Natriuretic Peptide Screening for Primary Prevention or Early Detection of Heart Failure: A Pharmacist-Driven Team-Based Approach.

Background: Emerging data indicates that natriuretic peptide biomarker-based screening and early intervention could prevent left ventricular dysfunction or new-onset heart failure (HF). The 2017 update of the American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association/Heart Failure Society of America guideline for managing HF provides a IIa recommendation for natriuretic peptide biomarker screening followed by a team-based approach for preventing HF. Observations: Clinical pharmacists worked collaboratively with a cardiology specialist and primary care practitioners to establish a protocol to identify patients at risk for HF. Patients with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and without a history of HF with N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide > 125 pg/mL received follow-up from clinical pharmacists, including initiation and/or adjustment of reninangiotensin system inhibitors, discussion of echocardiogram, and comprehensive disease state management of hypertension, T2DM, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk reduction, oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug reduction, and tobacco cessation. Conclusions: By using natriuretic peptide screening, clinical pharmacists were able to identify patients with hypertension and/or T2DM who were at higher risk for HF and provide comprehensive medication management.

Increased warfarin requirements in a patient with chronic hepatitis C infection receiving sofosbuvir and ribavirin.

PURPOSE: A case of increased warfarin requirements during treatment with sofosbuvir and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is reported. SUMMARY: A 63-year-old white man receiving long-term anticoagulation with warfarin for atrial fibrillation and a history of cardioembolic stroke was initiated in September 2014 on a 12-week course of sofosbuvir 400 mg orally daily and weight-based ribavirin 600 mg orally twice daily for HCV genotype 2 infection. Before starting this treatment regimen, the patient had been stable on warfarin 52.5 mg weekly, with therapeutic International Normalized Ratio (INR) values. During the 12-week course of sofosbuvir and ribavirin, the patient's dose of warfarin progressively increased from 52.5 to 77.5 mg weekly due to subtherapeutic INRs, with the first adjustment in the warfarin dose occurring 9 days after initiation of HCV treatment. Three weeks after completion of the sofosbuvir and ribavirin regimen, the patient's INR was 3.06, and his warfarin dose was then decreased to 70 mg weekly. The patient continued with this warfarin dosage until 18 weeks after completion of his HCV regimen. The dosage was then decreased to 65 mg weekly after an INR of 3.86. Three weeks later, his INR was 2.19, and warfarin 65 mg weekly was continued. As of June 2016, the patient has continued to require warfarin 62.5-65 mg weekly to maintain a therapeutic INR. CONCLUSION: A 63-year-old man on a stable dose of warfarin experienced a decrease in INR values after the initiation of a 12-week course of sofosbuvir and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic HCV infection.

Pharmacist Interventions to Reduce Modifiable Bleeding Risk Factors Using HAS-BLED in Patients Taking Warfarin.

Use of risk scores and pharmacist follow-up could reduce bleeding risk in patients on anticoagulation therapy.