By: Jena Marion, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – I have traveled a lot these past few years.  I have packed and unpacked suitcases, measured three-ounce bottles of liquids, and printed plenty of boarding passes.  Most of my trips were for business, but a few were for pleasure.  Pharmacy, however, followed me along on each one…

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: Ebey P. Soman – https://nyprescriptionsaver.fhsc.com/asp/partners.asp New York Prescription Saver is a pharmacy discount program sponsored by New York State designed to help eligible New York State residents with no insurance to pay for their medications. To be eligible, you must be a resident of New York State; do not have Medicaid; either age 50…

By: Mohamed Dungersi, Associate Student Editor – Dr. William Maidhof is an Assistant Professor and Industry Professional in the Clinical Pharmacy Practice department of the St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. He is an alumnus of St. John’s University who graduated in 1999 with a BS in Pharmacy and again in…

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…

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 Allied Health Professions – someone who is not afraid to stand apart from the crowd and can be the change he…

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…

By: Nagma Gargi, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Smoking cessation programs are extremely important in our society as increasing evidence emerges showing the correlation between smoking and the risk factors for various disease states. Thus as professionals it is our duty to educate ourselves first, then our patients. In this article, I want to discuss…

By: Joseph Lee, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – In the book, Strengths Finder, Rath describes thirty-four different strengths that people possess. At the end of the book was an extensive survey, which included a plethora of questions that, through an algorithm, was able to identify my five strengths. One of my strengths was belief. The…

By: Shannon Tellier – In December 2011, a report written to the United States (U.S.) Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin, discussed the importance of pharmacists in the healthcare system.  The objective of the report was to obtain support for expanding the roles of pharmacists in patient care, primary care, and public health services.  This evidence-based…

By Mohamed Dungersi – Last month, I had the immense opportunity to travel to New Orleans to be a part of the biggest pharmacy gathering of the year – APhA 2012.  The spirit, enthusiasm, and positivity for the profession of pharmacy at the meeting were truly inspiring.  Since this was my first ever APhA meeting,…

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…

By: Charles George, Pharm.D. – Charles George, Pharm.D. is a recent graduate from the University of Florida in 2011.  He currently works as a community pharmacist for Walgreens Pharmacy in the Central Florida area.  Since graduation, his daily interaction with patients revealed the need for pharmacists to adapt to the evolving role of community pharmacy. …

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…

By: Ronik Saha, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Clopidogrel (Plavix®) is a thienopyridine antiplatelet agent, which exerts its antiplatelet effects via in vivo conversion to an active thiol metabolite that irreversibly blocks the P2Y-12 component of platelet ADP receptors.  This prevents activation of the GP2B/3A complex, thereby preventing platelet aggregation.  Along with aspirin, clopidogrel reduces…

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 Dr. Tina Kanmaz – Dr. Kanmaz is the Assistant Dean for Experiential Pharmacy Education and Associate Clinical Professor at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. Pharmacy practice residency training is a one-year program that serves as a bridge for the recent Doctor of Pharmacy graduate (with little to no independent…

By: Kate Croegaert, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Kate Croegaert is a PharmD Candidate (Class of 2013) and the current President of the Rho Chi Delta Chapter at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy.   She believes in the importance of advancing the profession of pharmacy and promoting innovative practices…

By: Sum Lam, PharmD, CGP, BCPS, FASCP – Sum Lam, Pharm.D., CGP, BCPS, FASCP is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions.  In conjunction with her full time appointment at St. John’s University, she is a clinical faculty at Geriatric…

By Dr. Sharon See, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS – Sharon See, Pharm.D., FCCP, BCPS is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Clinical Pharmacy Practice Department at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. In conjunction with her full time appointment at St. John’s University, she is a clinical faculty member in the Beth…

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.…

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…

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…

By: Ruby Lin, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Rotation selection begins around mid-October for fifth year pharmacy students.  You may begin to panic about what sites you should choose from the huge selection that St. John’s University offers.  Your upperclassmen may try to help you by sharing their rotation experiences.  Alas, what do you do…

By: Bibin Thomas, Long Island University, PharmD Candidate – Earlier in 2011, it was reported that that young and middle-aged HIV positive patients did not need to receive routine Bone Mineral Density (BMD) tests.  BMD helps to identify patients who are at a high risk for bone fractures or weakened bone structures (and eventually need…

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: Nandini Puranprashad – As primary advocators of patient care, student pharmacists and pharmacists are well on their way in changing the public’s impression of us staying behind the counter at the corner drugstore doing nothing but “counting, licking, and sticking.” It is time to step out of the classroom and from behind the counters…

By: Jimmy Johnson, PharmD Candidate c/o 2012 – Drug shortages have become more and more of an issue in the health care industry. There are over 200 drugs on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) drug shortage list – a number that has tripled in the last five years.1 The largest impact has been on anesthesia…

By: Maria Sorbera, AMSCOP at LIU, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013 – Maria Sorbera is the 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, as well as the need for more unity…

By: Marie Huang – As the studio lights dimmed and the dynamic music played in the background, many students gathered in St. Albert Hall B75 in anticipation of who will be crowned the game’s next “PharmD.” A competitive air dangled, but the crowd chattered excitedly as a generous lunch was provided. Four seats lined the…

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…

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…

By Ebey P. Soman – TNF-alpha inhibitors are drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, as well as other disease states. These agents suppress the immune system and increase the risk of developing serious infections. Currently, there are five approved drugs in this category: • Adalimumab (Humira®, Abbott) • Certolizumab pegol…

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: Marie Huang – Every month, Rho Chi Post has the wonderful opportunity to sit down and talk to an inspiring leader among the student pharmacists here at St. John‟s – someone who is not afraid to stand apart from the crowd and can be the change he or she wants to see in the…