Pharmacy in transition: A work sampling study of community pharmacists using smartphone technology

Introduction

The nature of community pharmacy is changing, shifting from the preparation and distribution of medicines to the provision of cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS); however, often the provision of traditional services leaves little time for innovative services. This study investigated the time community pharmacists spend on the tasks and activities of daily practice and to what extent they are able to implement CPS-related services in daily practice.

Perioperative management of diabetes

Diabetes is a complex, chronic metabolic disorder affecting approximately 9.3% of the adult population with the estimated number of adults with diabetes worldwide having more than tripled since 2000. This increase has largely been attributed to global urbanization and lifestyle changes. Diabetes affects 10–15% of the surgical population. These patients are frequently elderly, have complex medical co-morbidities and present for both high-risk elective and emergency surgery. This multisystem disease poses a significant challenge to both anaesthesia and surgery with patients with diabetes demonstrating higher morbidity and mortality rates compared to their non-diabetic counterparts. It is crucial that good glycaemic control is maintained throughout the perioperative period as this has been shown to correlate with positive patient outcomes. It is well-recognized that a co-ordinated, multidisciplinary approach aimed at optimizing every point in the patient pathway from GP referral to post-discharge care is required to obtain the best outcomes for the surgical patient with diabetes. The anaesthetist has a key role in the perioperative diabetes multidisciplinary team. Patients themselves are well experienced in manging their own diabetes and should be involved in doing so whenever possible.     

Tranexamic acid through intravenous,intramuscular and oral routes: an individual participant data meta‐analysis of pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteers

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic drug that reduces surgical blood loss and death due to bleeding after trauma and post‐partum haemorrhage. One key issue for treatment success is early administration. While usually given intravenously, oral and intramuscular use would be useful in specific circumstances. Therefore, an understanding of TXA pharmacokinetics when given via different routes is valuable. The aim of this study was to perform an individual participant data meta‐analysis of pharmacokinetic studies with TXA given to healthy volunteers via different routes. We searched the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, Elsevier Science Direct and J‐STAGE. Individual subject data were extracted when available, otherwise arithmetic means were used. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed using nonlinear mixed effect modelling. Seven studies were included in the analysis with data from 10 patients for the IV route, six patients for the IM route and 114 patients for the oral route. The pharmacokinetics was ascribed to a two‐compartment model, and the main covariate was allometrically scaled bodyweight. Oral and IM bioavailabilities were 46 and 105%, respectively. For a 70 kg bodyweight, the population estimates were 7.6 L/h for clearance, 17.9 L for the volume of the central compartment, 2.5 L/h for the diffusional clearance and 16.6 L for the peripheral volume of distribution. Larger well‐designed studies are needed to describe the pharmacokinetics of TXA when given IM or as an oral solution before these can be recommended as alternatives to IV.     

Perioperative,short-, and long-term outcomes of gastric cancer surgery: Propensity score-matched analysis of patients with or without prior solid organ transplantation

BackgroundDetails of perioperative outcomes and survival after gastric cancer surgery in prior transplant recipients have received minimal research attention.MethodsWe performed an observational cohort study using the database of 20,147 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy at a single gastric cancer center in Korea. Forty-one solid organ recipients [kidney (n = 35), liver (n = 5), or heart (n = 1)] were matched with 205 controls using propensity score matching.ResultsOperation time, blood loss, and postoperative pain were similar between groups. Short-term complication rates were similar between transplantation and control groups (22.0% vs. 20.1%, P = 0.777). Transplantation group patients with stage 1 gastric cancer experienced no recurrence, while those with stage 2/3 cancer had significantly higher recurrence risk compared to the controls (P = 0.049). For patients with stage 1 cancer, the transplantation group had a significantly higher rate of non-gastric cancer-related deaths compared to the controls (19.2% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.001). For those with stage 2/3 cancer, significantly lower proportion of the transplantation group received adjuvant chemotherapy compared to the control group (26.7% vs. 80.3%, P < 0.001). The transplantation group had a higher (albeit not statistically significant) rate of gastric cancer-related deaths compared to the controls (40.0% vs. 18.0%, P = 0.087).ConclusionTransplant recipients and non-transplant recipients exhibited similar perioperative and short-term outcomes after gastric cancer surgery. From long-term outcome analyses, we suggest active surveillance for non-gastric cancer-related deaths in patients with early gastric cancer, as well as strict oncologic care in patients with advanced cancer, as effective strategies for transplant recipients.     

攀枝花市生殖健康服务模式研究

生殖健康是当今国际社会关注的重要问题，也为我国政府重视。本文通过对攀枝花市人口与计划生育技术服务工作分析，总结出该市生殖健康服务模式的主要内容，对正确认识和提高我国西部地区人口生殖健康会水平，稳定我国低生育率水平，实现优生优育，具有十分重要的现实意义。     

Computer Assisted Clinical Assessment

The number and range of computer-based assessment procedures for children and young people have increased greatly over the past few years. Over this time as well, other technological advances have occurred with a potential for application in services for young people. This paper provides an overview of the range of applications of relevance to practitioners, with a focus on assessment. Some of the benefits and disadvantages of computerised procedures for test administration and report writing are considered. The paper concludes with an examination of the issue of access to tests and some of the implications of the introduction of other new technologies.     

北京地区rt-PA静脉溶栓治疗超早期脑梗死患者临床分析

目的分析北京地区12所医院202例超早期脑梗死患者经不同剂量重组组织型纤溶酶原激活剂(rt- PA)静脉溶栓治疗后的疗效及其不良事件,探讨使用rt-PA的最佳剂量及其安全性与可行性。方法287例发病6h以内的脑梗死患者,男201例,女86例,年龄38～80岁,平均64岁。所有患者均伴有偏瘫,头颅CT未见出血及责任梗死灶,无溶栓禁忌证。202例接受rt-PA治疗,分为A组与B组,A组88例,给予rt-PA 0．9 mg/kg。B组114例,给予rt- PA0．6～0．8 mg/kg。C组(对照组)85例患者给予低分子右旋糖酐、复方丹参等治疗。分别比较治疗前与治疗后11d、21 d、90 d的美国国立卫生院神经功能缺损评分(NIHSS)、Barthel指数,并进行疗效评定。结果A组、B组分别与C组90 d的NIHSS评分、Barthel指数相比有显著差异。A组、B组及C组的基本痊愈及显著改善率分别为69%、77%及40%．A组、B组分别与C组脑出血的发生率为7．96%、4．38%及0%。症状性出血(4．55%、2．63%及0%),非症状性出血(2．63%、1．75%及0%)。结论超早期脑梗死静脉应用rt-PA溶栓治疗是安全有效的。不同剂量的rt-PA均减轻了脑梗死的致残率,但两组间无明显差异。中国人rt-PA溶栓治疗最佳剂量尚需要进一步进行大样本的前瞻性、多中心、随机对照研究．     

医疗护理安全与护士的职业道德

目的:探讨医疗护理安全与护士职业道德水平的关系。方法:分析目前护理不安全因素,寻找相应对策。结果:医疗护理安全大大提高,医疗纠纷发生率明显下降。结论:在医疗护理安全活动中,护理安全担当着一个重要角色。通过对护士进行职业道德教育、素质教育及法制教育等措施,提高了医疗、护理安全,减少了医疗纠纷发生。     

减少急诊医疗纠纷实行全程无缝隙优质服务

目的防范医疗纠纷,提供“全程无缝隙优质服务”,以提高急诊护理急救服务质量。方法对急诊33 700例急症病人采用热情接诊、主动护送(护送病人检查和转入病区)、细心观察、真实记录、送走道别等服务措施。结果共紧急护送急症患者33 700例(100%);在护送过程中发生病情变化者117例(0.35%),经急救处理全部脱险;医疗纠纷发生率为0。结论采用“全程无缝隙优质服务”,可减少急诊科医疗纠纷的发生,提高医疗质量。