Role of dual and triple fixed-dose combination inhalers in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseSubscription
A review of the current evidence, including the safety and efficacy of dual and triple-combination inhalers for the treatment of stable COPD, and their place in therapy.
Simulation-based training: applications in clinical pharmacySubscription
With the evolving role of pharmacists and the growing complexity of healthcare, there is a need for interventions and innovations to enhance both individual task and team performance. Simulation-based training is an educational platform with potential in this area. This article outlines its applications in pharmacy and how it can support the skill acquisition and development of pharmacists.
Pharmacokinetic considerations and challenges in oral anticancer drug therapySubscription
A review of the pros and cons of oral anticancer drug therapy, as well as the pharmacokinetic barriers and potential solutions to oral chemotherapy in the home.
Substandard and falsified medicines: global and local efforts to address a growing problemSubscription
Substandard and falsified medicines pose a risk to public health all around the world.
Responding to disruptions in the pharmaceutical supply chainSubscription
Economic, manufacturing and regulatory factors can affect drug shortages and supply chain disruption. By using a mixed-methods approach involving an online survey, semi-structured interviews and three targeted focus groups aimed at acute care hospitals in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, this study determined that over half of the responding acute care hospitals did not have 76–100% of medicine lines fulfilled within 8 weeks of a disruption in the supply chain.
Impact of including clinical indications on inpatient prescriptionsSubscription
The appropriate use of medicines is dependant on the accurate use of clinical indications on inpatient paper and electronic prescriptions. This mixed-methods study involving semi-structured interviews with 64 chief pharmacists, 11 focus groups from three NHS trusts and a medical documentation review of 89 patients determined both positive and negative implications of including clinical indications on healthcare professionals’ clinical workflow.
Identifying modifiable risk factors to reduce inpatient hypoglycaemiaSubscription
Through analysing a randomly selected sample of patients with low blood glucose and diabetes over a course of a year, this prospective study found that a significant number of hypoglycaemia episodes were not treated to established protocol.
Testing annual asthma reviews for those who fail to attend: proof-of-concept studySubscription
Asthma is one of the most common respiratory conditions in the UK. Around 30% of asthma patients fail to attend their annual asthma review, which leads to an increase in the number of preventable asthma-related hospital admissions. By using SIMPLE methodology and the PharmOutcomes® web-based system on 27 patients, it was determined that the community pharmacy asthma review service would enhance patient care through close collaboration with GP surgeries.
Point-of-care C-reactive protein testing in community pharmacy to deliver appropriate interventions in respiratory tract infectionsSubscription
This pilot study sought to evaluate the potential use of point-of-care (POC) C-reactive protein (CRP) testing for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in a rural community pharmacy in North Staffordshire, UK, in conjunction with local GP practices. The study found that the use of POC CRP testing in community pharmacies has the potential to reduce the number of GP appointments caused by RTIs and, therefore, may help reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing.
