Administration of medicines to children: a practical guide.

Getting children to take medicines can be difficult. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach. When selecting medicines for children, it is important to consider the child's age, swallowing ability, ease of administration and accessibility of the product. Ask the child, parent or caregiver about their preference for formulations and flavours. There are different ways to alter the taste, aftertaste and mouth feel of medicines, which may help improve palatability. Pharmacists or medicines information services can assist with advice on suitable formulations or methods of administration.

Use of Electrocardiogram Monitoring in Adult Patients Taking High-Risk QT Interval Prolonging Medicines in Clinical Practice: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring is an important tool to detect and mitigate the risk of potentially fatal drug-induced QT prolongation and remains fundamental in supporting the quality use of high-risk QT interval prolonging medicines. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to determine the prevalence of baseline and/or follow-up ECG use in adult patients taking high-risk QT interval prolonging medicines in clinical practice. METHODS: CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, EThOS, OpenGrey and Proquest were searched for studies in adults that reported ECG use at baseline and/or at follow-up in relation to the initiation of a high-risk QT interval prolonging medicine in any clinical setting; either hospital or non-hospital. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of included studies. Proportional meta-analysis was conducted with all studies reporting baseline ECG use, before medicine initiation, and follow-up ECG use, within 30 days of medicine initiation. RESULTS: There was variability in baseline ECG use according to the practice setting. The prevalence of baseline ECG use for high-risk QT interval prolonging medicines was moderate to high in the hospital setting at 75.1% (95% CI 64.3-84.5); however, the prevalence of baseline ECG use was low in the non-hospital setting at 33.7% (95% CI 25.8-42.2). The prevalence of follow-up ECG use was low to moderate in the hospital setting at 39.2% (95% CI 28.2-50.8) and could not be determined for the non-hospital setting. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ECG monitoring for high-risk QT interval prolonging medicines is strongly influenced by the clinical practice setting. Baseline ECG use occurs more in the hospital setting in comparison to the non-hospital setting. There is lower use of follow-up ECG in comparison to baseline ECG.

Patient, parent/carer, and health care professional experience of medication adherence in children and adolescents with asthma: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize available qualitative evidence related to patient, parent/carer, and health care professional experiences of medication adherence in children and adolescents with asthma. INTRODUCTION: Poor medication adherence is a common cause of treatment failure in children with asthma. Research into promoting treatment adherence has found that the most effective interventions are complex. In a child with asthma, the child, the parents/carers, and the health care professional all have important roles in adhering to medication regimens. This review aims to explore the experiences of the patient, parent/carer, and health care professional in managing a child's asthma. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will consider children and adolescents between the ages of three and 19 years with asthma, as well as the parent/carer and health care professionals who care for a child with asthma. Qualitative studies exploring the experiences of adherence or nonadherence to asthma medication will be included. METHODS: A three-stage search will be conducted and will include published and gray literature. Databases to be searched include CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, PyscINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. Only studies published in English will be considered, with no date limitation. Identified studies will be screened for inclusion by two independent reviewers. Data will be extracted using a standardized tool, and reviewers will discuss any disagreement. Data synthesis will adhere to the meta-aggregative approach to categorize findings. The categories will be synthesized into a set of findings that can be applied as evidence-based practice.