Pharmacologic Management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Common Chronic Conditions

There has been an evolution in the care and survival of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) and AIDS. Increased survival of PLWH is attributed to antiretroviral therapy. However, adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy increase the likelihood that PLWH may also be diagnosed with chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Drug-drug interactions are common when coadministering human immunodeficiency virus drugs and therapies for common chronic conditions managed in primary care. To prevent adverse events, nurse practitioners should know about these interactions before prescribing new regimens or modifying a regimen.     

Fungal nail infection: assessing the new treatment options

Onychomycosis can be improved or eradicated with appropriate treatment. Newer oral antifungal drugs are highly effective and have few adverse effects, although care in prescribing is needed because of potential drug interactions and hepatobiliary dysfunction.     

Psychopharmacology in supportive care in cancer: a review for the clinician

Benzodiazepines are widely utilized in the cancer setting. Most aspects relevant to their use in supportive care are reviewed to assist the clinical oncologist in prescribing such drugs. This review covers pharmacokinetics, indications, adverse effects and drug interactions, and compares the profiles of different benzodiazepines. Finally, controversial issues with regard to benzodiazepines are discussed.     

Polymedicine and aging. Enhancing older adult care through advanced practitioners. GNPs and elder care pharmacists can help provide optimal pharmaceutical care

Approximately one third of all drugs prescribed in the United States are considered unnecessary. Polymedicine, polypharmacy, medication nonadherence, and adverse drug reactions are among the top five causes of acute care hospitalizations in persons older than age 65. These conditions significantly increase health care costs and will continue to do so at an alarming rate as America's population ages. Although medications are an important factor in improving and maintaining the quality of life for older adults, polymedicine places them at risk of an acute care admission for medication-related problems and other complications. This article reviews polymedicine and common medication errors, explores the depth of the problem in aging clients, and advocates for the use of gerontological nurse practitioners as advanced practice nurses and specialty-trained elder care pharmacists as active members of the interdisciplinary health care team.     

Geropharmacology: a primer for advanced practice. Acute care and critical care nurses, part II

In the first part of this 2-part continuing education series, sources of medication errors were discussed. A predominant source of errors was the prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications for older adults. In this second part, drug classifications and drugs posing problems for older adults and cautions for advanced practice acute care and critical care nurses in their medication therapy management are highlighted. Cautions are advanced for anticholinergics, antihypertensives, analgesics, and psychotropics because of the severity of adverse reactions, including anticholinergic symptoms; mental status changes (especially confusion, sedation, delirium, and cognitive impairment); orthostatic hypotension; gastrointestinal tract problems (especially hemorrhage); depression; and neurobehavioral disturbances (agitation and aggressiveness). Risks of life-threatening outcomes associated with medications and adverse reactions are highlighted.     

Hospital doctors' views of factors influencing their prescribing

RATIONALE, AIM AND OBJECTIVE: Factors influencing doctors in prescribing of drugs have mostly been studied in primary care. Studies performed in hospital care have primarily focused on new drugs, not prescribing in general. An in-depth understanding of the prescribing process in the more specialized secondary care is not only important for secondary care itself, but because it also influences prescribing in primary care. The aim of this study is therefore to identify factors that secondary care doctors believe influence them in prescribing drugs, using a qualitative approach. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 hospital doctors in different medical specialities and the interviews were analysed from an interpretivist perspective. The information gathered was on how prescribing decisions were made in general and how the doctors chose a specific drug therapy, including information sources used. RESULTS: According to our interviews, the hospital doctors took patient-specific factors and cost into consideration when prescribing, informed by different written information sources and commercial verbal information. Personal practice, colleagues and therapeutic tradition at the hospital or clinic, were influential in the prescribing of drugs. The themes identified should not to be seen as individual influences; many of them probably act in combination. CONCLUSIONS: If changes in prescribing behaviour are desired, factors warranting more attention include understanding how to influence therapeutic traditions and the doctor's personal habits for prescribing. The importance of clinical experience and information exchange with colleagues should not be underestimated in providing information about drugs to hospital doctors.     

A year in review: new drugs for older adults in 2011

BackgroundNew drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may offer tremendous clinical advances by providing health care providers with new treatment strategies. However, additional care must be taken for safe and effective use of these new agents by older adults.ObjectiveOur objective was to identify FDA-approved medications in 2011 most likely to be prescribed to older adults, and to describe medication characteristics that may require special attention in this population.MethodsThe FDA Web site was reviewed for new drug approvals from January through December 2011. Approved labeling for each drug was obtained from the manufacturer's Web site and PubMed was searched for primary literature published between 1967 and 2012.ResultsRivaroxaban, an oral factor Xa inhibitor, is approved for once-daily use in treatment of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis after replacement of a hip or knee. Drug interactions and renal function must be considered when prescribing this drug to older adults. Fidaxomicin is an oral anti-infective approved for the treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. It has minimal oral absorption or side effects, no relevant drug interactions, but a very high cost. It is a treatment option after failure of oral metronidazole and oral vancomycin. Roflumilast is a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4 and is approved to reduce the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations in patients with severe COPD and a history of exacerbations. It is recommended as a second or alternative choice combined with a long-acting bronchodilator in patients at high risk for hospitalization. Indacaterol is an inhaled long-acting β-agonist approved for COPD maintenance. It is administered once daily, which may improve adherence in older adults compared with currently available twice-daily agents.ConclusionsFour new drugs approved in 2011 applicable to the geriatric population are presented. Clinicians must consider the available evidence, cost, drug–drug interactions, renal function, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic differences, and patient preferences when considering prescribing these agents to older adults.     

Evidence-based guideline. Improving medication management for older adult clients

All providers and professionals who care for older adults have an important role to play in the process of managing medications. The evidence-based guideline "Improving Medication Management for Older Adult Clients" (Bergman-Evans, 2004) provides assessments and interventions that are useful across settings. By focusing on reducing inappropriate prescribing, decreasing polypharmacy, avoiding adverse events, and maintaining function, professionals and providers have the opportunity to improve outcomes for this important population.     

Polypharmacy in older adults

This article explores the issue of polypharmacy in older adults. The physiological changes in organ function in older people and the effect of this on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are discussed. The risks of adverse drug reactions and adverse drug interactions linked to polypharmacy are explored. Strategies to achieve optimal prescribing in older people are considered.     

Prevention of potentially inappropriate prescribing for elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial using STOPP/START criteria

Inappropriate prescribing is particularly common in older patients and is associated with adverse drug events (ADEs), hospitalization, and wasteful utilization of resources. We randomized 400 hospitalized patients aged ≥ 65 years to receive either the usual pharmaceutical care (control) or screening with STOPP/START criteria followed up with recommendations to their attending physicians (intervention). The Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI) and Assessment of Underutilization (AOU) index were used to assess prescribing appropriateness, both at the time of discharge and for 6 months after discharge. Unnecessary polypharmacy, the use of drugs at incorrect doses, and potential drug-drug and drug-disease interactions were significantly lower in the intervention group at discharge (absolute risk reduction 35.7%, number needed to screen to yield improvement in MAI = 2.8 (95% confidence interval 2.2-3.8)). Underutilization of clinically indicated medications was also reduced (absolute risk reduction 21.2%, number needed to screen to yield reduction in AOU = 4.7 (95% confidence interval 3.4-7.5)). Significant improvements in prescribing appropriateness were sustained for 6 months after discharge.     

Psychopharmacology in supportive care of cancer: a review for the clinician

 Neuroleptics are frequently used in patients with advanced cancer. Most relevant and practical aspects of their use in supportive cancer care are reviewed, to assist the clinical oncologist and palliative care specialist when prescribing these drugs. This article reviews pharmacological properties, indications, such as delirium, nausea and vomiting, pain, anxiety and other symptoms, adverse effects, and drug interactions of neuroleptics and compares the profiles of different compounds. Special emphasis is put on the role of neuroleptics in the management of delirium. Published online: 10 December 1999     

Prescribing Contraindications and Cautions for HIV

Pharmacotherapy may be indicated to treat a variety of conditions for patients living with human immunodeficiency virus. It is important for nurse practitioners (NPs) to be aware of clinically significant interactions involving antiretroviral therapy and other prescribed drugs or over-the-counter products, herbal therapies, and dietary supplements. Drug interactions may result in adverse clinical outcomes by increasing or decreasing drug levels, which subsequently may compromise viral control, enhance risk of toxicity, or have other unintended effects. Various clinical resources are available for NPs to make safer prescribing decisions.     

Medication use in the elderly patient: Focus on the perioperative/perianesthesia setting

As the population ages, the use of multiple medications also increases. Polypharmacy (taking multiple drugs at a time) presents concerns to the perianesthesia nurse who is caring for the geriatric patient. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs are often altered in older adult patients. Adverse drug reactions and drug interactions occur more often in geriatric patients than in younger patients. For these reasons, the benefits and risks of multiple medications and the administration of certain types of drugs must be carefully considered in the elderly patient. The selection of any medication should be individually based on the benefits and risks. Adverse drug reactions play a significant role in hospitalization for the general population, and the elderly are more susceptible to these. These drug reactions often contribute to significant morbidity as well as mortality. Medications need to be considered carefully in the older adult patient, but perhaps more so in the perioperative/perianesthesia period. Drug interactions are diverse. The type of anesthesia may influence the patient's outcome, depending on the medications the patient is currently taking. The patient's response to the stress of surgery is also affected by individual medical conditions as well as medications the patient is currently receiving Polypharmacy, inappropriate medications, adverse drug reactions, drug-disease issues, and drug interactions in the geriatric population are concerns in the perioperative/perianesthesia setting.     

Use of computer decision support interventions to improve medication prescribing in older adults: a systematic review

Background: Older adults take multiple medications and are at high risk for adverse drug effects.Objective: This systematic review was conducted to describe the impact of computer decision support (CDS) interventions designed to improve the quality of medication prescribing in older adults.Methods: PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched from January 1980 through July 2007 (English-language only); studies were eligible if they described a CDS intervention intended to improve medication prescribing in adults aged ≥60 years. Studies were retained if they were observational or experimental in design and reported ≥1 process or clinical outcome measurement related to medication prescribing. In the main analysis, study characteristics and major outcome results were extracted. A combination of searches was performed using relevant medical subject headings: aged; drug therapy, computer-assisted; medication errors; medication errors/prevention and control; decision making, computer-assisted; decision support systems, clinical; and clinical pharmacy information systems.Results: After review of study abstracts, 10 articles met the eligibility criteria. Of those 10 studies testing CDS interventions, 8 showed at least modest improvements (median number needed to treat, 33) in prescribing, as measured by minimizing drugs to avoid, optimizing drug dosage, or more generally improving prescribing choices in older adults (according to each study's intervention protocols). Findings for the impact of CDS interventions on clinical outcomes were mixed and were reported for only 2 studies.Conclusions: Various types of CDS interventions may be effective in improving medication prescribing in older adults, but few studies reported clinical outcomes related to changes in medication prescribing. Data from this study should help to guide refinement and testing of future CDS interventions that specifically target older adult populations that are taking multiple medications.     

Inappropriate prescribing for older people admitted to an intermediate-care nursing home unit and hospital wards

Objective

To identify inappropriate prescribing among older patients on admission to and discharge from an intermediate-care nursing home unit and hospital wards, and to compare changes during stay within and between these groups.

Design

Observational study.

Setting and subjects

Altogether 400 community-dwelling people aged ≥ 70 years, on consecutive emergency admittance to hospital wards of internal medicine and orthopaedic surgery, were randomized to an intermediate-care nursing home unit or hospital wards; 290 (157 at the intermediate-care nursing home unit and 133 in hospital wards) were eligible for this sub-study.

Main outcome measures

Prevalence on admission and discharge of potentially inappropriate medications (Norwegian general practice [NORGEP] criteria) and drug–drug interactions; changes during stay.

Results

The mean (SD) age was 84.7 (6.2) years; 71% were women. From admission to discharge, the mean numbers of drugs prescribed per person increased from 6.0 (3.3) to 9.3 (3.8), p < 0.01. The prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications increased from 24% to 35%, p < 0.01; concomitant use of ≥ 3 psychotropic/opioid drugs and drug combinations including non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increased significantly. Serious drug–drug interactions were scarce both on admission and discharge (0.7%).

Conclusions

Inappropriate prescribing was prevalent among older people acutely admitted to hospital, and the prevalence was not reduced during stay at an intermediate-care nursing home unit specially designed for these patients.Key Words: Acute illness, drug–drug interactions, elderly, general practice, hospital, intermediate care unit, NORGEP screening tool, Norway, potentially inappropriate medicationsOlder people are at increased risk of adverse drug events. Screening tools may identify potentially inappropriate medications. Treatment in intermediate care units may possibly provide an opportunity for reducing inappropriate prescribing.

• Inappropriate prescribing was prevalent among community-dwelling older people on emergency admittance to hospitals in Bergen, Norway.
• Concomitant use of ≥ 3 psychotropic/opioid drugs and drug combinations including non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increased significantly during stay.
• Serious drug–drug interactions were scarce on admission and discharge.

     

Programme to improve the use of drugs in older people and involve general practitioners in community education

As part of a multi-pronged approach to improving the quality of drug use in the elderly, a pharmacist was contracted by the Division of General Practice (Northern Tasmania) to develop educational material and implement two academic detailing sessions for general practitioners on the issues of adverse drug reactions and drug interactions in older people. The project aimed to involve general practitioners in community education after optimizing relevant therapeutic knowledge and standardizing prescribing practices. Sixteen general practitioners were involved in the project and 13 of these agreed to participate in academic detailing. The pharmacist developed prescribing guidelines for general practitioners and discussed these and illustrative case studies at the academic detailing sessions. General practitioner-conducted education sessions were completed by nine general practitioners to groups of carers, general practitioners, nurses and older people. Despite the relatively low numbers of general practitioners involved, the results of the project were encouraging. Academic detailing by the pharmacist was well received by the general practitioners, who indicated they would be willing to participate in further sessions. Pre- and post-project multiple-choice tests on therapeutic issues in the elderly indicated a strong trend for an increase in knowledge. Analysis of general practitioners' patient records found a statistically significant decline in the median number of medications prescribed per patient during the project. There was also a statistically significant decline in prescribing of 'indicator' medications, particularly psychoactive drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients resident in nursing homes. The project demonstrated that academic detailing by a pharmacist can be effective as part of a combined approach to improve the quality of drug use in older people.