Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA
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J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) · May 2001
Pharmaceutical care research and education project: pharmacists' interventions.
To describe the processes of care used by community pharmacists participating in the Pharmaceutical Care Research and Education Project (PREP) in terms of drug-related problems (DRPs), pharmacists' recommendations, and status of DRPs at follow-up, and to determine characteristics associated with DRPs. ⋯ Pharmacists identified more DRPs for study patients than previous community-based, observational studies have reported. Undertreatment appears to be a prevalent DRP. Community pharmacists' recommendations to prevent and resolve DRPs were made primarily to patients and were well accepted. More follow-up was needed for all DRPs. When follow-up occurred, the DRP results generally showed improvement.
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J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) · Mar 2001
Pharmacists' knowledge of and attitudes toward opioid pain medications in relation to federal and state policies.
To assess Wisconsin pharmacists' knowledge of and attitudes toward the use of opioid analgesics in the management of chronic cancer and noncancer pain, and to explore the potential for these beliefs to interfere with pharmacist dispensing, the last link of the distribution chain of controlled substances to patients. ⋯ Pharmacists play a pivotal role in ensuring patient access to medications. Viewed in the context of federal and state controlled substances policies, our findings suggest that the incorrect knowledge and inappropriate attitudes of some pharmacists could contribute to a failure to dispense valid prescriptions for opioid analgesics to patients in pain.
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Undertreatment of pain continues to be a serious public health problem. The use of opioid analgesics is considered essential for chronic pain management and palliative care. Pharmacists are encouraged to become involved in initiatives to improve pain management.
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Sleep is an active process consisting of macro- and microarchitectural rhythms, chronobiology, and neurochemical changes. Disruptions in sleep chronobiology, which may occur in shift workers and the elderly or due to jet lag, often respond to exogenous melatonin. ⋯ Treatment options include sleep hygiene principles and sedative hypnotic therapy. Zaleplon and zolpidem, short-acting benzodiazepines selective for omega-1 GABA receptors, are effective first-line agents for initiating sleep.