Clinical inertia in type 2 diabetes: A retrospective analysis of pharmacist-managed diabetes care vs. usual medical care.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) suffer from a high rate of "clinical inertia" or "recognition of the problem but failure to act." OBJECTIVE: THE AIM OF THIS STUDY IS TO QUANTIFY THE RATE OF CLINICAL INERTIA BETWEEN TWO MODELS OF CARE: Pharmacist-Managed Diabetes Clinic (PMDC) vs. Usual Medical Care (UMC). METHODS: Patients in a university based medical clinic with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were analyzed in this retrospective cohort study. Patients were exposed to either PMDC or UMC. The difference in days to intervention in response to suboptimal laboratory values and time to achieve goal hemoglobin A1c (A1c), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was compared in the two models of care. RESULTS: A total of 113 patients were included in the analysis of this study, 54 patients were in the PMDC and 59 patients were in the UMC group. Median time (days) to intervention for A1c values >7% was 8 days and 9 days in the PMDC and UMC groups, respectively (p>0.05). In patients with baseline A1c values >8%, median time to achieving A1c<7% was 259 days vs. 403 days in the PMDC and UMC groups, respectively (p<0.05). Median time to goal SBP was 124 days in the PMDC group and 532 days in the UMC group (p<0.05). Median time to goal LDL was 412 days in the PMDC group vs. 506 days in the UMC group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of clinical inertia, defined as time to intervention of suboptimal clinical values, did not differ significantly between patients enrolled in a PMDC compared to patients with UMC with respect to A1c, SBP and LDL. Participation in PMDC, however, was associated with achieving goal A1c, SBP, and LDL levels sooner compared to UMC.

Clinical inertia in type 2 diabetes: a retrospective analysis of pharmacist-managed diabetes care vs. usual medical care / Inercia clínica en diabetes tipo 2: análisis retrospectivo de cuidados diabéticos por farmacéuticos contra cuidados médicos habituales

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) suffer from a high rate of "clinical inertia" or "recognition of the problem but failure to act." OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to quantify therate of clinical inertia between two models of care: Pharmacist-Managed Diabetes Clinic (PMDC) vs. Usual Medical Care (UMC). METHODS: Patients in a university based medical clinic with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were analyzed in this retrospective cohort study. Patients were exposed to either PMDC or UMC. The difference in days to intervention in response to suboptimal laboratory values and time to achieve goal hemoglobin A1c (A1c), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was compared in the two models of care. RESULTS: A total of 113 patients were included in the analysis of this study, 54 patients were in the PMDC and 59 patients were in the UMC group. Median time (days) to intervention for A1c values >7% was 8 days and 9 days in the PMDC and UMC groups, respectively (p > 0.05). In patients with baseline A1c values >8%, median time to achieving A1c<7% was 259 days vs. 403 days in the PMDC and UMC groups, respectively (p < 0.05). Median time to goal SBP was 124 days in the PMDC group and 532 days in the UMC group (p < 0.05). Median time to goal LDL was 412 days in the PMDC group vs. 506 days in the UMC group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of clinical inertia, defined as time to intervention of suboptimal clinical values, did not differ significantly between patients enrolled in a PMDC compared to patients with UMC with respectto A1c, SBP and LDL. Participation in PMDC, however, was associated with achieving goal A1c, SBP, and LDL levels sooner compared to UMC (AU)

ANTECEDENTES: La evidencia sugiere que los pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 (T2DM) padecen elevada "inercia clínica" o "reconocimiento del problema pero fracaso en la actuación". OBJETIVO: El objetivo de este estudio es cuantificar la tasa de inercia clínica entre dos modelos de cuidados: consulta de diabetes gestionada por farmacéutico (PMDC) vs. cuidados médicos habituales (UMC). MÉTODOS: Se analizó en este estudio de cohorte retrospectiva a los pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 de una clínica médica universitaria. Los pacientes estuvieron expuestos a PMDC o a UMC. Se comparó la diferencia entro los dos modelos de cuidados en días desde la intervención en la respuesta a los valores sub-óptimos de laboratorio y el tiempo en alcanzar los objetivos de hemoglobina A1c (A1c) presión arterial sistólica (SBP) y lipoproteínas de baja densidad (LDL). RESULTADOS: Se incluyó en el análisis de este estudio a un total de 113 pacientes, 54 en el grupo PMDC y 59 en el UMC. La mediana de tiempo (días) desde la intervención para valores de A1c >7% fue de 8 y 9 días en los grupos PMDC y UMC, respectivamente (p > 0,05). En los pacientes con A1c basal>8%, la mediana de tiempo para alcanzar una A1c<7% fue de 259 días vs. 403 días en los grupos PMDC y UMC, respectivamente (p < 0,05). El tiempo medio hasta el objetivo de SBP fue de 124 días en el grupo PMDC y 532 en el UMC (p < 0,05). La mediana de tiempo para el objetivo de LDL fue de 412 días en el grupo PMDC vs. 506 días en el UMC (p < 0,05). CONCLUSIONES: Las tasas de inercia clínica, definidos como el tiempo desde la intervención de valores clínicos sub-óptimos, no difirieron significativamente entre los pacientes incluidos en un PMDC comparados con pacientes en UMC en relación a A1c, SBP y LDL. Sin embargo, la participación en un PMDC estuvo asociado con alcanzar el objetivo de niveles de A1c, SBP y LDL más rápido, comparado con el UMC (AU)

A high-fidelity simulation mannequin to introduce pharmacy students to advanced cardiovascular life support.

OBJECTIVE: To design and implement an advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) workshop featuring a human patient simulator (HPS) for third-year pharmacy students. DESIGN: The ACLS workshop consisted of a pre-session lecture, a calculation exercise, and a 40-minute ACLS session using an HPS. Twenty-four 5-member teams of students were assigned roles on a code team and participated in a ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia case. ASSESSMENT: Students completed an anonymous postactivity survey instrument and knowledge quiz. Most students who completed the ACLS workshop agreed they would like to participate in additional simulation activities and that the HPS experience enhanced their understanding of ACLS and the pharmacist responsibilities during an ACLS event (99.2% and 98.3%, respectively). However, the median score on the knowledge-based questions was 25%. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy students agreed HPS enhanced their learning experience; however, their retention of the knowledge learned was not consistent with the perceived benefits of HPS to education.

Stability of salivary concentrations of the newer antiepileptic drugs in the postal system.

Saliva antiepileptic drug (AED) concentrations strongly correlate with serum concentrations. Saliva collection is painless and noninvasive, and untrained personnel can easily be taught the collection process. Remote patients could mail saliva samples to a laboratory for monitoring, and samples could be obtained in the immediate postictal state to provide a "real-time" concentration. The objectives of this study were to assess the stability of saliva lamotrigine (LMT), levetiracetam (LEV), oxcarbazepine (OXC), topiramate (TPM), and zonsiamide (ZNS) concentrations sent through the United States Postal Service (USPS) and to quantify the amount of time needed for patients and the USPS to return samples to clinic. Saliva samples were obtained from patients currently taking 1 of the targeted AEDs. Samples were split into 2 storage vials. One sample was sealed in an addressed envelope, which the patient mailed from home, whereas the other sample was frozen immediately. Postmark date and day returned were collected for mailed samples. Saliva concentrations were determined using HPLC. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare the immediately-frozen and mailed sample means. Correlations were determined by the Spearman test. Thirty-seven patients were enrolled in the study. The median time between collection and postmark was 1 day (range 0-6 days); and between collection and receipt was 4 days (range 1-160 days). The mean concentrations for mailed and immediately frozen samples were similar for each AED (P > 0.15). Spearman rank order correlations between mailed and immediately frozen aliquots were strong (LMT rs = 1, LEV rs = 1, OXC rs = 0.964, TPM rs = 0.90, and ZNS rs = 1). Saliva samples mailed by patients maintain stability and can be returned in a reasonable length of time. Further studies are needed to assess patient/caretaker capability of obtaining an adequate sample.