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THE MISSION OF ISHP IS TO PROMOTE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF PHARMACY PRACTICE BY OUR MEMBERS
Idaho Society of Health-System Pharmacists
FEBRUARY IS HEART MONTH

Heart Disease is the Number One Cause of Death

 American Heart Month - Go red!  

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.  In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 had a recurrent attack.  About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.1

The chance of developing coronary heart disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control factors that put people at greater risk.  Additionally, knowing the signs and symptoms of heart attack are crucial to the most positive outcomes after having a heart attack. People who have survived a heart attack can also work to reduce their risk of another heart attack or a stroke in the future. For more information on heart disease and stroke, click here.

PHARMACIES AND PHARMACISTS

  • WEAR RED on National Wear Red Day, Feb. 3rd, to help raise awareness about heart disease in women.   More here.
  • EDUCATE your patients about the most effective ways to control their risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
  • PROMOTE heart-healthy habits to your patients, such as regular exercise and a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • HELP your patients follow treatment instructions and IMPROVE medication adherence.
  • PROVIDE access to a blood pressure measurement device and encourage its use.
  • IMPLEMENT processes, systems, and structures that improve surveillance and monitoring of patient medications.
Check out these other resources:


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CAPITOL PHARMACY ASSOCIATION

www.caprxassoc.org

 

Upcoming Pharmacy Events of Local Interest

 

January 26, 2012:  ISU Legislature Reception

                                5:00PM – 8:00 PM

                                The Grove Hotel Downtown Boise

                               

January 26-27, 2012:  Idaho Board of Pharmacy Meeting in Boise

 

February 7, 2012:  Capitol Pharmacy Association Update on Antibiotics Program:

                                 “New Treatments for C. difficile”  Harry Harar/Cubist Labs

                                 Tavern at the Bown’s 

                                  6:30 PM Registration/Reception  7:00PM Dinner/Presentation

 

March, 2012:  Capitol Pharmacy Association 2nd Annual Pharmacy Tech CE Day

                         BrownMackie College (All day) – Date TBA

 

March 3-4, 2012:  ISU College of Pharmacy in Boise Day – ACPE CE/Law

 

March 9-12, 2012:  APhA Annual Convention in New Orleans, La

 

March 20, 2012:  Update on Diabetes – Dr. Hartman

                              Capitol Pharmacy Association Dinner – Location TBA

 

April 5-6, 2012:  Idaho Board of Pharmacy Meeting in Pocatello

 

April 28-29, 2012:  ISHP Spring Meeting in Boise –ACPE CE/Law

                                 “A Generation of Disease – Pediatric and Geriatric Disease States”

 

May 7, 2012:  ISU College of Pharmacy Graduation in Meridian

 

May 30-June 2, 2012:  ISPA Convention in Couer d’Alene – ACPE CE/Law

 

May 31, 2012:  Idaho Board of Pharmacy Meeting in Couer d’Alene

 

June 9-12, 2012:  ASHP Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md

 

September 28-30, 2012:  ISHP Fall meeting in Sun Valley- ACPE/Law

Again! Pharmacists Rated High for Honesty and Ethical Standards in Gallup’s 2011 Poll

December 12, 2011.  Princeton, NJ - Pharmacists ranked number 2 in the 2011 Gallup Poll that asked consumers to rate 21 professions according to their honesty and ethical standards. Pharmacists were ranked as very high or high in this category by 73% of those surveyed, with nurses ranking first at 84%, and medical doctors third at 70%. Additional information on the results of the 2011 poll and comparisons with previous years are available on the Gallup Web site here.

The Idaho Pharmacists Education and Research Foundation (IPREF) was
fortunate this year to be able to help two ISU student, Kyle Roberts and
Ashley Richman to attend the ASHP Midyear meeting in New Orleans.  Below is
their summary of their experience:

As the top scoring team from Idaho State University in the clinical skills
competition, we were able to go to the ASHP midyear meeting in New Orleans,
Louisiana, and compete against 115 other teams from pharmacy schools across
the US.  The clinical skills competition was a great experience, at both the
local and national levels; applying our knowledge to make recommendations
and optimize pharmacotherapy with a patient case is very rewarding.  The
competition made us realize that students from the College of Pharmacy at
ISU are well prepared for patient centered careers as pharmacists, and can
feel confident working at the same level as other health care professionals
from any other school.  During the week of the ASHP conference, we were also
able to attend a number of seminars and met with representatives from
several PGY1 pharmacy residency sites, which will be invaluable to our
future endeavors.  We left the conference with a lot of enthusiasm for
clinical pharmacy, and are excited to start our fourth year clinical
rotations in the spring.  We look forward to attending next year's
conference in Las Vegas, where we hope to again compete in the clinical
skills competition, as well as present research posters in the student
section.  Thank-you so much for the support!   - Ashley Richman & Kyle
Roberts, 3rd year pharmacy students



DEA Final Rule Places Carisoprodol in Schedule IV on 01/11/12 - New Inventory Required

December 13, 2011.  Washington DC - The DEA issued a final rule, placing carisoprodol into Schedule IV of the federal Controlled Substances Act, effective January 11, 2012. The DEA notice regarding the final rule includes a summary of the background and procedural history of the final rule and a detailed review of the data considered in determining whether the drug should be scheduled. The notice was published in the Federal Register on December 12, 2011.  Mark Johnston, Executive Director of the Idaho Board of Pharmacy reminds all pharmacists that an inventory of the stock of a newly scheduled controlled substance must be taken when the rule becomes effective, so that all carisoprodol should be inventoried on January 11th and the amounts recorded on your controlled substance inventory logs.  Idaho will reschedule the product under state law at a later date.

Vaccine Refresher

December, 2011. CDC - This is flu season and pharmacists are giving immunizations.  If you need a refresher on correct vaccine administration technique, please consult these resources:

Vaccine administration videos:

Other references:


President Obama Issues Executive Order on Drug Shortages

President Obama issued an Executive Order today that directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to broaden reporting of potential shortages; to expedite regulatory reviews; to increase staffing resources for the FDA's Drug Shortages Program; and to coordinate with the Department of Justice.

Most importantly, the President also expressed support for bipartisan legislation that would require drug manufacturers to notify the FDA six months ahead of a potential shortage so that the FDA can help facilitate increased product availability from other manufacturers.  ASHP has advocated strongly in support of this legislation, together with the American Hospital Association and co-conveners of a drug shortages summit last year.
Below are additional background materials to help you respond to any inquiries:

Otter Promotes Safe Disposal of Medicines in New PSAs

Sept 23, 2011.  Boise – Governor Otter has partnered with America's pharmaceutical research companies to help parents keep their children safe by properly disposing of unused prescription medicines.  In public service announcements released this week, Otter reminds parents now is a good time to clean out their medicine cabinets.  Read more here.  Listen to the PSA here. 


Operation Pangea Shuts Down Thousands of Internet Pharmacies

October 5, 2011.  Washington -- Operation Pangea shut down 600 internet drug outlets and 13,500 websites and seized 2.4 million illicit or counterfeit pills from 48 different countries.  The FDA, along with regulatory agencies from 81 countries, participated in this year’s International Internet Week of Action, dubbed Operation Pangea IV.  The week of action ran September 20-27, 2011, and focused on web sites supplying illegal and dangerous medicines.  Read the FDA News Release here.  Read the Interpol News Release here.

CDC: Heart Disease Prevalence Down in US

October 13, 2011.  CNN --- The prevalence of heart disease in the US is declining, though rates vary widely depending on gender, race, education and geography, according to new figures released by the government. The CDC found that the prevalence of coronary heart disease decreased from 6.7% to 6.0% from 2006 to 2010. That’s a very significant decline in five years.  The results were published Thursday in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.  Read more here.


Killingsworth Elected to ASHP!
Former ISHP Executive Director and Board Member, Tricia Killingsworth, has just been elected Chair of the Section of Pharmacy Practice Managers for ASHP!  Tricia has played a significant role in both local and national health system societies and it is a testament to her hard work that she receives this position with ASHP.  Click here for full story..

First DEA-Approved System for Processing Controlled Substance e-Prescriptions in Use

September 14, 2011. NABP -- Systems for electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) used at Supervalu pharmacies in Virginia and California are available for use after successfully meeting Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) certification requirements. Supervalu pharmacies in those states are the first to accept e-prescriptions for controlled substances, as noted in the press release, and Supervalu pharmacies in other states will soon begin to offer this service.  Full Story.

NABP Teams With ACPE for Paperless CPE Records

CPE Monitor is a national, collaborative effort by NABP and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) to provide an electronic system for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to track their completed continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credits.  Go to the NABP Web site here to set up your e-profile and obtain your unique pharmacist identifier number. CPE will soon be "certificate-less," and you will need this number along with your month and day of birth when you participate in CE activities.

Drug Shortage Hot Line

For the latest news on Drug Shortages check out ASHP's site for updated news on the issues you care about most.

ASHP's Drug Shortage Resource Center

Escitalopram May Help Reduce Perimenopausal Hot Flashes


Medscape (9/30, Yin) reports, "The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) escitalopram significantly reduced the frequency and severity of hot flashes in perimenopausal women," according to research presented at the North American Menopause Society 22nd Annual Meeting. In a "randomized double-blind trial with an escitalopram dose of 10 to 20 mg/day for" two months, "more than half of women surveyed reported symptom improvement of more than 50%."

Apply for a Research Grant


Do you have a good idea or a research proposal that needs some money to get started? The Idaho Pharmacy Research and Education Foundation (IPREF) was established by ISHP and has a small fund to support pharmacy research.  For more, click here.

JUST ASK! Campaign

Patients sometimes don’t even realize that there is a pharmacy department in the hospital or that pharmacists are key members of the patient’s healthcare team.  That’s why ASHP created the Just Ask! Campaign. This program is designed to increase the visibility of pharmacists and pharmacy departments among hospital patients, visitors, and staff.  For the starter pack, click on the picture below.

Idaho Hospital Reports Drug Shortage

In continuing coverage, the Seattle-based Northwest Cable News (9/30, Brennan) reports that in Idaho, approximately a dozen of about "two hundred drugs that are on the shortage list...are cancer-fighting drugs." David Wilson, the manager of Oncology Pharmacies at St. Luke's Hospital in Boise, said that "shortages of cancer drugs are a special concern, because patients are feeling like those are life and death treatments for them."

CDC Promotes Flu Vaccine


American Medical News (9/30, Fiegl) reports that there will be "about 170 million doses" of flu vaccine "available this season. ... The vaccine contains the same three strains as in the previous season's vaccine, but nearly everyone is being encouraged to be vaccinated again." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Thomas Frieden said, "This is a great time to get vaccinated -- the sooner the better."

One-Quarter Of US Adults Received Hypertension Treatment In 2008


HealthDay (9/30, Dallas) reports, "One-quarter of American adults received treatment for high blood

pressure in 2008, according to new research from the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality." The research indicated that "of those 55.1 million people with high blood pressure...29 percent were black patients who incurred more than $1,000 in medical costs." The report "revealed that 25 percent of white adults were treated for high blood pressure in 2008, compared to 15 percent of Hispanics and 20 percent of people of other races."

Treasure Valley Drug Drop Off Programs

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Scientists have shown that the drinking water of 41 million Americans has trace amounts of pharmaceuticals (full story), and pharmacists recommend against flushing unwanted drugs. 

Treasure Valley pharmacists and local law enforcement promote programs that allow residents a convenient way to safely dispose of unused prescription and OTC medications, to keep drugs out the wrong hands and out of our water. 

People with unwanted medications and old prescriptions can get rid of them safely -- for free.
  • Medications must be bagged.
  • Liquid containers must be sealed in plastic bags.
  • Needles and aerosol cans are not allowed

Drop-off bins are at these locations:

  • Boise City Hall West
  • Ada County Sheriff's Office
  • Garden City Police Station
  • Meridian Police Department 
For more information, click here.

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

For more/archived News of Interest, click here.

 ACPElogowithR.gif The Idaho Society of Health-System Pharmacists is the only state pharmacy association in Idaho that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
 
 

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