The Canadian journal of hospital pharmacy
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Clinical pharmacy services have been shown to reduce adverse drug events and health care costs. However, few studies have assessed their effect on patient outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ Documenting clinical pharmacy activities is essential for assessing pharmacists' impact on patient outcomes. These data suggest that ICU pharmacists prioritize clinical activities to care for the sickest patients.
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Methylene blue is used in medical practice for various reasons. Recent findings point to a potential interaction with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) that could lead to serotonergic toxicity. ⋯ When administered in combination with SRIs, methylene blue may lead to serotonergic toxicity at doses as low as 0.7 mg/kg. Methylene blue would seem to have monoamine oxidase A inhibitory properties. Precautions should be taken to avoid this interaction. [Publisher's translation].
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The mnemonic FASTHUG (Feeding, Analgesia, Sedation, Thromboembolic prophylaxis, Head of bed elevation, stress Ulcer prophylaxis, Glucose control) was developed by intensive care unit (ICU) physicians to ensure that key aspects of care are addressed during each patient encounter. Because this tool does not specifically target pharmacotherapy assessments, a modified version, FASTHUG-MAIDENS, was created, by changing the H to mean Hypoactive or Hyperactive delirium and adding M for Medication reconciliation; A for Antibiotics or Anti-infectives; I for Indications for medications; D for drug Dosing; E for Electrolytes, hematology, and other laboratory tests; N for No drug interactions, allergies, duplication, or side effects; and S for Stop dates. ⋯ In this sample, the mnemonic FASTHUG-MAIDENS was a useful tool to facilitate the capture of DRPs by pharmacy residents working in the ICU.
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Research projects are a key component of pharmacy residents' education. Projects represent both a large investment of effort for each resident (up to 10 weeks over the residency year) and a large body of research (given that there are currently over 150 residency positions in Canada annually). Publication of results is a vital part of the dissemination of information gleaned from these projects. ⋯ Most hospital pharmacy residents' projects were unpublished, and the publication rate of projects as full-text manuscripts has not increased over time. Most projects were observational studies. Increasing publication rates and creating a central database or repository of residency projects would increase the dissemination and accessibility of residents' research.