A Systematic Review of Warfarin Use in Post-Bariatric Surgery Patients: Cases Compiled From a Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to provide dosing recommendations for percentage change in weekly warfarin dose and rates of thrombotic and bleeding events in patients requiring long-term warfarin therapy after bariatric surgery. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed (through April 5, 2021), Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar (through April 5, 2021) databases was completed using the keywords warfarin OR vitamin k antagonist AND bariatric surgery. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Retrospective studies and matched-cohort studies evaluating preoperative and postoperative use of warfarin after bariatric surgery for obesity were considered. Weekly dose defined as sum of daily doses of warfarin for 7 consecutive days was a required outcome to be considered in this review. Patients were excluded from review if post-operative dosage change was not reported. DATA SYNTHESIS: Six studies were included with a total of 160 patients who met the criteria. A decrease in average warfarin dose was seen in all studies, with the largest decrease occurring at 1 month postsurgery followed by an upward trend toward baseline about 90 days postsurgery. While thrombotic events were observed in none of the patients, there was an increased risk of bleeding in patients, particularly in those who underwent roux-en-y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study provides a specific warfarin dosing titration regimen, as well as embolic and bleed risk in post-bariatric surgery population. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians may consider lowering warfarin weekly dose by about 25% immediately postsurgery, with doses approaching closer to baseline about 90 days postsurgery.

Drug-Induced Hyperthermia Review.

Humans maintain core body temperature via a complicated system of physiologic mechanisms that counteract heat/cold fluctuations from metabolism, exertion, and the environment. Overextension of these mechanisms or disruption of body temperature homeostasis leads to bodily dysfunction, culminating in a syndrome analogous to exertional heat stroke (EHS). The inability of this thermoregulatory process to maintain the body temperature is caused by either thermal stress or certain drugs. EHS is a syndrome characterized by hyperthermia and the activation of systemic inflammation. Several drug-induced hyperthermic syndromes may resemble EHS and share common mechanisms. The purpose of this article is to review the current literature and compare exertional heat stroke (EHS) to three of the most widely studied drug-induced hyperthermic syndromes: malignant hyperthermia (MH), neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), and serotonin syndrome (SS). Drugs and drug classes that have been implicated in these conditions include amphetamines, diuretics, cocaine, antipsychotics, metoclopramide, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and many more. Observations suggest that severe or fulminant cases of drug-induced hyperthermia may evolve into an inflammatory syndrome best described as heat stroke. Their underlying mechanisms, symptoms, and treatment approaches will be reviewed to assist in accurate diagnosis, which will impact the management of potentially life-threatening complications.

Student perceptions of non-technical skills development during advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

INTRODUCTION: In today's workforce, non-technical skills (NTS) are essential in determining an employee's ability to fit into an organization. However, it is unknown whether pharmacy students consider these skills essential to their future work or believe they are sufficiently trained. Therefore, this study evaluated student perceptions of the value of NTS as a pharmacist and their satisfaction with NTS training. METHODS: A 45-item survey was distributed to 111 fourth-year pharmacy students at Texas A&M College of Pharmacy in March 2019. Given the diverse nature of NTS, this study collected student perceptions about the 2016 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standard 4 Key Elements: self-awareness, leadership, innovation, and professionalism. Results were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Approximately 84% (n = 93) of students completed the survey. More students perceived professionalism as an important skill to have, followed by leadership, self-awareness, and innovation. Similar results were shown with students' satisfaction with NTS training. Also, results highlighted that students' satisfaction level with their NTS training and their belief regarding their strengths relied on two factors: the number of advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) where NTS training occurred and the amount of time spent practicing the NTS. CONCLUSION: These data add to the existing literature to support NTS training in experiential pharmacy education. While APPEs should not be the only setting where these skills are practiced in the curriculum, our study's findings may further guide curricular priorities and assessment strategies for NTS in the experiential setting.

Agricultural workers in meatpacking plants presenting to an emergency department with suspected COVID-19 infection are disproportionately Black and Hispanic.

OBJECTIVE: Facilities that process and package meat for consumer sale and consumption (meatpacking plants) were early sites of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks. The aim of this study was to characterize the association between meatpacking plant exposure and clinical outcomes among emergency department (ED) patients with COVID-19 symptoms. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients presenting to a single ED, from March 1 to May 31, 2020, who had: 1) symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and 2) a COVID-19 test performed. The primary outcome was COVID-19 positivity, and secondary outcomes included hospital admission from the ED, ventilator use, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, hospital length of stay (LOS; <48 or ≥48 h), and mortality. RESULTS: Patients from meatpacking plants were more likely to be Black or Hispanic than the ED patients without this occupational exposure. Patients with a meatpacking plant exposure were more likely to test positive for COVID-19 (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 2.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.59 to 3.53) but had similar rates of hospital admission (aRR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.82 to 1.07) and hospital LOS (aRR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.45 to 1.23). There was no significant difference in ventilator use among patients with meatpacking and nonmeatpacking plant exposure (8.2% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.531), ICU admissions (4.1% vs. 12.0%, p = 0.094), and mortality (2.0% vs. 4.1%, p = 0.473). CONCLUSIONS: Workers in meatpacking plants in Iowa had a higher rate of testing positive for COVID-19 but were not more likely to be hospitalized for their illness. These patients were disproportionately Black and Hispanic.

OPA1 deletion in brown adipose tissue improves thermoregulation and systemic metabolism via FGF21.

Adrenergic stimulation of brown adipocytes alters mitochondrial dynamics, including the mitochondrial fusion protein optic atrophy 1 (OPA1). However, direct mechanisms linking OPA1 to brown adipose tissue (BAT) physiology are incompletely understood. We utilized a mouse model of selective OPA1 deletion in BAT (OPA1 BAT KO) to investigate the role of OPA1 in thermogenesis. OPA1 is required for cold-induced activation of thermogenic genes in BAT. Unexpectedly, OPA1 deficiency induced fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) as a BATokine in an activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-dependent manner. BAT-derived FGF21 mediates an adaptive response by inducing browning of white adipose tissue, increasing resting metabolic rates, and improving thermoregulation. However, mechanisms independent of FGF21, but dependent on ATF4 induction, promote resistance to diet-induced obesity in OPA1 BAT KO mice. These findings uncover a homeostatic mechanism of BAT-mediated metabolic protection governed in part by an ATF4-FGF21 axis, which is activated independently of BAT thermogenic function.

Omecamtiv Mecarbil: A Novel Mechanistic and Therapeutic Approach to Chronic Heart Failure Management.

Heart failure (HF) is a major public health problem in the United States as well as worldwide. Chronic heart failure is a syndrome of reduced cardiac output resulting from impaired ventricular function, impaired filling, or a combination of both. Associated symptoms include dyspnea, fatigue, and decreased exercise tolerance. HF has a marked effect on morbidity and mortality, given limited therapeutic choices. The first line of therapeutic agents indicated in heart failure are beta-blockers. Other drugs and therapeutic modalities employed in HF treatment include angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), sacubitril (neprilysin inhibitor) combination with the ARB, valsartan, small doses of aldosterone receptor antagonists (ARAs) in the setting of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and beta-blockers. Additionally, the sodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitor, dapagliflozin in the setting of ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or sacubitril-valsartan plus beta-blocker have been employed. Other therapeutic modalities have included loop diuretics, digoxin, the hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate combination, ivabradine, the inotropes, dobutamine, milrinone, and dopamine. Decreased cardiac contractility is central to the systolic HF. Therapeutic agents employed to increase cardiac contractility in HF are limited because of their mechanistic-related adverse effect profiles. Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a first of its class cardiac myosin activator that increases the cardiac contractility by specifically binding to the catalytic S1 domain of cardiac myosin, to be employed in heart failure treatment. This agent has demonstrated benefit in reducing heart rate, peripheral vascular resistance, mean left arterial pressure, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in the animal models. Additionally, OM is known to improve systolic wall thickening, stroke volume (SV), and cardiac output (CO). OM increases systolic ejection time (SET), cardiac myocyte fractional shortening without significant increase of LV dP/dtmax, myocardial oxygen consumption, and myocyte intracellular calcium. The benefits of OM have been demonstrated through key trials, as (i) The Acute Treatment with Omecamtiv mecarbil to Increase Contractility in Acute Heart Failure (ATOMIC-AHF), and (ii) The Chronic Oral Study of Myosin Activation to Increase Contractility in Heart Failure (COSMIC-HF). The Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC-HF) trial is ongoing and can help provide further clinical data. OM provides a novel mechanism and therapeutic approach to managing patients with HF. Preclinical and clinical data suggest that OM capability can improve cardiac function, decrease ventricular wall stress, reverse ventricular remodeling, and promote sympathetic withdrawal.

Impact of the Implementation of Project Re-Engineered Discharge for Heart Failure patients at a Veterans Affairs Hospital at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.

Background: Hospitalizations due to chronic diseases such as heart failure (HF) continue to increase worldwide. Fragmentation of care while transitioning from one care setting to another is an important factor contributing to hospitalizations. Fragmented discharge tools have been implemented; however, the impact of a comprehensive interdisciplinary discharge tool has not been previously studied. Objective: The goal of this study is to assess the impact of the implementation of Project Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) on the incidence of hospital readmissions, all-cause mortality, primary care physician follow-up rate, and cost savings for patients with HF. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective, cohort study of patients admitted with HF exacerbation at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS). A random sample of 100 patients admitted prior to implementation of Project RED and 50 patients after Project RED intervention were included in the study. The primary end point was 30-day hospital readmission for HF exacerbation. The co-secondary end points were all-cause mortality, cost savings, and rate of primary care physician appointments scheduled as well as attended per postdischarge recommendations. Results: The 30-day hospital readmission rate was 28% in the pre-Project RED group, and it was 18% in the post-Project RED group (P = .18). The all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the post-Project RED group as compared with the pre-Project RED group (18% vs 41%, P = .04). More patients in the post-Project RED group attended an outpatient primary care appointment as recommended per postdischarge instructions (40% vs 19%, P = .006). In addition, with the decrease in hospital 30-day readmission rate in the post-Project RED group, there was a cost savings of $1453 per patient visit for HF exacerbation. Conclusions: Coordination of care using a discharge tool like Project RED should be utilized in institutions to improve patient outcomes as well as patient safety while decrease the overall health care cost.

Ivemark syndrome: bronchial compression from anomalous pulmonary venous anatomy.

Ivemark syndrome is a heterotaxy syndrome which affects multiple organs and affects roughly 1 in every 6000 deliveries. Specifically, it can cause total anomalous pulmonary venous return and cardiac defects, which ultimately lead to decreased life expectancy. In order to better understand the nature of cardiac structures, CT angiogram has been heavily relied upon as it also allows for 3D reconstruction and optimal visualization of those features. This specific case presents with an anomalous venous return accompanied by multi-organ right isomerism that was reconstructed with 3D CT angiogram to better visualize and understand the cardiopulmonary system, as well as contribute to a fund of knowledge in hopes of discovering a solution to this condition.