Application of comprehensive pharmaceutical care program in identifying and addressing drug-related problems in hospitalized patients with osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND: More information about the impacts of comprehensive pharmaceutical care program (CPCP) on the identification and resolution of drug-related problems (DRPs) is needed. This study aimed at researching the characteristics of DRPs in osteoporosis patients and evaluating the effect of CPCP in identifying and addressing DRPs. METHODS: We performed a prospective interventional study in a teaching hospital. CPCP was established and conducted to identify and resolve DRPs by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) based on the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) classification V9.0. Six pharmacists and one doctor worked directly in the study. All data was obtained from electronic medical records, direct observation and visits. The statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS Statistics software version 26.0. RESULTS: Two hundred nineteen patients with osteoporosis were included in the final analysis. A total of 343 DRPs were identified, with an average of 1.57 DRPs per patient. The most common DRPs identified were "treatment safety P2" (66.8%; 229/343), followed by "other P3" (21.0%; 72/343) and "treatment effectiveness, P1" (12.2%; 42/343). The primary causes of DRPs were "dose selection C3" (35.9%; 211/588), followed by "drug use process C6" (28.9%; 170/588) and "drug selection C1" (12.6%; 74/588). Seven hundred eleven interventions were proposed to address the 343 DRPs, with an average of 2.1 interventions per DRP. The acceptance rate reached 95.9, and 91.0% of these accepted interventions were fully implemented. As a result, only 30 DRPs were unsolved before discharge. Additionally, the number of drugs was found to be associated with the number of DRPs significantly (p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: DRPs frequently occurred in hospitalized osteoporosis patients. CPCP could be an effect option to solve and reduce DRPs for osteoporosis patients and should be implemented widely to increase patient safety.

Sacubitril/valsartan improves cardiac function in Chinese patients with heart failure: a real-world study.

AIMS: Sacubitril/valsartan significantly reduced heart failure (HF) hospitalization and cardiovascular mortality in a randomized controlled trial. However, little is known about real-world efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan in Chinese patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). We aimed to evaluate whether sacubitril/valsartan could improve cardiac function in Chinese patients with HFrEF in a tertiary hospital in China. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with HFrEF receiving sacubitril/valsartan in our hospital between January 2018 and January 2020 were recruited in the present study. We retrospectively collected and analysed all clinical parameters at baseline and during follow-up. A total of 100 consecutive patients (73% male) with HFrEF were recruited in the present study. During a median follow-up period of 365 days [interquartile range (IQR), 346-378], a pronounced improvement of cardiac function was achieved. New York Heart Association classification was significantly improved (P < 0.001), and median N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptides level significantly decreased from 3003 pg/mL (IQR, 1513-5404) to 2039 pg/mL (IQR, 921-3955) (P = 0.010). Mean left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 31 ± 6% to 38 ± 10% (P < 0.001) and median left ventricular end-diastolic diameter reduced from 63 mm (IQR, 59-67) to 60 mm (IQR, 55-68) (P = 0.001). Mean pulmonary arterial systolic pressure decreased significantly from 49 ± 13 mmHg to 44 ± 12 mmHg (P < 0.001) and median right ventricular end-diastolic diameter reduced from 23 mm (IQR, 21-26) to 22 mm (IQR, 20-25) (P = 0.030). After treatment with sacubitril/valsartan, mean estimated glomerular filtration rate significantly decreased (from 88.8 ± 22.4 mL/min to 71.8 ± 27.3 mL/min, P < 0.001). Median serum creatinine and median blood urea nitrogen levels significantly increased [from 0.9 mg/dL (IQR, 0.8-1.0) to 1.1 mg/dL (IQR, 0.9-1.3), P < 0.001, and from 6.8 mmol/L (IQR, 5.5-8.9) to 8.0 mmol/L (IQR, 6.6-10.3), P = 0.002, respectively]. The proportion of patients with chronic kidney disease Stage 3/4 increased significantly from 8% to 39% (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In Chinese patients with HFrEF, sacubitril/valsartan treatment was associated with a pronounced improvement of cardiac function, but might be prone to a decrease in blood pressure and deterioration in renal function.

Effects of clopidogrel, prasugrel and ticagrelor on prevention of stent thrombosis in patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Clopidogrel, prasugrel and ticagrelor, acting on platelet P2Y12 receptor, are commonly used for prevention of stent thrombosis (ST) among patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study aimed to compare the effects of these drugs by a systematic review and network meta-analysis. HYPOTHESIS: Efficacies of clopidogrel, prasugrel and ticagrelor on preventing ST are not the same. METHODS: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effect of clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor on prevention of ST in patients who underwent PCI. The efficacies between groups were compared by a Bayesian network meta-analysis, by which the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated. RESULTS: Fourteen studies and 46 983 participants were included in this study. The pooled results illustrated that clopidogrel, prasugrel and ticagrelor were effective on prevention of ST. Patients treated with prasugrel (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.052 ~ 0.73, P < 0.05) and ticagrelor (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.035 ~ 0.65, P < 0.05) had lower incidence of ST compared to those treated with clopidogrel. Patients treated with ticagrelor showed similar frequency with those in prasugrel group (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.22 ~ 2.3, P > 0.05). No significant heterogeneity was observed across included studies. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that prasugrel and ticagrelor are more effective than clopidogrel on prevention of ST among patients underwent PCI. Simultaneously, there is no significant difference in the prevention of ST between prasugrel and ticagrelor.

Resveratrol limits diabetes-associated cognitive decline in rats by preventing oxidative stress and inflammation and modulating hippocampal structural synaptic plasticity.

Many patients with diabetes are at increased risk of cognitive dysfunction and dementia. Resveratrol, a polyphenol found mainly in grapes and red wine, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective activities. Studies demonstrated that resveratrol could prevent memory deficits and the increase in acetylcholinesterase activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. However, whether administration of resveratrol could modulate the structural synaptic plasticity in diabetic rats remains unknown. Therefore, we tested its influence against cognitive dysfunction as well as on hippocampal structural synaptic plasticity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Our results showed that the cognitive performances in diabetic group were markedly deteriorated, accompanied by noticeable alterations in oxidative as well as inflammation parameters, SYN and GAP-43 expression were reduced in the hippocampus. In contrast, chronic treatment with resveratrol (10, 20mg/kg) improved neuronal injury and cognitive performance by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation as well as inhibiting synapse loss in diabetic rats. In conclusion, the present study suggested that oral supplementation of resveratrol might be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment and/or prevention of diabetic encephalopathy.