pharmacies

Many patients in the US struggle to afford their prescription drugs. The inability to take medications as prescribed can lead to worse health outcomes.

Below are 7 strategies that patients can use to respond to high prescription drug costs in the US.

Author/s:

Kristin L Walter

Association Between Acute Gastroenteritis and Continuous Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors During Winter Periods of Highest Circulation of Enteric Viruses

John Bayhi — Sat, 30 Nov 2019 15:17:09 +0000

Date Added:

November 30, 2019

Journal/Publication:

JAMA Network Open

Publisher:

American Medical Association

Publication Date:

November 27, 2019

Issue:

Volume:

URL:

Association Between Acute Gastroenteritis and Continuous Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors During Winter Periods of Highest Circulation of Enteric Viruses

Type:

Clinical Research Results

Format:

Article

DOI (1):

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.16205

Keywords

proton pump inhibitor

PPI

Gastroenteritis

Season

PMID (1):

31774521

MeSH

proton pump inhibitors

seasons

Pharmacy

Pharmaceutical Services

Enterovirus Infections

Not surprisingly, PPIs are associated with a greater risk of enteric infections during the winter months. James W. Mold, MD, MPH

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IMPORTANCE:

An increased risk of acute bacterial enteric infections has been reported among patients receiving proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. The risk of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) of viral origin associated with continuous PPI exposure has been less studied.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the association between continuous PPI therapy and AGE occurrence during winter epidemic periods when the circulation of enteric viruses is the highest.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:

A matched cohort study was performed using a prospectively collected drug dispensing database from a large panel of community pharmacies in continental France. All patients recorded in the database during the 2015 to 2016 winter season, with documented age, sex, and use of an identifiable regular panel pharmacy, were eligible for the study. Each patient exposed to continuous PPI therapy was matched to 3 unexposed patients, according to year of birth, sex, and identifiable regular panel pharmacy. Analyses were performed between January 2017 and December 2018.

EXPOSURE:

Continuous PPI use during the 2015 to 2016 AGE winter epidemic.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:

The occurrence of at least 1 AGE episode during the 2015 to 2016 AGE winter epidemic was the main outcome. Episodes of AGE were identified using a previously validated algorithm based on drug dispensing data. Relative risks of AGE were estimated using a multivariable log-binomial model adjusted for age, sex, and treatments for chronic conditions.

RESULTS:

There were 233 596 patients receiving PPI therapy (median [interquartile range] age, 71 [62-81] years; 55.8% female) and 626 887 matched patients not receiving PPI therapy (median [interquartile range] age, 70 [61-80] years; 56.3% female) included in the analyses. At least 1 AGE epidemic episode was identified in 3131 patients (1.3%) receiving PPI therapy and in 4327 patients (0.7%) not receiving PPI therapy. The adjusted relative risk of AGE for those receiving PPI therapy was 1.81 (95% CI, 1.72-1.90) for all ages considered, 1.66 (95% CI, 1.54-1.80) among those aged 45 to 64 years, 2.19 (95% CI, 1.98-2.42) among those aged 65 to 74 years, and 1.98 (95% CI, 1.82-2.15) among those aged 75 years and older.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:

Continuous PPI therapy was associated with an increased risk of developing AGE during periods of highest circulation of enteric viruses. These findings support the hypothesis that PPI use is associated with an increased risk of enteric viral infections.

Author/s:

Vilcu, AM, Sabatte, L, Blanchon, T, Souty, C, Maravic, M, Lemaitre, M, Steichen, O, Hanslik, T

Patients Over Paperwork

Brian Desmarais — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 19:04:56 +0000

Date Added:

June 12, 2019

Publisher:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

URL:

Patients Over Paperwork

Type:

Notifications and Opportunities

Format:

Web Page

Keywords

MeSH

Here’s your chance to make suggestions to CMS about how to put patients over paperwork and to see what others have suggested. James W. Mold, MD, MPH

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Patients Over Paperwork

We’re putting patients first by reviewing and streamlining our regulations so we can:

Reduce unnecessary burden
Increase efficiencies
Improve the beneficiary experience

Managing Prescription Refills

Jeffrey Wilson — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 19:50:43 +0000

Date Added:

October 9, 2018

Publication Date:

October 9, 2018

Format:

Article

Keywords

prescriptions

MeSH

pharmacies

controlled substances

prescriptions

This is what we learned in OKPRN about management of prescription refills.

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Several years ago, OKPRN clinicians identified two key principles and several techniques that make management of prescription refills much easier for practices.

Author/s:

Mold, James