The Canadian journal of hospital pharmacy最新文献

Background: Few studies have evaluated opioid consumption after various inpatient surgical procedures.

Objectives: To describe opioid prescription patterns and to characterize patient-reported use of opioids after surgery.

Methods: This single-centre prospective observational study was conducted between February and October 2021 at the Jewish General Hospital in Montréal, Quebec. Patients 18 years of age or older who underwent a surgical procedure, were hospitalized for 24 hours or longer after the procedure, and had an opioid prescription at the time of discharge were included. Data were collected for the quantity of opioids prescribed, as documented in hospital records, and the quantity consumed, as reported by participants. Various potential predictors of opioid consumption were explored, and data were also collected on patients' use of non-opioid coanalgesia, scores on the Numeric Rating Scale for pain, opioid renewal requests, and proper opioid disposal during the 30-day follow-up period.

Results: A total of 150 participants completed the study. The median dose prescribed was 10 opioid pills (75.0 morphine milligram equivalents). By the end of the follow-up period, a median of 1 pill (7.5 morphine milligram equivalents) had been consumed from the total amount in the discharge prescription. Overall, 66 participants (44.0%) did not consume any of the opioids prescribed at discharge. Of the total number of pills prescribed, 58.2% (1193/2050) were unused, and 7.0% (5/71) of participants with unused pills disposed of them properly.

Conclusions: Following discharge from hospital, postoperative patients consumed a median proportion of only 10% of prescribed opioid pills. More than half of all prescribed pills were unused. Protocols implementing specific prescribing strategies warrant further investigation to evaluate their potential impact on opioid prescription and consumption.

Background: Clostridioides difficile is a pathogen causing diarrheal illness, which can be treated with vancomycin or fidaxomicin.

Objective: To evaluate changes in monthly prescription volumes for oral vancomycin and fidaxomicin in Ontario community pharmacies following implementation of the 2017 and 2021 updates to guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and after a 2019 provincial formulary change for vancomycin.

Methods: An interrupted time-series analysis was conducted from November 2015 to October 2021 using monthly projected prescription volumes obtained from IQVIA's Compuscript database. Level and slope (trend) changes in prescribing were assessed using segmented linear regression.

Results: The volume of vancomycin prescriptions increased by 74 prescriptions per month (95% confidence interval [CI] 16 to 132) following implementation of the 2017 guideline update and by 73 prescriptions per month (95% CI 13 to 133) after the 2019 formulary change; however, no statistically significant changes were observed after implementation of the 2021 guideline update. No significant trend changes were observed for fidaxomicin.

Conclusion: Guidelines and formulary changes were correlated with increased volume of vancomycin prescriptions.

Background: Currently in Canada there are limited opportunities for advanced clinical pharmacy training after a year 1 residency. Advanced training programs currently in existence are year 2 residencies, clinical Master's degrees, and Fellowships.

Objectives: To characterize the perceived need for advanced clinical pharmacy training in British Columbia and to determine the desired educational competencies to be gained through advanced training.

Methods: Current pharmacy residents (academic year 2021/22) and residency graduates of the past 5 years (2017-2021), together referred to as early career pharmacists or ECPs, were surveyed. Provincial health authority pharmacy leaders who hire clinical pharmacists were also surveyed and invited to participate in key informant interviews.

Results: Eighty-four ECPs and 22 pharmacy leaders participated in the surveys (estimated response rates 26% and 35%, respectively). Eleven (13%) of the ECPs had already completed advanced clinical training, and an additional 24 (29%) planned to pursue such training within 5 years. Sixteen (73%) of the pharmacy leaders had experienced difficulties in filling advanced practice positions over the previous 3 years due to a lack of qualified applicants, and 21 (95%) believed that more advanced training positions should be offered. The majority of ECPs interested in advanced training (39/60, 65%) chose year 2 residency as their preferred program, and 20 (91%) of the pharmacy leaders agreed that British Columbia should offer year 2 residencies. Both ECPs and leaders rated clinical skills and knowledge as the most important educational competencies.

Conclusions: Pharmacy leaders expressed a need for more pharmacists with advanced clinical pharmacy training, and many ECPs were interested in pursuing such advanced training. Most respondents preferred the year 2 residency, with the most common goal being to improve clinical competencies.

Background: Ventilator-dependent neonates are at risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease. Dexamethasone may be used to facilitate extubation and reduce the incidence of BPD.

Objectives: To determine the efficacy of dexamethasone in reducing the incidence of established BPD at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA); to establish the rate of extubation success; to determine the factors affecting extubation success; and to describe complications associated with dexamethasone therapy.

Methods: A chart review was conducted at Surrey Memorial Hospital, in Surrey, British Columbia, for neonates who received dexamethasone to reduce the development of BPD between July 1, 2016, and June 30, 2022.

Results: A total of 47 neonates met the inclusion criteria. Of the 45 neonates still alive at 36 weeks PMA, all (100%) had BPD. Use of dexamethasone led to extubation success for 21 (47%) of these 45 neonates. The mean PMA at dexamethasone initiation was 30.7 weeks for neonates with extubation success, compared with 28.6 weeks for those with extubation failure (p = 0.001). Complications occurred in 43 (91%) of the 47 neonates.

Conclusions: BPD occurred in all of the neonates, despite a 47% extubation success rate. The timing of dexamethasone initiation was associated with extubation success. Further research is required to determine the dose and timing of dexamethasone needed to reduce the incidence of BPD.