CP, May 2016, Vol 8, No 5

Non-statin drugs for the management of dyslipidaemia in adults

The role of non-statin drugs, including ezetimibe, fibrates, bile acid binders, nicotinic acid derivatives, omega-3 fatty acid supplements and PCSK9 inhibitors, for the management of dyslipidaemia in adults.…

Statins: general safety profile and association with myopathy

Statin therapy has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in reducing mortalities associated with cardiovascular diseases through preventing myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke. Despite the proven benefits of statins in this context, there are growing concerns among patients and physicians on the s…

How to reduce the risks associated with vitamin D self-supplementation

As the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency rises, the popularity of self-medicating with vitamin D supplements is growing. However, there is potential for overdosing and harm.…

Identifying patients at high risk of having a fall

People aged 65 years and over have the highest risk of falling, with 30% of people aged over 65 years and 50% of people aged over 80 years falling at least once a year. Falls and fall-related injuries are a common and serious problem for older people. Falling has an impact not only on quality o…

Impact of electronic prescribing on patient safety in hospitals: implications for the UK

NHS hospitals in England are expected to be paperless by 2020, as set out in a comprehensive framework published by the National Information Board. The use of hospital electronic prescribing (EP) systems is therefore likely to increase rapidly in the near future. The aim of this review is to summari…

Providing HIV care in community pharmacy

HIV is a long-term, chronic condition which is usually only managed by clinical teams in secondary care and antiretroviral (ARV) treatment is usually supplied by hospital pharmacies or homecare companies. Adherence to ARVs is critical to achieving and maintaining viral suppression, which is ac…

Morning flu vaccination may enhance immune response

Older patients who received an influenza vaccination in the morning produced a larger concentration of antibodies compared with those given the vaccination in the afternoon, study shows.…

Nivolumab should be standard for head and neck cancer

Treatment with nivolumab improves survival in patients with head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma compared with chemotherapy, study finds.…

Well-managed warfarin still useful for stroke prevention

A study of 40,000 patients with atrial fibrillation suggests that warfarin is a valid treatment for stroke prevention.…

Imported generics as effective as branded antivirals for hepatitis C

Hepatitis C infection was undetectable in 98% of patients after treatment with generic antivirals.…