American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
-
Am J Health Syst Pharm · Oct 2021
An examination of sedation requirements and practices for mechanically ventilated critically ill patients with COVID-19.
Preliminary reports suggest that critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection requiring mechanical ventilation may have markedly increased sedation needs compared with critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients without COVID-19. We conducted a study to examine sedative use for this patient population within multiple intensive care units (ICUs) of a large academic medical center. ⋯ Our study confirmed the clinical impression of elevated sedative use in critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 relative to guideline-recommended sedation practices in other critically ill populations.
-
Am J Health Syst Pharm · Sep 2021
Transportation of a commercial premixed intravenous insulin product through a pneumatic tube system.
Delivery of insulin products via pneumatic tubes is often avoided in health systems, as agitation may cause insulin proteins to destabilize, resulting in loss of function through denaturation, aggregation, or other processes. The actual loss of potency due to delivery via pneumatic tubes has not been reported for new, ready-to-use insulin products. ⋯ Transporting 100 unit/100 mL Myxredlin i.v. bags through a pneumatic tube system does not result in a clinically significant loss of potency. Therefore, delivery of this drug product via a pneumatic tube system to patient care areas can be considered in daily practice.
-
Am J Health Syst Pharm · Sep 2021
ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings: Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacy operations-2020.
Results of the 2020 ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings pertaining to pharmacy operational changes implemented in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are presented. ⋯ The pharmacy profession responded to myriad threats to operations and patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
-
Am J Health Syst Pharm · Jul 2021
Multicenter StudyDescriptive analysis of the unwarranted continuation of antipsychotics for the management of ICU delirium during transitions of care: A multicenter evaluation across New Jersey.
Nearly half of intensive care unit (ICU) patients will develop delirium. Antipsychotics are used routinely for the management of ICU delirium despite limited reliable data supporting this approach. The unwarranted continuation of antipsychotics initiated for ICU delirium is an emerging transitions of care concern, especially considering the adverse event profile of these agents. We sought to evaluate the magnitude of this issue across 6 centers in New Jersey and describe risk factors for continuation. ⋯ The continuation of antipsychotics for the management of delirium during transitions of care was a common practice across ICUs in New Jersey. Several risk factors for continuation of antipsychotics were identified. Efforts to reduce unnecessary continuation of antipsychotics at transitions of care are warranted.