The Clinical Pharmacy Specialists' Role in Antihypertensive Management Surrounding Bariatric Surgery in a Veterans Affairs Population.

BACKGROUND: No guidelines exist for de-escalating antihypertensive medications surrounding bariatric surgery. This study analyzed clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) management of antihypertensive medications in patients undergoing bariatric surgery at a Veterans Affairs medical center. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to describe the CPS role in antihypertensive management surrounding bariatric surgery through evaluation of number of CPS encounters, number and type of antihypertensive medications and medication interventions by CPSs and all other providers, over 5 time periods between a pre-operative assessment and up to 6 months post-operatively. METHODS: Electronic medical records of patients taking antihypertensive medication who underwent bariatric surgery between 1/1/2014 and 2/27/2018, had primary care through our facility, and at least 1 encounter with a CPS were reviewed. RESULTS: Forty patients were included out of 221 screened. There were 109 total medication interventions in 37 patients. CPSs provided 60 medication interventions (55% of total interventions) in 26 patients. Mean antihypertensive agents per patient was 2.18 at baseline versus 0.95 at 6-months post-operative. Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers had the highest discontinuation rate. Thiazide diuretics were most commonly discontinued prior to surgery and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors were discontinued more steadily over the study duration. Nineteen patients (48.7%) had blood pressure <140/90 mmHg and were off all antihypertensive medications at the final CPS encounter. CONCLUSION: The results of this small study support the role of CPSs in antihypertensive medication management surrounding bariatric surgery.

Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic evaluation of insulin glargine U300 for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Glargine 300 units/ml (Gla-300) is a novel basal insulin formulation approved in 2015 for the treatment of diabetes. This more concentrated form of glargine causes delayed redissolution from the subcutaneous depot after injection and thus altered action profile. Areas covered: The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and safety of Gla-300 in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) will be reviewed. Expert opinion: Gla-300 has a flatter and more prolonged pharmacokinetic profile compared to glargine 100 units/ml (Gla-100), but is less potent on a unit per unit basis. The prolonged duration of Gla-300 should provide 24h coverage with a single daily dose in all patients. Two phase III trials comparing Gla-300 and Gla-100 were conducted in patients with T1DM. A1C reduction and other measures of glycemic control were similar between groups. Hypoglycemia rates were similar among groups in one trial, but favored Gla-300 in the other. Evidence for improvement in hypoglycemia with Gla-300 is more convincing in the type 2 diabetes population. Gla-300 is available in an insulin pen to mitigate potential dosing errors with different glargine concentrations; the maximum dose per injection is 80 units. Future research should include direct comparison with degludec and use in insulin-resistant populations.

Collaborative hypertension case management by registered nurses and clinical pharmacy specialists within the Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) model.

BACKGROUND: Clinical Pharmacy Specialists (CPSs) and Registered Nurses (RNs) are integrally involved in the Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) model, especially as physician extenders in the management of chronic disease states. CPSs may be an alternative to physicians as a supporting prescriber for RN case management (RNCM) of poorly controlled hypertension. OBJECTIVE: To compare CPS-directed versus physician-directed RNCM for patients with poorly controlled hypertension. DESIGN: Non-randomized, retrospective comparison of a natural experiment. SETTING: A large Midwestern Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center. INTERVENTION: Utilizing CPSs as alternatives to physicians for directing RNCM of poorly controlled hypertension. PATIENTS: All 126 patients attended RNCM appointments for poorly controlled hypertension between 20 September 2011 and 31 October 2011 with either CPS or physician involvement in the clinical decision making. Patients were excluded if both a CPS and a physician were involved in the index visit, or they were enrolled in Home Based Primary Care, or if they displayed non-adherence to the plan. MAIN MEASURES: All data were obtained from review of electronic medical records. Outcomes included whether a patient received medication intensification at the index visit, and as the main measure, blood pressures between the index and next consecutive visit. KEY RESULTS: All patients had medication intensification. Patients receiving CPS-directed RNCM had greater decreases in systolic blood pressure compared to those receiving physician-directed RNCM (14 ± 13 mmHg versus 10 ± 11 mmHg; p = 0.04). After adjusting for the time between visits, initial systolic blood pressure, and prior stroke, provider type was no longer significant (p = 0.24). Change in diastolic blood pressure and attainment of blood pressure < 140/90 mm Hg were similar between groups (p = 0.93, p = 0.91, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: CPS-directed and physician-directed RNCM for hypertension demonstrated similar blood pressure reduction. These results support the utilization of CPSs as prescribers to support RNCM for chronic diseases.

Effect of sulfonylurea dose escalation on hemoglobin A1c in Veterans Affairs patients with type 2 diabetes.

Sulfonylureas are often titrated to maximum doses despite evidence that their efficacy plateaus above half-maximum doses. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of doubling the dose of glyburide and glipizide to high doses on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in Veterans Affairs patients with type 2 diabetes. A retrospective review of 131 patient cases with prescriptions for high-dose glyburide or glipizide from July 1 through December 18, 2008, was conducted. Three dosage groups were examined: glyburide 5 mg twice daily increased to 10 mg twice daily (GLYB), glipizide 5 mg twice daily increased to 10 mg twice daily (GLIPA), and glipizide 10 mg twice daily increased to 20 mg twice daily (GLIPB). Each patient served as his or her own control; HbA1c after at least 75 days on each dose was compared. There was a statistically significant decrease in HbA1c in GLIPA only (mean ± SD 8.0 ± 1.0 vs. 7.6 ± 1.0%, P = 0.03). No significant change in HbA1c was detected in GLYB (8.1 ± 1.1 vs. 8.1 ± 1.3%, P = 0.80) and the evaluation of GLIPB (8.6 ± 1.7 vs. 8.2 ± 1.1%, P = 0.41) was not adequately powered due to the small sample size. In this small retrospective study, increasing glipizide, but not glyburide, from 5 mg to 10 mg twice daily significantly decreased HbA1c in patients with diabetes.

Investigating the relationship between the practice of pharmaceutical care, construed external image, organizational identification, and job turnover intention of community pharmacists.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy employers are being challenged to recruit and retain qualified employees. OBJECTIVES: Our study hypothesized that pharmacists who practice pharmaceutical care have an attractive construed external image (how employees think outsiders view their organization), which strengthens their organizational identification (perceptions of oneness with or belongingness to the organization) and decreases job turnover intention (thoughts of quitting/searching for another job). METHODS: A 7-page questionnaire was mailed to the homes of a random sample of 759 licensed pharmacists practicing in the United States. Participants had the option of returning the completed survey via postal mail or a Web site. The study variables were measured with previously validated scales. Structural equation modeling with latent variables evaluated the hypothesized relationships. Several demographic variables were included. RESULTS: Responses were received from 252 subjects (33%); 121 were community pharmacists. As hypothesized, organizational identification and job turnover intention were significantly related (B=-0.24) as well as construed external image and organizational identification (B=0.41). The practice of pharmaceutical care and construed external image were not significantly correlated (B=0.10). Although not hypothesized, construed external image was directly related to job turnover intention (B=-0.25). The effects of the practice of pharmaceutical care on job turnover intention were mediated through organizational identification. Position had significant effects. CONCLUSIONS: One additional benefit to the practice of pharmaceutical care may be strengthened organizational identification. Pharmacists' perception of the image of their employer may increase organizational identification and decrease job turnover intention. An understanding of the organizational identification of pharmacists would be useful in decreasing job turnover intention. Given the current demand for pharmacists, this is a worthwhile endeavor. Future research should focus on other predictors of construed external image and ways to enhance organizational identification. Encouraging the practice of pharmaceutical care may be 1 such way.

Safety of outpatient dalteparin therapy in veterans with mechanical heart valves.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate of bleeding and thromboembolic events within 1 month of outpatient dalteparin therapy in veterans with mechanical heart valves, to evaluate potential risk factors associated with these events, and to examine the prescribing patterns of dalteparin in this patient population. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective electronic chart review. SETTING: Large, academically affiliated Veterans Affairs hospital. SUBJECTS: Thirty-eight men with mechanical heart valves who received outpatient prescriptions for dalteparin from October 1, 1998-June 30, 2003. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Charts were reviewed for thromboembolic and bleeding events. Demographic, clinical, and drug utilization variables were assessed. The associations of adverse events with potential risk factors, indication for dalteparin therapy, and prescribing clinic were analyzed. Sixty-four dalteparin regimens were evaluated. No thromboembolic events were reported in any case within 1 month after receiving dalteparin for thromboembolic prophylaxis during warfarin interruption for periprocedural anticoagulation or for anticoagulation during an unintentional subtherapeutic international normalized ratio. Bleeding events occurred in 15 (23%) of the 64 regimens. Most bleeding events resolved spontaneously and without intervention. No potential risk factors for bleeding were identified. CONCLUSION: Dalteparin appeared to be a safe, effective means of short-term thromboembolic prophylaxis in this population of ambulatory male veterans with mechanical heart valves. Large, randomized, controlled, prospective trials are warranted.

Drug-induced esophageal injuries and dysphagia.

OBJECTIVE: To review and analyze medical literature documenting drug-induced esophageal injury and dysphagia and to formulate strategies to enhance pharmacists' prevention, detection, and treatment of these iatrogenic complications. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search (1966-April 2002) was conducted to identify primary and secondary literature using variable combinations of the following search terms: pill-induced, drug-induced, or iatrogenic with esophageal injury, esophageal damage, or dysphagia. Bibliographies were also reviewed to identify additional relevant references. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All case reports, reviews, and clinical studies relating to drug-induced esophageal injury or swallowing dysfunction were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: Drug-induced esophageal injury may be under-recognized. Several drugs have been associated with physical or chemically mediated injuries. Risk factors for injury have been identified and preventive and treatment strategies have been successful in limiting esophageal injury. Drug-induced dysphagia can have serious complications and is most often associated with typical neuroleptics such as haloperidol. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacists can play a pivotal role in proactively identifying situations where there is a higher likelihood of drug-induced esophageal injury or dysphagia. They can recommend preventive strategies to promote safe medication use, help identify iatrogenic complications when they occur, and assist in formulation of appropriate treatment strategies.