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Antidepressants may not work in patients with chronic illnesses
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareClinical depression is a serious and often complex medical condition, affecting about 16 million people in the United States. A report from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that from 2011-14, about 13 percent of people 12 years and older reported taking an antidepressant in the previous month — a number that has increased from 11 percent in 2005-08. In 2015, antidepressants were the second-most commonly prescribed medications after drugs to lower cholesterol.
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FDA steps up its restrictions of opioids
Dr. Abimbola Farinde PharmaceuticalAs the opioid crisis continues to ravage the United States, government officials at both the state and federal level have been seeking to implement measures that curtail the growth of an epidemic that led to 34,500 overdose deaths in 2016. To date, the opioid epidemic is considered to be one of America's deadliest crises, even when compared to the number of car crash deaths in 1972, gun violence deaths in 1993 and HIV/AIDS deaths in 1995.
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Landmark research explores a new and safer opioid
Dorothy L. Tengler PharmaceuticalA large percentage of American adults suffer from some sort of severe or chronic pain. According to data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, 11.2 percent (25.3 million people) have experienced some form of pain every day for the past three months. In fact, pain is a common reason for patients to seek care from their healthcare professionals.
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Points to ponder: Hospital vs. retail career paths in 2018
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalToday's pharmacists have more career paths to ponder than ever before. No longer are you limited to choosing between being a retail staff pharmacist or a hospital staff pharmacist. Numerous pharmacy residency programs exist to qualify pharmacists to work in specialized settings, such as critical care, oncology, infectious disease, pain management and many more. There are also opportunities that exist in managed care, industry and academia.
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North Carolina joins growing list of states limiting opioid prescriptions
Dr. Abimbola Farinde PharmaceuticalThe opioid epidemic is one that has ravaged a large portion of the United States because it has impacted individuals from all walks of life. In 2016, drug overdoses were reported as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and approximately 34,500 of these overdoses were from opioids.
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Let’s improve the response to pain, not place blame
Christina Thielst Medical & Allied HealthcareWhen observing conflict, I've often pointed out that it takes "two to tango," meaning each party has a role in managing conflict. To point the finger at one group/individual or another is simply assigning blame.
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What can pharmacists learn from this robbery story?
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalIt was a chilly 19 degrees outside — normal for late December in Akron, Ohio. Akronites accept this frosty climate. Their winters are generally cold, but sitting 40 miles south of Lake Erie they see less snow than the northern areas of the state's "snow belt" region.
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Report: States of best and worst health
Seth Sandronsky Healthcare AdministrationAmerica's Health Rankings, a new report from the nonprofit United Health Foundation, reveals the best and worst states for health in 2017. To define "healthy," the group uses the World Health Organization's definition: "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." The report's four categories of determinants evaluates 35 core measures across behaviors, community and environment, and policy and clinical care.
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Are we playing medical Monopoly?
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalMergers and acquisitions are the name of the game in healthcare these days. It feels like we are watching a giant game of medical Monopoly being played out before our very eyes. Just a few big players are rapidly rolling the dice and plucking up properties as they move their pieces around board.
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Nurses, mergers and the healthcare industry
Keith Carlson Healthcare AdministrationWith the recent announcement that pharmacy giant CVS is buying Aetna in a multibillion-dollar health insurance/pharmacy services merger, the consolidation of the healthcare industry has taken a giant step in a direction that can be characterized as both forward and backward, depending on your perspective. Doubtless, the landscape is changing for consumers and healthcare providers alike.
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