pain?...
April 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured , In the News / Politics By: Kathlynn Ferrer, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Nabiximols (Sativex®) is a buccal spray that has been approved for use in the UK, Spain, Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, and Canada. The active ingredients in this product are Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol, two kinds of cannabinoids1. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that stimulate cannabinoid receptors and are the… |
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Korlym® For Endogenous Cushing’s Syndrome...
April 1, 2012 - Clinical , In the News / Politics By: Alexandra Alleva, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – On February 17, 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first medication indicated specifically for patients with endogenous Cushing’s syndrome, a hormone disorder characterized by elevated blood levels of cortisol. Mifepristone (Korlym®) is for the treatment of glucose intolerance and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus… |
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FDA Makes Label Changes to Statins...
March 1, 2012 - Clinical , In the News / Politics By: Mohamed Dungersi – On February 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved important safety label changes for the class of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins. Aligned with the FDA’s goal to provide the public with more information for the safe and effective use of statins, the agency made several modifications to the… |
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Pharmacists in Alberta Allowed to Renew Prescriptions...
March 1, 2012 - In the News / Politics By: Mohamed Dungersi – Starting July 1, 2012, Albertans will be able to have their prescriptions renewed at their local pharmacies and pharmacists will receive reimbursements for the service. Patients will be able to renew medications for blood pressure, birth control, and asthma (particularly, inhalers) without waiting weeks to get into their family doctor’s office.… |
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CHF, a Rare but Serious Presentation of Graves’ disea...
March 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: James Schurr, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2014 – Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder that results in a state of thyrotoxicosis, or a cause of hyperthyroidism, due to the Immunoglobulin G-mediated agonism of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) receptors located on the thyroid. Stimulation of TSH receptors causes an increase in circulating thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine… |
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Bydureon®: A Weekly Injection for Type 2 Diabetes Mell...
February 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured , In the News / Politics By: Mohamed Dungersi – On January 27, the FDA approved Bydureon® (exenatide extended-release) for use in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), as an adjunct to diet and exercise. Bydureon®, a product of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, is a modified formulation of the twice-daily injection, Byetta® (exenatide). It is the first once-a-week medication for T2DM in the market.… |
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New Oral Direct Thrombin Inhibitors and Factor Xa Antic...
January 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured , In the News / Politics By: Neal Shah – Anticlotting agents are staples in the prevention and treatment of thrombotic disorders, such as deep vein thrombosis, stroke, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, and atrial fibrillation.1 Intravenous medications, such as unfractionated heparin (UFH), low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), and direct thrombin inhibitors (DTI), are commonly used in, both, inpatient and outpatient settings.… |
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Liposomal Doxorubicin For Liver Cancer...
January 1, 2012 - Clinical By Lunbao (Jerry) Huang, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Over the last two decades, there has been an increasing focus on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, most commonly known as liver cancer). In the United States, as of 2011, there have been an estimated 26,190 new cases and 19,590 deaths from both hepatic and intrahepatic bile duct cancer. Defined by the… |
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FDA Approves Edarbyclor®...
January 1, 2012 - Clinical , In the News / Politics 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… |
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Clevidipine in the Management of Hypertensive Emergency...
January 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Neal Shah – Defined by the Joint National Committee, hypertension (HTN) is a systolic blood pressure (SBP) greater than or equal to 140 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) greater than or equal to 90 mmHg. Patients with Stage 1 HTN have a SBP between 140 and 159 mmHg and DBP between 90… |
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Stool Transplants in C. difficile Infections...
December 1, 2011 - Clinical , Featured 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… |
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Differences Between Antagonists and Inverse Agonists...
December 1, 2011 - Clinical By: Neal Shah – There are two major classifications of drug-receptor activity: agonism and antagonism. Agonism occurs when a molecule binds to a receptor, causes an exertion of normal receptor operation, and eventually causes a response. Antagonism of a receptor occurs when a molecule binds to the receptor and does not allow activity to occur.1… |
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Ivabradine: A Novel I(f) Blocker for Stable Angina...
December 1, 2011 - Clinical 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… |
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HIV Transmitted from a Living Organ Donor: NYC, 2009...
December 1, 2011 - Clinical By: Alisha Kumar, PharmD Candidate c/o 2012 – HIV transmission via organ transplantation is rare in the United States. However, after a public health investigation in 2010, a case of HIV transmission via kidney transplantation was confirmed. The kidney recipient had no history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), injection drug use, sex with injection drug… |
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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Charles R. Ashby...
December 1, 2011 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |
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Pharmacogenetic Applications in Clinical Practice...
November 1, 2011 - Clinical , Featured By: Neal Shah – The focus of pharmacy is rapidly shifting from simple filling and dispensing of prescriptions to preventative medicine and efficient clinical practice. The field of genetics has been incorporated in many defining therapies and will continue to shape how we treat our patients. Examples discussed here are the roles of human leukocyte… |
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The Future of Pharmacist Practice...
November 1, 2011 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Dr. Bernard Sorofman – Foreword: Dr. Bernard Sorofman is a pharmacy professor and Chair of Pharmacy Practice and Science, as well as the Executive Associate Dean at the College of Pharmacy for the University of Iowa. One of our student editors, Ebey P. Soman, had the privilege to attend and meet Dr. Sorofman at… |
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Clinical Update: Heart Failure and Osteoporosis-Related...
October 1, 2011 - Clinical , Featured 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… |