Pharmacy commission releases patient-care document

Members of the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners recently released a new resource document that details the patient care process. The document was developed over a two-year period and aims to "promote consistency in patient care service delivery across the profession." » More

Pharmacist allegedly stole nearly 200,000 pills

A New York City pharmacist was recently charged with stealing 193,000 painkiller pills worth an estimated $5.6 million on the black market. Until he was fired earlier this year, Anthony D'Alessandro, 47, worked for five years as a pharmacist at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital. » More

Tramadol moves to Schedule IV classification

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) ruled this week that the pain reliever tramadol is now classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance. The DEA final rule comes after 13 states, including Arkansas, Mississippi, and New York, already opted to list tramadol as a controlled substance. » More

Psychiatric drugs cause 90,000 ED visits annually

Adverse reactions to antipsychotics, antidepressants, sedatives and anxiolytics, lithium salts or stimulant drugs are responsible for almost 90,000 emergency department visits each year by US adults, according to a study in JAMA Psychiatry. » More

Continuing Education

MTM essentials for antiplatelet therapy in cardiovascular disease

This month's article is the sixth in a year-long CPE series, Medication Therapy Management Considerations for Adult Patients with Cardiovascular Disease. From February 2014 through January 2015, pharmacists can earn up to 24 hours of CPE credit with 12 monthly knowledge-based activities from the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy and Drug Topics.

The goal of this month's activity is to review the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences, clinical indications, and pertinent drug-drug interactions for antiplatelet agents in cardiovascular disease..

To read and print the article with TEST QUESTIONS, click here.To proceed to the online exams and earn up to 2 CPE credits, click here to log in with the session code 14DT08-KTF27.

Announcement: Starting this month, our CE activities have moved to a new learning management system to better serve you. The login to the Online CE Center is https://web2.uconn.edu/pharmacyce/login.php. All current user registration information has been uploaded for your convenience. Current users do not need to register. To review your registration page to ensure the data is up to date or to register, go to https://web2.uconn.edu/pharmacyce/program_register.php For a full list of courses, go to http://pharmacy.uconn.edu/academics/ce/drug-topics-and-uconn-ce/.

Check these out, too

• Rite Aid settles consultation lawsuit

• CVS to buy Navarro Discount Pharmacy

• MI risk and testosterone treatment

• Authorized generics for hypertension

Voices

Anticoagulation Update