iForumRx.org

Less than 1 in 4 patients with hypertension in the United States have achieved their blood pressure (BP) goal, according to the CDC. Many clinicians only think of changing medications if a patient is having an intolerance to the current regimen. However, individual patients might respond differently to each of the four major anti-hypertensive medication classes and, if we could determine in advance which class(es) would lower the blood pressure the most, we could minimize the number of medications eventually needed to attain control.

Guest Author:  Anthony Ishak, PharmD, BCPS

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Approximately 1 in 6 adults in the United States report some trouble with their hearing. Despite the prevalence and implications of hearing loss, hearing aid use is strikingly low due to cost and accessibility. In late 2022, the FDA finalized regulations for over-the-counter hearing aids to be sold without medical evaluation or the services of a hearing professional. But will self-fitting OTC hearing aids be as effective as audiologist-fitted prescription hearing aids?

Guest Authors:  Lucas A. Berenbrock, PharmD, MS, BCACP and Elaine Mormer, PhD, CCC-A

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More than 46 million people in the US met diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2021. These numbers are staggering and suggest that SUD is more common than diabetes in the United States.  However, only 6% received treatment.  Expanding the care delivery model is essential to improving treatment access and enhancing physical, mental, and social/societal outcomes.  Pharmacists can play a key role.

Guest Authors: Melissa C. Palmer, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP and Amanda Stahnke, PharmD, BCACP

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Did you know that iForumRx has resource pages related to a wide range of therapeutic areas, patient populations, and practice management issues?  Each resource page provides a succinct annotated list of key clinical trials, clinical practice guidelines, and websites.  A content expert manages each resource page, and the materials are regularly updated to reflect the latest evidence and guidance.  Our newest resource page — Gender Affirming Care — was released in August 2023. 

Guest Authors:  Alex Mills, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP and Jordan Rowe, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM

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Thiazide diuretics are a first-line treatment for patients with high blood pressure (BP), either as monotherapy or, more often, in combination with other first-line agents, but which one should clinicians use? Chlorthalidone was used in several landmark clinical trials and has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile.  But hydrochlorothiazide is the most commonly used (and cheapest) thiazide.

Guest Authors: Brian T Terrell, PharmD, BCACP and Eric J MacLaughlin, PharmD, BCPS

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This episode is a collaboration between the ACCP Ambulatory Care Practice and Research Network (PRN) ... and iForumRx.org.

The treatment of dyslipidemia has gotten a lot more complex in recent years as we now have several non-statins that can substantially lower LDL cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular event rates - including PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies, ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, and inclisiran. When and how should we be using these agents?

Panelists:  David Dixon, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES, CLS; Kathryn Litten, PharmD, BCACP; and Tomasz Jurga, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, BCCP, CDCES

Produced by Jonathan Hughes, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP and Anna Love, PharmD, BCACP

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There has been a long-standing debate about the optimal approach to statin use, including whether we should initiate therapy using a “fixed-dose”, high-potency statin, or whether we should “start low and go slow” by titrating the dose to a specific LDL-C target. The LODESTAR study was designed to determine if treating LDL-C to a target level produces similar cardiovascular outcomes when compared to a fixed-dose approach.

Guest Authors: Dawn Fuke, PharmD, BCPS and Catherine Behret, PharmD, BCACP

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Type 2 diabetes (type 2 DM) is a progressive disease caused by a variety of pathophysiologic defects. However, even with substantial advances in treatment, glycemic control remains elusive, and most patients require combination therapy.  The Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Type 2 Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness (GRADE) study sought to investigate the glucose-lowering efficacy of several diabetes medications in combination with metformin.

Guest Authors:  Katelyn Currier, PharmD and Jennifer Trujillo, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES, BC-ADM

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This episode is a collaboration between the ACCP Ambulatory Care Practice and Research Network (PRN) ... and iForumRx.org.

Population health pharmacists play a critical role in delivering high-quality, cost-effective care to populations at the most risk for adverse outcomes.

Panelists:  Ryan Wargo, PharmD, BCACP; Rochelle Rubin, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES; and Shauntá Chamberlin, PharmD, BCPS

Produced by Jonathan Hughes, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP and Anna Love, PharmD, BCACP

Music by lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines were recently updated with a focus on kidney health in patients with diabetes.  The updated guidelines include recommendations on screening, prevention, and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD), including the use of SGLT2 inhibitors, finerenone, and ACE inhibitors or ARBs.  The written commentary posted on the iForumRx website provides a succinct summary of the Top Ten Things Every Clinician Should Know.

Guest Authors:  Kara Olstad, PharmD; Gurminder Sanghera, BSc, PharmD; and Darren Grabe, PharmD

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