Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J W Cooper.
The study demonstrated areas where the consultant pharmacist's recommendations, when requested by patient/family or facility and accepted by the attending physician, can produce substantial drug cost-reduction to the patient, facility, and Medicaid reimbursement system.
The reduction of irrational drug duplication by rigorous drug regimen review, in-service education, and physician acceptance of consultant pharmacist recommendations in a 72-bed geriatric long-term-care facility is described. In decreasing order of frequency of duplication, laxatives, analgesics, NSAIDs, diuretics, hypnotics, antipsychotics, KC1 supplements, hematinics/vitamins, antacids, and antinauseants and antidiarrheals were the drug classes most often duplicated. Apparent reasons for the duplications were confusion over the term "of choice," physician convenience, failure to review medication orders actively, and individual nurse preferences for different agents in each duplicated drug class.
Effective communications between the consultant pharmacist and nursing home personnel: Communications components of clinical significance/severity, coordination, continuity, and culpability are detailed with case examples of types of communications recommendations.
The H1-blocking antihistamines pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, uses, toxicity and special precautions are presented. Newer agents may offer advantages of longer half-life and lower levels of sedation and motor impairment. Therapeutic considerations are listed with attention to sustained therapeutic efficacy.