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Pepin’s Pharmaceutical Prattle for 08-15-2006
Quote of the day: If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions? Scott Adams (1957 - )
Good morning ! 911 Every Month? Back in 2001 about 3000 citizens lost their lives to the terrorist attack. This was a purposeful and malicious attack. In response we went to war and have lost almost as many. Recent news out of England tells us that the attacks continue. Each month about 3000 traffic fatalities occur. I refer to crumpled automobiles and motorcycles as "wreck" and not "accidents". For the most part these "accidents", while not designed to take lives, are part of purposeful actions. Half can be attributed to failure to wear safety belts. Fifty percent of fatalities involve the use of alcohol; half from repeat DWI offenders. Speed contributes significantly. Use of prescription drugs is also contributory. I can't count the number of patients I have had to treat who did not wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle (any THEY were the lucky one who lived). So the worst thing you could do is take sedative prescription drugs, get drunk and drive fast without wearing your seatbelt (or helmet). You pharmacist should make it a point to SERIOUSLY warn patients about the effects of prescription drugs. The rest of you stay safe by driving sober at the speed limit while wearing safety equipment…. I don't want to lose any readers. (ps using your turn signals wouldn't hurt either) =================================================== ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "I'll play these cards!" pps. Occasionally, some of the links require FREE registration.... I'm sure you can handle THAT slight inconvenience. ------------
1) What your patients are reading…Addictive antidepressants! Here is a pretty sensational report of a woman who had a bad reaction to coming off of one SSRI too quickly. Feels doomed to take the drug forever. It could be that she'll need the antidepressant "forever" just like diabetics are "addicted" to insulin. Sounds like a good place for pharmacist intervention in any case.
2) Don't have a stroke! It appears that the use of atorvastatin in patients who had one stroke will have an advantage over non-users in prevention of a second stroke. (one was bad enough!) http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/355/6/549
3) Software standards for health care? Executive order pending to effect patients under Medicare/Medicaid (but everyone would benefit). Would standardize measurement and reporting. It is interesting to see HIPPA(to protect patient privacy) on one hand and this type of initiative (to save money and make information more transportable) on the other. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/06/AR2006080600651_pf.html
4) Set to tie the knot Wholesalers AmerisourceBergen and Kindred are to merge. Creates the SECOND largest hospital wholesaler.
5) Der Führer hat Speiche The Democratic governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, has vacated any conscientious objector rights of pharmacists related to contraceptives and is posting sings in all pharmacies. So much for the "home of the free".
6) Sweet Juanita gets Januvia The drug Januvia(sitagliptin) has won approval in Mexico against diabetes. Expect approval in other parts of the world in the months to come. http://www.merck.com/newsroom/press_releases/research_and_development/2006_0808.html
7) Alzheimer's subway riders only ones left? The drug galantamine (aka Reminyl) used against Alzheimer's disease appears to protect from the lethal effects of sarin (used in the subway attack). The study was done in Guinea Pigs (what else) but offers some hope of protection in those to be exposed…. not that any of us would take it in anticipation of a terrorist attack. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060807/hl_nm/alzheimers_drug_dc
Have a SUPER-FANTASTIC week. Steve
Disclaimer: "Pepin's Pharmaceutical Prattle" (AKA "The Prattle") is the property of PHARMWORKS, LLC and Steven M. Pepin, Pharm. D, BCPS. The opinions expressed are those of the bald-headed author. To start or stop any drug without the advice and supervision of your physician would be stupid. So don't do anything based upon what you read here without professional advice. To be added to or removed from the distribution list please e-mail your request to spepin@pharmworks.com . All insightful comments from readers are thoughtfully considered (the rest are callously discarded). Copyright 1998-2006 PHARMWORKS, LLC all rights reserved. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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