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.

Evaluation of a community pharmacy delivered oral contraception service

Abstract: Introduction In the UK half of all pregnancies are unplanned and half of teenage pregnancies terminated. Southwark and Lambeth have the highest teenage conception rates in London. In 2009, many teenage pregnancies in Southwark led to terminations. A contraception service was established where qualified pharmacists supplied oral contraception (OC) using a patient group direction (PGD). This service evaluation aimed to assess this service delivered in five community pharmacies. Methods Monthly data were submitted by each pharmacy to the Primary Care Trust on consultations, pills supplied, initial or subsequent supply and client referral. For specified periods consultation time was collected and a clinical notes audit undertaken. Client satisfaction was determined using a structured questionnaire returned to the pharmacy. Mystery shoppers were employed to assess the service. Results A total of 741 consultations were undertaken by seven pharmacists at five community pharmacies (October 2009–June 2011) with many (45.5%) occurring following emergency contraception supply. The mean consultation time was 19 minutes . Combined OC was most commonly supplied with nearly half (46.1%) of initial supplies to first-time pill users. Most consultations (92.2%) were with women aged under 30 years, with 22.5% aged under 20. Most consultations were with black or black British clients. Of the 99 women who completed the satisfaction questionnaires, most clients were very satisfied or satisfied with the service and felt comfortable talking to the pharmacist about contraception. Conclusions Trained pharmacists were clinically competent and provided OC in community pharmacy according to a PGD. This service was accessed by the target population; young women using emergency hormonal contraception who had not previously used OC. Clients were largely very satisfied with the service.

Quality circles to improve prescribing patterns in primary medical care: what is their actual impact?

Abstract: Rationale, aims and objectives Quality circles comprise small group sessions of doctors and written feedback on their individual practice patterns. Although 50% of German primary care doctors participate in quality circles, their effectiveness has hardly been evaluated in Germany. This study determined the impact of a large-scale programme of quality circles on quality and costs of prescribing. Method A controlled before‐after study was performed, in which primary care doctors were allocated to a quality circles group or a control group. Subjects were 100 000 patients in 1996 and in 1998, who had visited one of 177 doctors in the 3 month registration periods in one region in Germany. The intervention comprised a quality circles programme, comprising 11 sessions and repeated feedback on prescribing. Main outcome measures were proportion of patients who received a prescription, mean prescription costs per patient and proportion of generic prescriptions. Results The absolute numbers of prescriptions decreased in both groups, but the mean prescription costs per patient increased. The quality circles reduced the proportion of patients who received a prescription (OR = 0.86) and the mean prescription costs per patient (B = - 3.99 euro), while it increased the proportion of generic drugs (OR = 1.10). The intervention had intended effects on four of the 15 secondary indicators. Conclusions Large-scale application of quality circles had intended effects on prescribing decisions in primary care in Germany. The effects found in this study may reflect better what improvements can be achieved than randomized trials of similar interventions.

Different Risks for NSAID-Induced Anaphylaxis

Abstract: BACKGROUND:After drugs are marketed, spontaneous reporting systems can provide valuable information regarding the occurrence of suspected adverse drug reactions. The Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Foundation has received a substantial number of anaphylactic reaction reports related to the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether the risk of anaphylactic reactions being reported during the use of various NSAIDs is greater than with other classes of drugs and if differences among NSAIDs exist.METHODS:In a case/noncase design, reporting odds ratios (RORs) were calculated using logistic regression analysis. Cases were defined as reports in which anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reactions were reported; all other reports were considered as noncases. The index group consisted of reports in which NSAIDs were mentioned as the suspected medication; the reference group consisted of all other reports.RESULTS:Between January 1985 and November 2000, the Netherlands Pharmacovigil...

Survey of patient knowledge related to acetaminophen recognition, dosing, and toxicity.

Abstract: Objective To assess patient knowledge regarding acetaminophen dosing, toxicity, and recognition of acetaminophen-containing products. Design Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study. Setting Alabama, January 2007 to February 2008. Patients 284 patients at four outpatient medical facilities. Intervention 12-item investigator-administered questionnaire. Main outcome measures Degree of patient knowledge regarding acetaminophen safety, dosing recommendations, toxicity, alternative names and abbreviations, and products. Results Two-thirds of the 284 patients completing the survey reported current or recent use of pain, cold, or allergy medication. Of these, 25% reported knowing the active ingredient. Of patients, 46% and 13% knew that “acetaminophen” and “APAP,” respectively, were synonymous with “Tylenol.” Several patients (12%) believed that ingesting a harmful amount of acetaminophen was difficult or impossible. One-third of patients correctly identified the maximum daily dose, 10% reported a dose greater than 4 g, 25% were unsure of the dose, and 7% were unsure whether a maximum dose existed. One-half recognized liver damage as the primary toxicity. Results were similar between acetaminophen users and nonusers. Conclusion Deficiencies were found in patient knowledge regarding acetaminophen recognition, dosing, and potential for toxicity. The development of effective educational initiatives is warranted to ensure patient awareness and limit the potential for acetaminophen overdose.

Adverse-drug-event rates for high-cost and high-use drugs in the intensive care unit.

Abstract: Purpose. The rates of adverse drug events (ADEs) associated with high-cost and high-use drugs in the intensive care unit (ICU) were studied. Methods. This retrospective analysis was conducted from October 1997 through June 2001 in a 647-bed academic medical center with over 120 ICU beds. Adult patients with a documented ADE occurring in the ICU were included in the analysis. ADE information, including suspected medication, causality, preventability, and severity, was extracted from the institutional ADE database. Published definitions of ADEs and published scales for causality and severity assessments were used. High-cost medications were those in the top 50% of cumulative ICU medication costs, and high-use medications accounted for the upper 50% of all medications used in the ICU. Between-group comparisons of ADE rates, preventability, and severity associated with high-cost and high-use medications were conducted. Results. Of the 17 medications that were considered high cost, 9 (53%) were associated with ADEs. Of the 15 medications that met the criteria for high-use drugs, 12 (80%) were associated with ADEs. The rates of ADEs associated with high-cost and high-use drugs did not significantly differ (43% versus 75%, respectively; p = 0.098). ADEs associated with high-cost and high-use medications were categorized as mild (15% versus 10%, respectively), moderate (52% versus 50%, respectively), and severe (33% versus 40%, respectively) ( p > 0.05). Conclusion. The frequency, severity, and preventability of ADEs in the ICU were not associated with a drug’s cost or frequency of use. Monitoring priorities of the critical care pharmacist should not be dictated by cost alone but should include frequency of use and the potential for causing an ADE.