Pharmacotherapy
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Comparative Study
Impact of an antimicrobial stewardship program on the use of carbapenems in a tertiary women's and children's hospital, Singapore.
Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) promote the judicious use of antimicrobials by limiting inappropriate use. This article evaluates the impact of a prospective-audit-and-feedback ASP implementation on the appropriate utilization of carbapenems in a tertiary pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology hospital in Singapore (KKH) after the establishment of an ASP in July 2011. ⋯ ASPs improved the appropriateness of carbapenems prescribing overall and reduced utilization in pediatrics. Identification of areas of inappropriate prescribing will be valuable in guiding future ASP efforts.
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Review
GLP-1 receptor agonists for type 2 diabetes mellitus: recent developments and emerging agents.
More than 26 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Many treatment options exist, but achieving long-term glycemic control in patients with T2D remains challenging. The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) offer a treatment option that improves glycemic control and reduces weight, with a low risk of hypoglycemia. ⋯ The most common adverse effects of all GLP-1 RA agents are gastrointestinal (e.g., nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting), but the rates of occurrence vary among agents. Due to the differences in pharmacokinetics, efficacy, rates of adverse effects, and administration requirements within the GLP-1 RA class, each agent should be evaluated independently. The future of GLP-1 RAs offers broader treatment options for T2D as well as potential in other treatment areas.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Physician-pharmacist collaborative management of asthma in primary care.
To determine if asthma control improves in patients who receive physician-pharmacist collaborative management (PPCM) during visits to primary care medical offices. ⋯ The PPCM care model reduced asthma-related ED visits and hospitalizations and improved asthma control and quality of life. However, the primary outcome was not statistically significant for all patients. There was a significant reduction in ED visits and hospitalizations during the intervention for patients with uncontrolled asthma at baseline. Our findings support the need for further studies to investigate asthma outcomes achievable with the PPCM model.