American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
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Am J Health Syst Pharm · Feb 2012
Impact of atrial fibrillation and oral anticoagulation on hospital costs and length of stay.
The results of a study assessing hospital length of stay (LOS) and inpatient costs associated with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and AF-related warfarin use during hospitalization are presented. ⋯ Hospitalizations of patients with a secondary diagnosis of AF are significantly longer and more costly than those of patients without a secondary diagnosis of AF, especially when warfarin is used during the hospital stay. Among patients with a primary diagnosis of AF, warfarin therapy during hospitalization is associated with significant increases in mean LOS and hospital costs.
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Am J Health Syst Pharm · Feb 2012
ReviewAntidotes for toxicological emergencies: a practical review.
Appropriate therapies for commonly encountered poisonings, medication overdoses, and other toxicological emergencies are reviewed, with discussion of pharmacists' role in ensuring their ready availability and proper use. ⋯ Pharmacists can play a key role in reducing poisoning and overdose injuries and deaths by assisting in the early recognition of toxic exposures and guiding emergency personnel on the proper storage, selection, and use of antidotal therapies.
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Am J Health Syst Pharm · Feb 2012
Development and implementation of a comprehensive heparin-induced thrombocytopenia recognition and management protocol.
A quality initiative to improve the management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) at an academic medical center, including the development of guidelines on the use of direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs), is described. ⋯ In one institution, an HIT working group extended the scope of NPSG 03.05.01 to include the parenteral DTIs. The implementation of the HIT protocol has resulted in greater compliance with appropriate DTI dosing and improved EMR documentation of HIT.
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Am J Health Syst Pharm · Feb 2012
Procedures to improve prescribing and dispensing of oral contraceptives at an academic medical center.
An initiative to improve procedures and safeguards for inpatient oral contraceptive use at an academic medical center is described. ⋯ A review of existing processes for the use of oral contraceptives led to the identification of several strategies to improve prescribing and dispensing practices. Strategies to improve medication safety included reducing the number of oral contraceptive products on the formulary, modifying the CPOE system to restrict ordering to formulary products, dispensing only tablets that contain active drug, and repackaging oral contraceptives in unit dose form.