American Pharmacists Association

About: American Pharmacists Association is a other organization based out in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Pharmacist & Pharmacy. The organization has 2413 authors who have published 1969 publications receiving 30470 citations. The organization is also known as: APhA & American Pharmaceutical Association.

Extended-release oral treprostinil in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension: clinical evidence and experience.

Abstract: Treprostinil diolamine is the first oral prostacyclin approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to improve exercise capacity. Clinical studies have demonstrated modest benefit as monotherapy, whereas no difference in exercise capacity was observed with combination therapy. However, these trials were limited by subtherapeutic dosing owing to intolerable adverse effects. Prostacyclin-related adverse effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, flushing, and jaw pain, are prevalent. More recent pharmacokinetic and clinical studies illustrate the dose-response relationship and the importance of achieving clinically effective doses. Therefore, efforts to improve tolerability are paramount. Oral treprostinil is recommended to be administered three times daily in order to facilitate more rapid titration, higher doses achieved, and improved tolerability. Oral treprostinil has also been studied in carefully selected, stable patients that transitioned from parenteral or inhaled therapy with close monitoring for late deterioration. Ongoing clinical trials will determine the long-term effects of higher doses of oral treprostinil on clinical outcomes. This review describes the clinical evidence and practical experience with the use of oral treprostinil for PAH.

Incremental Drug Treatment Cost in HIV-Positive Patients in Industry-Sponsored Clinical Trials

Abstract: Background:Drugs used in clinical trials supported by the pharmaceutical industry are supplied free of charge by the companies. However, maintenance of treatment with those drugs when the trials have finished can generate extra cost for patients who participated in the trials.Objective:To assess whether HIV-infected patients' participation in clinical trials results in drug cost savings or increases.Methods:An analysis of alt antiretrovirals dispensed to HIV-infected outpatients prior to, during, and after their participation in clinical trials in a university hospital during a 2-year period was conducted. Only patients who completed the trial during the study period were included. The following outcomes were measured: (1) cost saved (difference between cost per day during the trial and cost per day before study entry), (2) cost generated (difference between cost per day at the end of the trial and cost per day before study entry), (3) balance between cost saved and cost generated, and (4) number of days ...

Survey of the needs of patients in a private nursing home: a pharmacist's view

Abstract: Validated data collection instruments were used to assess the health status and existing drug therapy of 79 patients (16 male, 63 female; mean age 84 [±9] years) in two private nursing homes in Norfolk. The homes had already been found to be above average standard in terms of medicines supply, storage and administration. The most common symptoms of long term chronic disease were associated with neurological, cardiovascular, arthritic, psychiatric or diabetic diagnoses. Fifty nine patients had some memory impairment; 77 suffered from additional health problems which could arise from inappropriate therapy or dosing. All patients received most of their medicines from nursing staff. The mean (±SD) number of items received per day was 7.1 (±3.4). Of drugs prescribed for regular use, 79 per cent were given in accordance with the wishes of the prescriber. In contrast, only 21 per cent of medicines prescribed for use when necessary (prn) were given as intended. Thirty three per cent of prn medicines, some prescription only, had been given in the absence of any GP knowledge or instruction. Although there were written procedures for drug administration, there was only 58 per cent compliance with these guidelines. Drug administration charts proved to be an incomplete record of pre-existing drug allergy, topical application, self-medication and drugs used in routine nursing procedures, eg, bladder washouts.

Selective Prescribing of Spasmolytics

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Daily clinical practice often differs largely from the clinical trial setting, so extrapolation of outcomes from trial data, such as safety, effectiveness, and economic outcomes, can be deceptive. Prescribers may intend to treat a selected group of patients with new drugs; this practice could result in significant bias in assessing outcomes of these agents during their use in daily clinical practice.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate what type of patient received tolterodine compared with the spasmolytic drugs previously marketed (oxybutynin, flavoxate, emepronium).DESIGN:An observational, follow-up study.SETTING:Eighteen collaborating community pharmacies.PATIENTS:Aged ≥18 years, noninstitutionalized; initial therapy with tolterodine, oxybutynin, flavoxate, or emepronium.RESULTS:Tolterodine was often used as a second-line and even as a third-line treatment, and was prescribed to a “polluted” population in terms of concomitant psychotropic medication. Tolterodine users were 7.5 times more likely to have rec...