Pharmacy & Therapeutics - January 2009 - (Page 4) CONTENTS Cover: Scanning electron micrograph of cholesterol crystals. See highlights from the American Heart Association meeting on page 30. (© CMEABG-LYON-1. Source: Phototake.) January 2009 FEATURES OPINION Economic Instability and Its Impact on Decision Making In Health Care 24 DEPARTMENTS Editorial 9 David B. Nash, MD, MBA, has found gold: a source of cutting-edge online CME lectures not funded by the pharmaceutical industry. Medication Errors 10 Matthew Grissinger, RPh, FASCP, discusses how process, structure, outcome, and balance measures can help protect hospitalized patients from adverse drug events. Prescription: Washington 14 Stephen Barlas discusses the challenges of implementing a national drug-tracking law. New Drugs/Drug News/ New Medical Devices 15 From Boostrix to tapentadol, P&T presents the latest studies and information about FDA approvals, new indications, recalls, and industry updates. Try our new Digital Edition! See page 7. With the recession affecting everyone’s wallets, many people are forgoing some basic needs and rethinking their priorities. Instead of opting for expensive, aggressive therapies, for example, some cancer patients are deciding against lifesaving treatment. This shift in thinking is sure to have a significant effect on physicians, insurance companies, employers, and the patients themselves. F. Randy Vogenberg, RPh, PhD, and Stephen Cutts, PharmD Candidate Pharmaceutical Approval Update Topics include fesoterodine fumarate extended-release tablets (Toviaz) for patients with overactive bladder; rufinamide (Banzel) as an adjunctive therapy for seizures associated with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome; and eltrombopag (Promacta) to treat thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Marvin M. Goldenberg, PhD, RPh, MS MEETING HIGHLIGHTS 26 American Heart Association 2008 Scientific Sessions United European Gastroenterology Week American College of Rheumatology Scientific Meeting Some of the topics covered at the AHA sessions included therapies for acute coronary syndromes, C-reactive protein levels, and familial hypercholesterolemia. NSAID-related GI events, presented at the European meeting, are still a significant concern. News on the radiology front featured golimumab for patients with psoriatic arthritis, tocilizumab for rheumatoid arthritis, and infliximab (Remicade) plus methotrexate, also for rheumatoid arthritis. Walter Alexander CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT 30 32 36 Rosacea: A Review Rosacea, a common inflammatory condition of the facial skin, affects between 0.5% and 10% of the population. The authors review the wide array of available FDA-approved and non–FDA-approved treatment options and emphasize the importance of the pharmacist’s role in prescribing appropriate medications for the various presentations of this dermatological ailment. Brittney Culp, BA, and Noah Scheinfeld, MD 38 CE Forms and Test 4 P&T® • January 2009 • Vol. 34 No. 1 46
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