This week’s Pharmacy Phriday features a short excerpt from a longer podcast released as promo for the Colorado’s CURE initiative, Clinicians United to Resolve the Epidemic, that combats the opioid crisis through education. Frequent contributor to the podcast, Rachael Duncan, PharmD, is joined by host, Elizabeth Esty, MD, to discuss the opioid prescribing guidelines for…
Read MoreContributor: Rachael Duncan, PharmD BCPS Educational Pearls: According to the Department of Public Health and Environment who puts out a weekly report on the influenza virus in Colorado, there appears to be less influenza in Colorado than previous years A milder influenza outbreak is likely due to mask wearing and social distancing practices There have…
Read MoreEducational Pearls: Atropine has been shown to reduce hypersalivation as well as nausea and vomiting induced by ketamine sedation. Atropine can increase the occurrence of a transient rash, as well as tachycardia. There are no guidelines that recommend for or against atropine use in pediatric patients undergoing ketamine induced sedation. Ultimately, it is the providers…
Read MoreContributor: Cheyenne Bean, PharmD Educational Pearls: Bactrim (TMP-SMX) is a sulfa antibiotic used for a number of infections but can have untoward effects. Hypoglycemia can be induced by the sulfa component of Bactrim, which binds receptors in the pancreas causing insulin to be secreted, dropping blood sugar levels. Oral diabetic medications, specifically sulfonylureas, when taken…
Read MoreContributor: Ruben Marrero-Vasquez, PharmD Educational Pearls: ACEP and FDA have both issued warnings about the viral Tik Tok Benadryl (diphenhydramine) challenge where individuals voluntarily overdose on diphenhydramine which can cause fatal toxicity Diphenhydramine is typically dosed at 0.5-1 mg/kg in pediatric patients Q4-6 PRN and carries a fatal dose of 20-40 mg/kg but anywhere from…
Read MoreContributors: Rachael Duncan, PharmD and Sean McCullough, PharmD Educational Pearls: A 2019 Report by the National Women’s Law Center: Most common occupations for pregnant workers are elementary and middle School teachers, registered nurses, physician assistants and nursing/psychiatric/home health care aides. This raises the question of should pregnant women, specifically front-line workers get the Covid-19 vaccine? …
Read MoreContributor: Rachael Duncan, PharmD Educational Pearls: ED visits nationwide declined by 42% in April 2020 compared to the same time in 2019 largely due to the fear of the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest decline was seen in pediatrics less than 14, women and emerging COVID hotspots like the Northeast. In recent weeks, this trend has…
Read MoreContributor: Rachael Duncan, PharmD Educational Pearls: Drug shortages have been an issue since the 2000’s. Improvement was being made; however, several factors have exacerbated the drug supply more recently. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Report there are 163 drugs currently on the drug shortage list. Of the 40 drugs critical to…
Read MoreThe penicillin and cephalosporin drug classes include many first line drug options for infectious disease although high rates of self-reported allergies may cause physicians to seek alternative options. In part two of our dive into antibiotics use for infectious disease, listen as Dr. Rachael Duncan, Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist, addresses the need to investigate the…
Read MoreWelcome to EMM’s first Pharmacy Friday where we dive deeper on a certain pharmacological topic as it pertains to emergency medicine. Dr. Rachael Duncan, Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist, joins us today to talk about antibiotics use for infectious disease, specifically fluoroquinolones. Educational Pearls: Levofloxacin used to be relied upon heavily due to its multiple upsides…
Read More