First UK-wide joint asthma guideline recommends combination treatment for new diagnoses The guideline recommends that all asthma patients over the age of 12 should be prescribed low dosages of inhaled corticosteroids and formoterol to address inflammation and symptoms.…
Vapes to be used in community pharmacy smoking cessation pilot A Kent-based community pharmacy smoking cessation pilot has been launched “in response to the government's ambition for England to be smoke-free by 2030”.…
Over 40% of people with cystic fibrosis have experienced significant health problems resulting from PERT shortage A survey carried out by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust revealed that 20% of patients are losing weight owing to a shortage in pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies.…
Pharmacy initiative results in 300% increase in inhalers being returned for sustainable disposal Five pharmacies in and around Edinburgh spent ten weeks adding stickers to dispensing bags to encourage patients to return inhalers to the pharmacy.…
More than 10,000 whooping cough cases reported in first six months of 2024 Case numbers of whooping cough in 2024 so far have already exceeded the total number of cases reported in 2012, the last major outbreak of the disease.…
Croup: diagnosis and management Croup is a common childhood illness that can usually be managed at home. Pharmacists can counsel worried parents on appropriate treatment and should also be aware of red-flag symptoms and referral pathways.…
Bringing high-quality diagnostics for COPD and asthma to north Wales As a pharmacist prescriber at a community diagnostic respiratory hub in South Denbighshire, North Wales, Kevin Parvin explains why the hub is needed and how it is benefiting patients.…
More than 20,000 inhalers returned since November 2023 through recycling pilot Exclusive: Since its launch in November 2023, 20,400 inhalers have been returned through the ‘Re-Hale’ scheme, which operates across 78 locations in East Kent.…
How we recycled over 20,000 inhalers so far in East Kent NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board explains how an inhaler recycling scheme was set up as a collaborative working project with biopharmaceutical company Chiesi.…
Over-the-counter nasal sprays reduce symptom duration in at-risk patients, study results suggest Antibiotic use was also reduced in all intervention groups.…
