Pharm World Sci
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Comparative Study
Relationship between plasma concentrations of morphine and its metabolites and pain in cancer patients.
This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between the plasma concentration of morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide and pain in cancer patients receiving oral morphine. ⋯ These results indicated that the level of morphine-3-glucuronide is related to the patient's perception of morphine effect, and the plasma concentration of morphine-3-glucuronide and the ratio of morphine-3-glucuronide/morphine indicated potency to assess clinical effect.
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The aim of this study was to examine general practitioners' (GPs') views on (1) patients' drug-related problems (DRPs) and noncompliance and (2) the role of pharmacy practitioners in DRP management. ⋯ The surveyed GPs demonstrated very positive attitudes towards the role of pharmacy practitioners in improving patients' drug use and managing DRPs. The GPs realised that many patients were not compliant with their prescribed drug treatments and accepted an imperfect compliance.
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Venous thromboembolism is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in hospitalized patients. To evaluate physicians' approach to patients' thrombosis risk assessment and practice of thromboembolism prophylaxis in a teaching hospital, we designed an interventional prospective study. ⋯ The implementation of clinical pharmacists' prepared protocol helped to a great extent in the improvement of administrating DVT prophylaxis appropriately in patients.
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Comparative Study
A self-reported work-sampling study in community pharmacy practice: a 2009 update.
Using a self-reported work sampling methodology this study investigated how community pharmacists utilised their time, and quantified how much time pharmacists devoted to specific activities. ⋯ Pharmacists in this study are spending more time checking prescriptions (essential component of pharmaceutical care) and are still managing to spend only 20% of their time on non-professional activities. However, there had been relatively little change in the way in which pharmacists in this sample spent their time compared to a previous study.
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To describe clozapine prescribing in a mental health service in Auckland, New Zealand and compare it with national and international treatment guidelines. ⋯ Contemporary management of patients with treatment resistant schizophrenia in New Zealand is broadly in line with national and international best practice guidelines. There is some evidence, based on hospitalisation rates, to support the assertion that shorter delays in accessing clozapine leads to better outcomes. This needs further evaluation using measures of clinical outcome including objective measures of functioning.