Marilyn Bulloch, PharmD, BCPS, FCCM

Each time a pharmacist immunizes a patient against one of the 27 infections for which a safe and effective vaccine exists, the profession continues to protect communities against diseases that wreaked havoc on generations.

American Heart Month is another example of the essential and valuable position that pharmacists hold in improving health care outcomes and optimizing patient-centered care.

The car crashes occurring on December 24 and December 31 due to impaired driving account for approximately 50% of all traffic fatalities a year.

The primary goal for 2021 is for patients to become aware of their diabetes status and complete smaller healthy lifestyle changes to make a big difference in diabetes prevention and management.

Several studies have shown that a pharmacist’s presence on a sepsis team has a statistically significant impact on patient outcomes, with pharmacists taking on several roles during patient management.

The CDC recommends that patients with cancer and COVID-19 have a conversation with their health care provider or care team to discuss the individual level of risk based on the patient’s current condition, treatment, and the level of transmission within their community.

There is particular interest in monoclonal antibody agents to determine whether their immune suppressive effects can reduce the immediate and long-term impact of COVID-19.

Because influenza has a long seasonal cycle, the question regarding whether multiple influenza vaccinations, spaced throughout the season, could provide added protection has arisen.

Coronaviruses are known to utilize the ACE2 to help facilitate entry into the host target cell.

Some of the candidates are approved by the FDA for other indications, but the majority of the agents are not currently commercially available in the United States for therapeutic use.

At the recent ASHP (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada, 3 speakers discussed new developments in influenza management.

Research has been conducted to produce a vaccination that gives patients long-lasting protection from influenza.

Just as vaccinations get under way in full force, a few indicators raise the question about whether the vaccine really is as well matched as was anticipated.

The newly published guidelines answer 16 core questions about the diagnosis and treatment of CAP in adults. The guidelines are more narrow in scope than previous versions and focus primarily on the care of a patient with active pneumonia.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and pharmacists can play a key role in ensuring that this age group remains fully vaccinated against preventable diseases that may impact their lives.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. While much attention is paid to children and older adults, vaccinations specific to early adulthood often get overlooked.

The influenza vaccine for the 2019-2020 flu season will look different than it has for the past few seasons.

A recently presented study indicates that while overall HIV mortality is declining, the rate of opioid overdose deaths in HIV patients is increasing.

Several states have passed laws restricting initial opioid prescribing as a method to address the opioid epidemic.

A novel inhaled product was approved in late 2018 for Parkinson Disease.

An inhaled medication for a disease that does not affect the lungs may prove to be a promising concept in the treatment of chronic diseases.

Just under one-fourth of all Americans have arthritis.

A antiviral has been FDA-approved, just in time for flu season.

Two recently published studies have evaluated prazosin in alcohol use disorder

Marketing tactics for this drug have been cited as one cause of the national crisis.

Prescription drug monitoring programs, viable resources used to combat prescription drug diversion, are gaining more national attention.

Two commonly used agents for the treatment of diarrhea are now being abused to obtain opioid-like highs.