How Low Can You Go?: A Clinician's Overview of Anemia

Sure, you may not think a low hemoglobin is all that pharmaceutically sexy… BUT guess what?!? There’s more to it than you might think! Take a few minutes to learn about some of the most common causes of anemia, and we bet you’ll be able to apply this to your patients every single day.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyCourtney HowellSeptember 9, 2024anemia, iron deficiency, B12 deficiency, folate deficiency, microcytic, macrocytic, low hemoglobin

Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine Part 3

ICYMI, we've already published 2 fantastic chapters introducing you to the world of genetics and medications. Even if you don't think you'll ever encounter this in practice, you might just be surprised to learn that even medications as common as oxycodone can be influenced by genetics! So come delve into the final chapter of this fascinating series to learn about ways we might be able to optimize our patients' experiences - and results - with medications.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyStephanie KujawskiAugust 26, 2024pharmacogenomics genetic testing medicines, 5-FU capecitabine tegafur genetic testing dypd dpd enzyme, opioids and genetics cyp2d6 pain meds, abacavir hypersensitivity hlab5701 hla testing, what genetic tests should people receive before starting medications

NICU Series Part 6: Neonatal Pharmacokinetics and Infectious Diseases

Awww, you’ve waited 9 loooong months. You’ve had sleepless nights. You’ve done your homework, prepared by reading as much as you can, and you’re ready to welcome…an adorable bundle of NICU article joy?!?! That’s right! After a bit of a hiatus, it’s time for tl;dr to return to our NICU Miniseries with this bundle of infectious diseases information.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyStephanie KujawskiAugust 13, 2024NICU pharmacotherapy, NICU infectious diseases, pharmacokinetics of newborns NICU, how do babies differ from kids and adults in drug metabolism, PK of neonates, TORCH bugs neonates, neonatal sepsis treatment bacteria

Heart Failure Part 2: Signs and Symptoms

In our last post, we talked about the hemodynamics of HF. We talked about Right and Left HF as well as Systolic and Diastolic HF (now called HFrEF and HFpEF, respectively). Now let’s talk about the Signs and Symptoms of Heart Failure (HF).

Clinical, Residency, PracticeCourtney HowellAugust 12, 2024heart failure, systolic heart failure, diastolic heart failure, congestive heart failure, cardiovascular, pathophysiology, Clinical Pearls, PCWP, CKD, Guest Post, CHF, HF, HFpEF, HFrEF

Heart Failure Part 1: Background and Pathophysiology

Heart Failure (HF) strikes fear in the eyes of most pharmacy students; I think mainly because there are so many drugs and so many moving parts to this. Let’s break it down to basics.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, PracticeCourtney HowellAugust 7, 2024heart failure, congestive heart failure, chf, hf, cardiovascular, pathophysiology, HFrEF, HFpEF, systolic heart failure, diastolic heart failure

What Every Pharmacist Should Know about Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS)

You’ve heard the saying that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Well, how is it possible that too much of an anti-emetic can be a pro-emetic, leading to cyclic vomiting? This is exactly the case in cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, cases of which are on the rise as legal access to marijuana and related products increases in the US. Let tl;dr give you the rundown on what to look for and how to help patients presenting with this uncomfortable side effect of marijuana use.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyStephanie KujawskiJuly 29, 2024what are the downsides to marijuana use, cannabis hyperemesis syndrome chs, cyclic vomiting with marijuana, hot showers for marijuana nausea vomiting, how to treat cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, why does cannabis make you nauseated

The Pharmacist's Guide to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

There was a recent update in the STI Guidelines (the first update in 6 years). Get yourself up to speed with the latest recommendations.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, PracticeCourtney HowellJuly 24, 2024sti, std, sexually transmitted infection, sexually transmitted disease, pid treatment, hpv vaccine, bv treatment, chlamydia treatment

Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine Part 2

We know it’s been a while since we first dipped our toes into the world of pharmacogenomics, but it’s time to take off the Crocs and dive right on in. In Part 1, we gave you the appetizer course of this fascinating side of pharmacy, and now we’re ready to serve some meat and potatoes. Come learn the ins and outs of how genetics influence warfarin dosing, statin use, and anesthetic choice.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyStephanie KujawskiJuly 15, 2024pharmacogenomics pharmacy, genetics and medications, genetics and warfarin statins anesthetics, statin associated musculoskeletal symptoms myopathy, malignant hyperthermia anesthetics succinylcholine, how to optimize medication therapy using genetics

The Pharmacist's Dos and Don'ts of Post-Intubation Sedation

Your patient has just had a breathing tube inserted down their throat, and now the countdown begins… when does the initial sedation wear off? How do you keep them from awakening and feeling that horridness!? Don’t get caught trying to figure this out on the fly. Let tl;dr teach you the need to know info on how to manage post-RSI sedation and analgesia so you have a plan already in place when faced with intubation.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyStephanie KujawskiJuly 1, 2024what to do after a patient is intubated, post-RSI sedation and analgesia, how to keep a patient comfortable after intubation, awake paralysis after RSI, RASS scores sedation and analgesia

The Pharmacist’s Quick Rundown on Preeclampsia vs Eclampsia

Have you seen your preceptors or colleagues verifying long (scary) order sets for the Labor & Delivery unit? There’s terbutaline, magnesium, labetalol, oxytocin, and the list goes on. You’ve probably never seen a lot of these meds on any other rotations, and yet, your preceptors seem to know what they’re doing. Where did they get this obstetric knowledge? And how can you get in on the deal?? Well, it’s certainly not everything, but start here with us!

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyStephanie KujawskiJune 18, 2024complications of pregnancy eclampsia preeclampsia, what's the difference between eclampsia and preeclampsia, why is magnesium used in pregnant patients, how does magnesium stop a seizure, what blood pressure medications are safe during pregnancy

The Pharmacist's Primer on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants: Part 2

In our last post, we covered all the pieces that go into preparing for and executing a stem cell transplant. It was a LOT, and we’re hoping you came away with an appreciation for just how complex these procedures are. This week, we’re going to go through all things post-transplant. Can’t leave our patients hanging, now can we!? What supportive measures do they require for the transplant to stick and be a success? Check us out for these answers and more!

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyStephanie KujawskiJune 5, 2024stem cell transplant, graft versus host disease, graft versus tumor response, immunosuppression after stem cell transplant, infection prophylaxis after stem cell transplant, vaccination after stem cell transplant

The Pharmacist's Primer on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants: Part 1

Stem cells frequently make headlines for controversial sourcing issues (think embryonic stem cell research and the when-does-human-life-begin debate). But there are other stem cells that, while less famous - or infamous, are significantly capable of changing and saving lives. It is these stem cells that our post today focuses on, and we hope that you’ll come away with a better understanding of the complex procedures that constitute stem cell transplants.

Clinical, Pharmacy School, Practice, ResidencyStephanie KujawskiMay 21, 2024HSCT, stem cell transplant, how does a stem cell transplant work, what medications are used for a stem cell transplant, how are stem cells harvested from the blood or marrow, pharmacotherapy of a stem cell transplant