February 2010 Infectious Disease

Patients should understand how to use OTC and prescription medications that treat acne and follow preventive measures to reduce acne flare-ups or prevent this common dermatologic condition.

Despite impressive capabilities, the precocious smartphone may need tweaking to become a fit for pharmacies.

The FDA recently approved Centocor Ortho Biotech's Stelara (ustekinumab)for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.

Alternative treatments are available for fighting common viral infections-patients who are educated about these options can overcome the infection without antibiotics. Pharmacists can provide education and join local or national campaigns to help patients avoid antibiotic misuse.

Shadi Clark works to educate her community about the role of the pharmacist in health care today and the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

The pharmacist plays an important role in the pharmaceutical care of patients undergoing treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV). The new American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Practice Guidelines are a wealth of information about HCV and provide an invaluable foundation for the care of these patients.

Vitamin D, which aids the body's immune and skeletal systems in various ways, is available in many foods and in many OTC nutritional supplements.

Pharmacists are in a key position to advise patients with urinary tract infections on the OTC products available, including urinary analgesics and at-home test kits.

Pharmacists can assist school systems in developing and implementing procedures for medication administration and storage.

A pharmacist appealed a decision of the federal government, which was delayed by nearly 3 years, in imposing and order of exclusion in participating in health care programs receiving federal funding.

Although restrictions on the sale of pseudoephedrine products have been in place for several years, diversion of these products still occurs-a new electronic tracking system holds the promise to help curb this crime.

Although questions have been raised regarding the safety and efficacy of generic drugs, compared with their brand drug counterparts, the FDA supports the bioequivalence of generic drugs and is helping to deliver important information to patients.

Counseling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is challenging, requiring gender-specific counseling issued for women RA patients.

As new schools of pharmacy are being considered around the country, the job market for pharmacy is tightening in the current economic climate.

This column is an update to the April 2008 column that discussed the possible interaction between clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors-new studies and data are brought into perspective.