Herpes: when is it safe to have sex?Q. I’ve been with my boyfriend for a few months. He told me that he caught herpes before we met. He says that as long as we don’t have sex when he gets an attack and we use condoms, it’s safe. Is that true? Is there anything else we can do to make sure I don’t get it?…
Are reported drug allergies in children always properly diagnosed?Abstract Aim To assess the prevalance of parent-reported drug allergy and determine whether the reported allergy had a confirmed diagnosis Design Examination of drug charts over a one-month period, followed by interview …
My role as a pharmacist is not that different from volleyball team captain!Lynne Beattie is captain of the British women’s volleyball team at London 2012. Ayshe Ismail finds out more about her role and her pharmacybackground…
Supplying unlicensed medicines for children — experiences from an LPFThis paper explores the experiences of pharmacists in supplying unlicensed medicines for children.…
Putting oral antithrombotics in context This article provides a basic overview of the current uses of oral antiplatelet and oral anticoagulant therapy, choices and monitoring.…
Gout: clinical features and diagnosisDuring an attack of gout, a person will experience excruciating pain, redness and swelling in one or more peripheral joints. The condition is caused by deposition of urate crystals in the affected joints.…
Managing epilepsy: what pharmacists need to knowThis content was published in 2012. We do not recommend that you take any clinical decisions based on this information without first ensuring you have checked the latest guidance. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder. The annual incidence is estimated to be 50 per 100,000 people and the pr…
Antidepressant choice for patients with epilepsyDepression is increased in people with epilepsy, with a lifetime prevalence of about 30%. Patients with epilepsy are three times more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant than the general population and twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts.…
Drinking alcohol during antidepressant treatment — a cause for concern?Emerging evidence suggests a risk of pathological intoxication when patients taking SSRIs consume alcohol. Andrew Herxheimer and David B. Menkes investigate.…
Dealing with urinary tract infections This article discusses urinary tract infections, specific patient groups and the appropriate referral and management of these patients.…
