PJ, September 2009

Gabapentin plus nortriptyline cuts neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain is relieved more effectively by combination treatment with the anticonvulsant gabapentin and the antidepressant nortriptyline than by treatment with either drug alone, a study published online in The Lancet has shown.…

Health literacy is not just reading and writing

It is suggested that one in 10 patients who walk into a pharmacy or on to a ward will not fully understand the instructions or advice that they receive from staff. Nicola Gray explains concepts in health literacy and how pharmacy staff can help ensure good medicines use.…

A strategy for a preregistration quality management training programme

A new approach to management is encouraging multi-professional problem-solving and shared learning. Beth Philips, Gail Fleming and Zoe-Jayne Playdon outline lessons from a pilot scheme for preregistration trainee pharmacists.…

Thromboembolism prevention on a medical assessment unit — audits before and after implementation of a prescription aid

This study aims to analyse the quality of prescribing of low molecular weight heparins for prevention of venous thromboembolism in adult medical patients.…

The technology and techniques used in the detection of pathogenic bacteria

In our latest science article, Paul W Groundwater, Adam Todd, Alan J Worsley and Roz J Anderson give an introduction to some of the methods used in bacterial detection and explain how these methods could impact on the future of antibiotic prescribing.…

Pharmacy practice the American way!

In the US, opportunities abound in the profession of pharmacy. Currently, there are about 243,000 pharmacist jobs nationwide. Job opportunities are predicted to grow 22 per cent between 2006 and 2016 as the older generation of pharmacists retire, and the demand for pharmacy services grows to meet th…