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| Editor's Notebook |
Change Is in the Air
As midsummer approaches, U.S. Pharmacist is about to enter into a transitional season. With this issue, Rob Davidson assumes the editorial helm as Editor-in-Chief. |
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| Counseling Pearls |
 Complex Pharmacotherapy of Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a complex disease state affecting the lungs, liver, and pancreas that creates challenging issues related to pharmacotherapy. Current advances have made dramatic improvements in patient quality of life and life expectancy. |
 Prevention and Treatment of Pertussis in Adults
Rates of pertussis (whooping cough) in adolescents and adults have been steadily increasing in the United States. Owing to the atypical presentation of symptoms in this population, proper prevention and treatment are particularly important to reduce the risk of transmission to young children and infants. |
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| Senior Care |
Central Sleep Apnea: Potential Impact of Benzodiazepines, Opioids, and CYP3A4 Inhibitors
Elderly or debilitated patients may be put at risk of developing a type of central sleep apnea when opioids and other central nervous system depressants are administered. |
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| Clinical Corner |
 Update on the Management of Bronchiolitis in Children
Viral bronchiolitis is a common respiratory infection in children. It usually presents as a self-limiting disease; however, severe bronchiolitis can lead to respiratory complications and hospitalization. In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics published new treatment guidelines for this condition. |
 A Review of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, progressive, interstitial lung disease in which thickening and scarring of lung tissue eventually leads to death. Medication and other therapies can usually ease symptoms and improve quality of life, but there is no curative treatment. |
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| Consult Your Pharmacist |
Allergic Rhinitis and Intranasal Corticosteroid Sprays
Our new columnist, Emily Ambizas, discusses two products for allergy relief that are now available without a prescription. |
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| Educational Spotlight |
Ophthalmic Options for Conjunctivitis
The viral form is the most commonly encountered eye disorder in the primary care setting. |
Update on Immunizations for Children and Adolescents
Pharmacists play an important role as educators, facilitators, and immunizers. |
Clinically Significant Drug Interactions Associated With HIV Medications
Greater longevity and concurrent therapy for comorbidities in many patients are increasing the incidence of interactions with antiretrovirals. |
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| Newswire |
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Agitation Drug Helpful in Alzheimer's Disease
Las Vegas, NV—
A drug that combines a cough suppressant with an antiarrhythmic might offer some relief for one of the most troubling symptoms of advanced Alzheimer's disease—agitation. Nuedexta is a combination of dextromethorphan and quinidine that is already approved for the treatment of pseudobulbar agitation (uncontrollable crying or laughing) in degenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas found that Nuedexta reduced agitation symptoms in nearly half of Alzheimer's patients studied. Agitation is one of the main reasons that Alzheimer's patients are moved to specialized care facilities. |
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Universal Flu Vaccine Offers Broad Protection
Bethesda, MD—
A new study shows that scientists may be able to create a "universal" vaccine that can provide broad protection against numerous influenza strains, including those that could cause future pandemics. Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) used a virus-like particle vaccine cocktail that expressed a handful of different subtypes and found that 95% of mice vaccinated with the investigational cocktail were protected against a lethal challenge with eight different influenza strains, compared to only 5% of mice who received placebo. This new strategy would eliminate the need to match the influenza vaccine to the circulating viruses every year. |
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End-Stage Chemo Often Not Beneficial
New York, NY—
According to a study published online by JAMA Oncology, chemotherapy for patients with end-stage cancer was associated with worse quality of life near death for patients with a good ability to still perform many life functions. Weill Cornell Medical College and New York Presbyterian Hospital researchers examined the association between chemotherapy use and quality of life near death as a function of performance status in 312 patients with progressive metastatic cancer. Not only did chemotherapy not benefit patients regardless of performance status, it appeared most harmful to those with good performance status. The study concluded that American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guidelines regarding chemotherapy use in patients with terminal cancer may need to be revised to recognize the potential harm of chemotherapy use in patients with progressive metastatic disease. |
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