Weekly Summary -- February 8, 2019
Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Here are what Pharmacist's Briefing editors consider the most important developments for the week of February 8, 2019
AHA News: Pregnancy May Raise Risk of Deadliest Type of Stroke
FRIDAY, Feb. 8, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- The risk of a type of stroke that causes bleeding in the brain is higher among women during pregnancy and in the weeks following delivery, new research finds.
AHA News: Her New Workout Routine Helped Spot a Rare Heart Defect
FRIDAY, Feb. 8, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- As a medical malpractice lawyer, Diana Mauro is no stranger to stress.
As U.S. Measles Outbreaks Spread, Why Does 'Anti-Vax' Movement Persist?
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Measles outbreaks across the United States -- including one in Washington state where 50 cases have now been identified -- have again shone the spotlight on parents who resist getting kids vaccinated.
Could a Little Pot Smoking Actually Raise Men's Fertility?
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Forget the mellow slacker image -- pot smoking might actually make men more potent.
Where Marijuana Is Legal, Many Teens Drive While High
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- In states where marijuana is legal, teens smoking pot and then getting behind the wheel of a car is common, a new study finds.
Fast or Slow, Weight Loss Has Similar Effect on Health
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Losing weight quickly doesn't offer any more health benefits than slimming down slowly, a new study shows.
Why Do More and More Americans Use Medical Marijuana?
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Easing chronic pain is the main reason Americans use medical marijuana, a new study finds.
Too Much TV Raises Women's Odds for Early-Onset Colon Cancer: Study
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Binge-watching series after series might be fun, but too much TV could raise a middle-aged woman's odds for colon cancer, a new study finds.
Could Germs in Your Gut Send You Into Depression?
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Certain bacteria dwelling in the human gut might feed depression, according to a new study that adds evidence to the theory.
Parents Conflicted About Opioid Use in Children
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Parents are conflicted about the use of prescribed opioids in children, with most concerned about side effects and risks but believing opioids are the most effective option for managing pain, according to a survey commissioned by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and released to coincide with Physician Anesthesiologists Week, held from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2.
FDA: Number of U.S. Women With Breast Implant-Caused Cancer Has Increased
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- There has been an increase in the number of U.S. women diagnosed with a cancer caused by breast implants, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.
Chronic Rhinosinusitis Linked to Depression, Anxiety
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is associated with incidence of depression and anxiety, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
T2DM Initially Remits in Majority Who Undergo Gastric Bypass
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is associated with high levels of type 2 diabetes remission at one year, although 27 percent relapse after five years, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in Diabetologia.
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Up With PCOS Regardless of BMI
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Irrespective of age and weight, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Jan. 31 in Diabetes Care.
Antidepressant Overprescribing Appears Common in Elderly
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Potential antidepressant overprescribing appears to be common among elderly patients and involves mostly newer antidepressants used for nonspecific psychiatric symptoms and subthreshold diagnoses, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in Pharmacology Research & Perspectives.
Hepatitis C Infection Rates Up After OxyContin Reformulation
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- States with above-median OxyContin misuse before reformulation of the drug experienced a 222 percent increase in hepatitis C infection rates after reformulation, according to a report published in the February issue of Health Affairs.
8 Questions Helpful for Assessing IBD in Primary Care
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- The CalproQuest, an eight-item questionnaire, is a feasible instrument for assessing patients for inflammatory bowel disease in primary care settings, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Evidence of Therapeutic Efficacy Substantial for Cannabis Use
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Most qualifying conditions for which patients are licensed to use cannabis medically have substantial or conclusive evidence of therapeutic efficacy, according to a report published in the February issue of Health Affairs.
Burden of Sudden Cardiac Death Higher in Black Men, Women
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- African-Americans have a higher burden of sudden cardiac death (SCD) than whites, especially among women, according to a study published online Feb. 4 in Circulation.
Long-Term Opioid Use With OA Varies Across States
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- There is substantial variation across states in rates of long-term opioid therapy among patients with advanced osteoarthritis, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Compounded Topical Pain Creams No Better Than Placebo
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Compounded topical pain creams are no better than placebo creams for neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain, or mixed pain, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Tofacitinib Benefits Sustained for Two Years in Patients With RA
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- The clinical benefits of tofacitinib in combination with methotrexate are sustained over two years among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
After Elbow Surgery, Children May Be Overprescribed Opioids
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Opioids may be overprescribed to children after orthopedic surgery for supracondylar humerus fractures, according to a study published in the Jan. 16 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Direct-to-Doctor Payments May Increase Opioid Prescribing
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Physicians who receive direct pharmaceutical payments for opioid prescribing prescribe more opioids, especially hydrocodone and oxycodone, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Addiction.
High Physical Activity Levels Tied to Coronary Artery Calcification
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- High levels of physical activity correlate with prevalent coronary artery calcification (CAC) but are not linked to increased mortality, according to a study published online Jan. 30 in JAMA Cardiology.
Severe Maternal Morbidity, Mortality Up With Infertility Tx
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Women with infertility-treated pregnancy have an increased risk for severe maternal morbidity or maternal death, with invasive infertility treatment associated with an increased likelihood of having three or more severe maternal morbidity indicators, according to a study published online Feb. 4 in the CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Trazodone Not Associated With Reduced Risk for Dementia
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Trazodone is not associated with a reduced risk for dementia compared with other antidepressants at the prodromal stage of disease, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in PLOS Medicine.
Drug Combo Tolerated in Younger Children With Cystic Fibrosis
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Lumacaftor/ivacaftor treatment is generally safe and well tolerated for children aged 2 to 5 years with cystic fibrosis (CF) homozygous for the F508del-CFTR mutation, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
ERAS Protocol Can Cut Opioid Use After Spine Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Implementation of a novel enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol can reduce patients' postoperative opioid requirements after elective spinal or peripheral nerve surgery, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Psoriasis Tx Linked to Drop in Noncalcified Coronary Plaque
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Treatment of psoriasis with biologic therapy is associated with a reduction in noncalcified coronary plaque and improved plaque morphology, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in Cardiovascular Research.
Omadacycline Noninferior to Moxifloxacin for Pneumonia
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Omadacycline is noninferior to moxifloxacin for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and noninferior to linezolid for acute bacterial skin infections, according to two studies published in the Feb. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
AAP Releases 2019 Childhood Immunization Schedules
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- The 2019 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedules have been issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and published online Feb. 5 in Pediatrics.
Texas Hospital Releases Quality Metrics for Opioid Stewardship Program
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Houston Methodist Hospital has established a set of quality metrics to help track and evaluate the use of opioids in the emergency department and the hospital overall.
Washington State Measles Cases Now at 48 Since Jan. 1
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- There have been 48 confirmed cases of measles in Washington state since the start of the year as health officials struggle to stop the spread of the infectious disease.
CDC Examines Safety of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- During the first eight months of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) use, there were reports of 4,381 adverse events, 3 percent of which were serious, according to research published in the Feb. 1 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
American Geriatrics Society Releases Updated Beers Criteria for Appropriate Medication Use
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) The American Geriatrics Society has updated its medication reference tool, known as the Beers Criteria, commonly used by health care professionals to identify medications to avoid or to use with caution in older patients.
Tofacitinib Benefits Sustained for Two Years in Patients With RA
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- The clinical benefits of tofacitinib in combination with methotrexate are sustained over two years among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
FDA Approves Cablivi for Rare Blood-Clotting Disorder
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Cablivi (caplacizumab-yhdp) injection has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP).
Amazon One Step Closer to the Prescription Business
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- PillPack's Arizona facility has been granted pharmacy licenses in nine states, bringing its reach to 19, according to Jefferies Equity Research. The location also has three additional state licenses pending approval.
Expanded Recall of Warfarin Level Monitoring Test Strips
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- Certain lots of Roche Diagnostics test strips should not be used with CoaguChek test meter devices to check levels of the blood thinner warfarin because patients may get inaccurate results and be at risk for serious injury or death, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says in an updated recall notice.
Updated ACIP Immunization Schedule Released for Adults
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) -- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has released its updated adult immunization schedule for 2019; the schedule was published online Feb. 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
FDA Grants "First Generic" Drug Approvals for 2019
MONDAY, Feb 4, 2019 (Pharmacist's Briefing) The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has kicked off 2019 with several "first generic" drug approvals. The center's primary task is to review and allow for safe, effective, high-quality generic alternatives to be marketed, which in turn creates more affordable treatment options for patients.
