CP, August 2016, Vol 8, No 8

Principles of initiating antimicrobial therapy and empiric prescribing

Healthcare professionals should be aware of the principles of antimicrobial treatment and the need to reduce inappropriate prescribing to retain the effectiveness of drugs currently available.…

Allergic rhinitis: impact, diagnosis, treatment and management

Allergic rhinitis results from an immunological abnormality in which atopic individuals produce immunoglobulin E (IgE) to allergens (e.g. pollen, house dust mites, animal dander and moulds). IgE activates mast cells, which respond by releasing inflammatory mediators. Histamine stimulates the early s…

Time to halt the overprescribing of proton pump inhibitors

Inappropriate use of proton pump inhibitors can cause a range of side effects and even harm to patients.…

Why are hepatitis C patients treated differently by NHS England?

NHS England’s decision to cap access to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved hepatitis C treatments has been attributed to their cost. These antiviral medicines have led to vast costs for national healthcare systems and huge profits for the pharmaceutical industry.…

Integrating community pharmacy testing for hepatitis C with specialist care

Many patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection lie undiagnosed and a significant proportion of patients that have been identified are disengaged from specialist services. The Isle of Wight (IOW) typifies this issue, with an estimated 200 undiagnosed patients with HCV infection and a small numb…

Referral delays for arthritis patients could have devastating consequences

I would like to highlight the devastating consequences that delayed referrals are having on people with inflammatory arthritis. The latest national clinical audit, published by the British Rheumatology Society on 25 July 2016, revealed that a high proportion of NHS services are failing to meet…

‘Don’t wait to anticoagulate’ project

I was interested to read the news story ‘Many atrial fibrillation patients at risk of stroke treated with aspirin over anticoagulants’ ( The Pharmaceutical Journal online, 24 June 2016), which outlines the finding that significant numbers of patients with atrial fib…

Steam inhalation not effective in patients with sinusitis

Patients receiving nasal irrigation showed greater improvement after six months.…

Pharmacy smoking cessation advisers feel underpaid and ill-prepared

Smoking cessation advisers report a lack of interpersonal skills to deal with smokers and say they are not paid enough by the NHS to provide the service.…

Buprenorphine implant helps opioid-dependent patients stay abstinent longer

Further trials are required after buprenorphine implant showed success in opioid-dependent patients with stable abstinence.…