Care of older people

How we improved dysphagia care and saved more than £40,000 per year

Having recognised that care home residents at risk of dysphagia were facing long waiting times, Thomas Sauter's team in Bridgend, Wales, devised a successful pilot that increased capacity and saved more than £40,000 in attributable hospital costs.…

Appropriate management of urinary tract infections in older patients

As one of the most common infections at community level, the implications of a urinary tract infection (UTI) are well known to pharmacists across both primary and secondary care. Older people are particularly at risk of a UTI, with the presence of asymptomatic bacteriuria historically complicating d…

Mental health considerations in older women

An overview of the most common mental health conditions among older women, identifying where pharmacists are best placed to offer support and advice.…

How COVID-19 increased antipsychotic prescribing in care homes

As the care home sector struggled to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a shift to using more antipsychotic drugs. While concerning, this has since provided the push needed to consider new solutions to reduce prescribing of these potentially harmful drugs.…

‘Worrying’ rise in number of patients with a high anticholinergic burden

Exclusive: Experts say the rise could be owing to the lack of contact between prescribers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Dementia diagnosis more likely in patients taking multiple medicines, study results suggest

Researchers found that as a patient came closer to a dementia diagnosis, patterns of polypharmacy were linked with particular medical conditions.…

Anticholinergic drugs and dementia: a causal link?

The implications of changes to the regulation of oxybutynin in the UK and the case for deprescribing anticholinergics, such as this, to prevent cognitive adverse effects.…

Treatment and management of gout: the role of pharmacy

Gout is a common form of arthritis but despite being easily treatable, often goes undiagnosed or undertreated. This article explains the causes and symptoms of gout and the treatment strategy required to therapeutically ‘cure’ gout through lifelong medication.…

We must start using pharmacogenomic information to optimise medicines for older people

Training in pharmacogenomic testing needs to be prioritised so that the NHS can benefit from the many advantages it has to offer, especially for older people at higher risk from adverse drug reactions.…

Renal cancer: management

An overview of the most common forms of renal cancer, treatment options and the role of pharmacists in its management.…

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