CP, 2013

Offer a drug holiday from biphosphonates to prevent fractures

Your patient, a 68-year-old woman, has been taking alendronic acid for five and a half years. She has responded well to the treatment and manages the side effects fairly well. She has not had her therapy reviewed recently and you believe it might be time for a drug holiday. What is the next step?…

Management of severe nausea and vomiting in pregnant women

Nausea and vomiting are common during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, for some women symptoms can be severe. Intravenous fluids and antiemetics may be required to manage severe cases.…

How to support patients taking new oral anticoagulant medicines

Patients who are prescribed new oral anticoagulants are freed from regular blood tests, but with fewer clinic appointments patients need to be counselled effectively to prevent adverse events.…

How to support patients to take ownership of their medication

Patients can only benefit from their medicines if they take them correctly. Pharmacists are able to identify non-adherence and provide patients with the support they need to manage their medicines.…

How technology can assist with delivery of pharmaceutical care

Clinical pharmacists at the Countess of Chester Hospital are exploring new ways of using technology to improve how they manage the pharmaceutical needs of patients. Here, they share their experience…

Tuberculosis: clinical features and diagnosis

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease, deemed a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Although TB is reducing in incidence worldwide, multi-drug resistant cases are on the rise.…

Tuberculosis management

Patients with tuberculosis need to follow complex drug regimens to cure the disease and prevent resistance…

How to ensure that you report medication incidents effectively

All pharmacists should appreciate the importance of medication incident reporting. Detailed and timely reports are used to influence changes in practice and prevent similar incidents from occurring…

Discuss patients’ perceptions of treatment to tackle non-adherence

Practical and perceptual barriers to medicines adherence could be better addressed using a cognitive behavioural therapy-based approach — as a routine part of pharmacists’ dialogue with patients.…

How to communicate effectively in patients’ medical notes

Writing in patients’ medical notes is essential for communicating and co-ordinating patient care. Pharmacists must be able to document their contributions clearly to the wider multidisciplinary team…