By: Erica Dimitropoulos Co-Copy Editor [Content- Focused]  – On February 14, 2014, elosulfase alfa (Vimizim™) became an FDA-approved enzyme replacement therapy for Morquio A Syndrome, a type of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS IVA).1 Elosulfase alfa was granted priority review and was also the first drug to receive the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher that motivates the development…

By: Katharine Cimmino, Editor-in-Chief – Pressure ulcers can be a painful condition decreasing the quality of life of patients and prolonging hospital stays.1 About 10% of hospital inpatients and 26% of hospice admissions have pressure sores.2 Pressure ulcers are injuries that occur when pressure is applied for prolonged periods of time over bony prominences.1 There…

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…

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: Lunbao (Jerry) Huang, Pharm.D.  Candidate c/o 2013 – Pain is a very difficult condition to manage, as clinicians have only subjective findings to work with.  Opioid medications are currently the cornerstones for the management of moderate to severe pain; however, it is often problematic to determine a patient’s real ‘need’ for opioids.  Physicians’ clinical…

By: Shannon Tellier – Medication related problems can be reduced in older adults if the Beers Criteria were utilized by health care professionals. The criteria serves as a guideline to identify potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) that should be avoided in the elderly population, but it should not replace clinical judgment. This 2012 update includes a…

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: Aleena Chacko, Long Island University Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Established in 1996, Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland.  On January 8, 2012, Novartis issued a recall on some popular over the counter (OTC) medications in the United States (U.S.) over concerns about broken or incorrect tablets ending up…