December 8, 2022
Tempe, AZ – NOVEMBER 29, 2021 – OnePoint Patient Care (OnePoint) is continuing to expand its high-touch local hospice pharmacy services throughout Texas. With the opening of its newest hospice-dedicated pharmacy in Austin, OnePoint now has eight pharmacies serving more than 1,000 patients across the state. With the ability to serve multiple markets with same […]
Read MoreNovember 23, 2022
Managing drug therapy in terminally ill COPD patients can certainly be challenging. Patients may be resistant to changing long-term medication regimens.1 Patients and caregivers may even interpret medication adjustments as giving up, patient abandonment, or as a suggestion that death is imminent.1 In this patient population, especially, some medications that were once effective may no […]
Read MoreNovember 10, 2022
About 6.5 million Americans over 65 have Alzheimer disease and that number’s expected to balloon to 14 million by 2060.1 Many transition to hospice services, so hospice clinicians are sure to encounter patients taking the latest branded medications. One is a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2022 called […]
Read MoreSeptember 13, 2022
With seemingly innumerable generic variants among dosage forms, diltiazem undoubtedly causes more confusion than any other drug when it comes to generic substitutions. As of August 2022, the FDA Orange Book lists a whopping 117 active diltiazem formulation/strength/manufacturer combinations. So, how do prescribers and pharmacists sort this mess out? Among those 117 products are “injectable”, […]
Read MoreAugust 2, 2022
Albuterol and levalbuterol are short-acting beta-2 agonists (SABAs) that are used to manage acute breathlessness associated with asthma, COPD, or bronchospasm.1-3 Both drugs exert their primary effects by binding to beta-2 receptors in the lungs, which causes smooth muscle relaxation and bronchodilation.1-3 So, what’s the difference between the two? Albuterol is a racemic mixture, meaning it contains […]
Read MoreJune 16, 2022
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to treat pain and inflammation.1,2With more than 20 different (but similarly effective) NSAIDs on the market, why would a provider prescribe or recommend one NSAID over another?3-5 Cox-Selectivity NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes to prevent the production of prostaglandins, which are chemical mediators of pain and inflammation.1-6 There […]
Read MoreApril 20, 2022
Antiemetics like prochlorperazine, haloperidol, or ondansetron are often prescribed to alleviate nausea in hospice patients, but there are always situations where symptoms don’t respond, contraindications exist, or medications aren’t readily available. One outside-the-box remedy that hospice clinicians might consider adding to their nausea management toolbox is inhaled isopropyl alcohol vapor. Some compelling evidence for using […]
Read MoreApril 9, 2022
Our “Together as One” series spotlights nurses, physicians, pharmacists and others who positively impact the lives of hospice patients and their families every day. Through the dedicated and compassionate work of these inspiring professionals, patients receive the high-quality care and attentive consideration they deserve. Together with innovative and responsive hospice partners, they create the network […]
Read MoreApril 6, 2022
An Update from the American Gastroenterological Association Deprescribing (the planned process of reducing a medication’s dose or stopping it completely) is now a relatively well-known term among hospice clinicians.1 Clear deprescribing guidance is lacking for many drugs, but this isn’t the case for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). In addition to robust resources from Deprescribing.org and […]
Read MoreFebruary 9, 2022
Our “Together as One” series spotlights nurses, physicians, pharmacists and others who positively impact the lives of hospice patients and their families every day. Through the dedicated and compassionate work of these inspiring professionals, patients receive the high-quality care and attentive consideration they deserve. Together with innovative and responsive hospice partners, they create the network […]
Read More