Despite the controversy surrounding mRNA's role in the COVID-19 response, the technology's broader promise—to prevent, treat, and even cure a host of diseases—is coming into focus.
|Articles|October 6, 2021
Pharmacy Clinical Pearl of the Day: Muscular Dystrophy
Author(s)Saro Arakelians, PharmD
Respiratory infections can become a problem in muscular dystrophy, therefore immunizations for pneumonia and influenza are vital.
Advertisement
Clinical Pearl of the Day: Muscular Dystrophy (MD)
Muscular dystrophy is a group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass.
Insight:
- Affects approximately 1 in 3500 male births.
- Main symptom of MD is progressive muscle weakness. Other symptoms may include frequent falls, difficulty rising from lying position, gait, walking on the toes, large calf muscles, muscle pain, learning disability, and delayed growth.
- Treatment options may include corticosteroids, such as Emflaza; other newer agents, such as Exondys 51 and Vyondys 53; as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta blockers if the heart muscle is impacted or affected.
- Respiratory infections can become a problem in MD. It is very important to be vaccinated for pneumonia and to keep up to date with influenza shots.
Sources:
Advertisement
Related to this article
Age is the leading factor in influenza vaccine selection, and vaccination remains effective well beyond the ideal September-to-October window.
Experts on Lp(a) testing, statin myths, cognitive safety, and the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines share counseling points from the National Lipid Association's Fall Clinical Lipid Update meeting.
At-home chemotherapy for HR+ breast cancer works best when pharmacists guide oral regimens, boosting adherence, safety, and affordable access.
Managing medication safety in specialized populations requires a shift from standardized dosing to precise, patient-specific customization.
In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Ali A. Habib, MD, clinical professor of neurology at the University of California, Irvine, discusses what the hospitalization findings mean for patients and why they should be viewed as supportive evidence
Emergency and ICU pharmacists would be most likely to see pneumonic plague. An expert reviews first-line agents, alternatives, and postexposure prophylaxis.
A former residency program director unpacks why this debate keeps resurfacing, and why some reasons people give for skipping residency may not hold up the way they think they do.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Trending on Pharmacy Times
1
Preparing Pharmacists for Psychedelic Medicine
2
Pneumonic Plague: What Pharmacists Need to Know About Treatment
3
Beyond Skin Clearance: What Litifilimab Could Mean for Cutaneous Lupus Care
4
FDA Approves Pritelivir for Refractory HSV Lesions in Immunocompromised Adults
5