Journal of pharmacy practice
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Review Case Reports
Continuous Infusion Ampicillin for the Outpatient Management of Enterococcal Endocarditis: A Case Report and Literature Review.
Treatment of enterococcal endocarditis requires up to 6 weeks of intravenous (IV) antimicrobial therapy. When susceptible, an ampicillin-based regimen is preferred. Studies evaluating ampicillin stability utilizing high-pressure liquid chromatography have indicated enhanced stability (greater than 24 hours at room temperature), supporting outpatient administration. ⋯ Outpatient ambulatory infusion pumps allow for delivery of ampicillin via continuous infusion or pump-programmed pulse dosing. Preparation and administration in an outpatient infusion center may be a viable option to circumvent stability and delivery issues. Furthermore, 81% (34/42) of treatment days were completed outpatient, supporting that this approach may increase access to treatment and help reduce the economic burden to health care.
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To provide an overview of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy-associated immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and their management, focusing on the key responsibilities for pharmacists in recognizing, distinguishing, and treating irAEs and in educating patients about irAEs and their management. ⋯ Pharmacists have a key role in the recognition, monitoring, and management of irAEs and in educating patients about irAEs associated with ICI therapies and the agents used to manage them.
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There is a paucity of research on the population characteristics of mail-order pharmacy users. ⋯ Mail-order pharmacy use was significantly associated with certain patient characteristics. Policymakers should consider these characteristics when promoting mail-order pharmacy use.