The Annals of pharmacotherapy
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Review Case Reports
Acute pancreatitis associated with angiotensin II receptor antagonists.
To report a case of acute pancreatitis in a patient receiving a combination formulation of irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). ⋯ Clinicians should be aware that irbesartan/HCTZ or losartan may cause acute pancreatitis. If abdominal pain develops, the medication should be discontinued and the patient investigated for acute pancreatitis.
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To evaluate the use of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) for stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill adults. ⋯ Available data indicate that PPIs are safe and efficacious for elevating intragastric pH in critically ill patients. PPIs should be used only as an alternative to H(2)RAs or sucralfate since the superiority of PPIs over these agents for preventing SRMD-associated gastrointestinal bleeding has not been established. Additional comparative studies with adequate patient numbers and pharmacoeconomic analyses are needed before PPIs are considered the agents of choice for stress ulcer prophylaxis.
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Tenfold errors in medication dosing continue to occur despite being a well-recognized risk, particularly to pediatric patients. Few systematic evaluations of the characteristics and causes of tenfold medication dosage prescribing errors have been performed. ⋯ Prescribing of tenfold medication dose errors is common and is associated with identifiable risk factors. Implementing commonly recommended medication safety processes are likely to reduce risk to patients from such errors. This information should be considered in the development of strategies to prevent adverse patient outcomes resulting from such errors.