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Medication Induced Yawning – Drug Literature Question
I get a lot of unique questions as a clinical pharmacist. A question I received recently was about the possibility of medication induced yawning. With now years of experience under my belt, I've...
Lasix As Needed – The Importance of Recognizing Diagnosis
An 81 year old female is taking Lasix as needed. The reason for taking the Lasix as needed may surprise you! Medication List: Advair 250/50 BID Simvastatin 20 mg HS Furosemide 40 mg once daily as...
Lamotrigine and Tramadol Medication Review
In this scenario I take a look at lamotrigine and tramadol amongst other things and why a diagnosis for every medication really matters. A 71 year old male has been having increasing osteoarthritis...
Lithium and ACE Inhibitor Drug Interaction
It's often difficult to figure out how exactly to proceed in handling drug interactions. In this scenario, I will discuss the lithium and ACE Inhibitor drug interaction. A 48 year old male with a...
Pharmacist Board Certification in 2018 – Historical Pass Rates and a Look Ahead
I get a lot of questions about pharmacist board certification. So I just wanted to share what I know for pharmacist board certification in 2018. The biggest change will be for those seeking...
Using Gabapentin and Pregabalin Together
I can't think of a good reason to use gabapentin and pregabalin together, but I have seen it a few times. Here's the med list and what I would look at. Dulaglutide 0.5 mls once weekly Gabapentin...
Case Review – High Dose Ambien
A 76 year old female presents with the following list of medications, including high dose Ambien (zolpidem). Ambien 10-20 mg at bedtime as needed Prednisone 20 mg daily Warfarin 5 mg daily Ventolin...
5 Ways to Assess Patient Adherence to Medications
Patient adherence to medications is one of the greatest challenges that any healthcare professional can face. Whether it comes to identifying benefit, potential side effects, or drug interactions,...
Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist Exam Is Changing in 2018
I received notification a few months back now that my title "Certified Geriatric Pharmacist" (CGP) will now be changing to "Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist" (BCGP). In addition to this...
Appropriate Timing of ADHD Medications
Timing of ADHD medications is a bit of an art. ADHD medications are used to help children pay attention and ultimately perform better in school and for other activities. Use of these medications...