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Enzyme inducers most frequently reduce the concentrations of other drugs. This can ultimately lead to treatment failure. In rare situations (i.e. prodrugs), starting an enzyme inducer can potentially raise concentrations of the active metabolite and increase the risk for toxicity. Throughout my pharmacy career, I’ve been tested on various enzyme inducers. Here’s my top 5. […]
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There are dozens of medications that have anticholinergic activity or are considered an anticholinergic medication. While most of the agents are used for their antihistamine, sedative, or antidepressant activity, There are a few uses that are unique to individual medications within this broad classification. I highlight 5 medications with unique anticholinergic indications. Dicyclomine (Bentyl) for […]
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Donepezil (Aricept) is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is used to help manage symptoms of dementia. I get asked quite a few questions about dementia and, more specifically, dementia-related medications. Here’s a recent question I received; If a patient is taking donepezil in the morning, should I ask to change to the evening as recommended? Let’s […]
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Most often, breathing difficulties are due to a chronic disease process like asthma or COPD. These are obvious possible diagnoses for any patient presenting with respiratory concerns. If you are a healthcare professional, you must recognize that there are a significant number of medications that may cause breathing difficulties. Here’s a list of a few […]
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Statins are one of the most commonly prescribed medications to help reduce cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke. I’ve been asked the question a few different times about why we should choose a hydrophilic versus a lipophilic statin. In general, lipophilic drugs tend to penetrate into the body […]
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