Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pharmacy for October 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Opioid Use Often Persists in Workers’ Compensation Claimants
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many patients in a workers’ compensation cohort have persistent opioid use, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Network Open.
Antibiotics, Acid Suppressants in Infancy May Up Obesity Risk
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Prescription of antibiotics and acid-suppressing medications in early childhood is associated with an increased risk for obesity, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in Gut.
Link Between Statins, Non-CVD Outcomes Lacks Evidence
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is a lack of convincing evidence for an association between statin use and non-cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes, according to a review published in the Oct. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors May Up Lung CA Risk
TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer compared with angiotensin receptor blockers, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in the BMJ.
Pilot Studies May Shed Light on How to Treat Lymphedema
TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Treatment with ketoprofen may improve the skin biology in lymphedema, with improvements noted in histopathology and skin thickness, according to a study published online Oct. 18 in JCI Insight.
Health Officers Express Concerns About Vaccine Exemptions
MONDAY, Oct. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After the passage of Senate Bill 277 (SB277) in California, which eliminated nonmedical vaccine exemptions for school entry, health officers and immunization staff reported concerns including an increase in medical exemptions, according to a study published online Oct. 29 in Pediatrics.
In Complicated UTI, Cefiderocol Noninferior to Imipenem-Cilastin
MONDAY, Oct. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For complicated urinary tract infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative uropathogens, the siderophore cephalosporin cefiderocol is non-inferior to imipenem-cilastatin, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Durvalumab Extends Survival in Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung CA
MONDAY, Oct. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Durvalumab results in significantly longer overall survival than placebo among patients with stage III, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer who did not have disease progression after concurrent chemoradiotherapy, according to a study published Sept. 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Trump Administration Announces Plan to Cut Drug Prices
FRIDAY, Oct. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In an effort to cut high drug costs, the prices paid by Medicare for certain prescription drugs would be based on those in other advanced industrial nations, according to a proposal announced Oct. 25 by the Trump administration.
HHS Study
New York Times Article
Prior-Season Vaccination Does Not Curb Flu Shot Effectiveness
FRIDAY, Oct. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Prior-season vaccination is not associated with reduced vaccine effectiveness (VE) among children aged 2 to 17 years, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Network Open.
Giving Patients Treatment Choice Improves PTSD Outcomes
FRIDAY, Oct. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Giving patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) their preferred treatment improves adherence and symptoms, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
High-Coverage Rollout of PReP Tied to Drop in HIV Diagnoses
FRIDAY, Oct. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A rapid, targeted, high-coverage rollout of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is associated with a decrease in HIV diagnoses among high-risk men who have sex with men (MSM), according to a study published online Oct. 17 in The Lancet.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Neither Haloperidol, Ziprasidone Shortens Delirium in ICU
THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute respiratory failure or shock and hypoactive or hyperactive delirium in the intensive care unit, neither haloperidol nor ziprasidone alters the duration of delirium compared with placebo, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Bill to Fight U.S. Opioid Crisis Signed Into Law
THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A bipartisan bill meant to combat the United States’ opioid abuse epidemic was signed into law Oct. 24 by President Donald Trump.
Open Surgery for Early Lung CA Tied to Long-Term Opioid Use
THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Surgical invasiveness might play a role in the odds of becoming a long-term opioid user after early-stage lung cancer surgery, according to a research letter published online Sept. 24 in JAMA Oncology.
FDA Approves First New Influenza Drug in 20 Years
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For the first time in nearly two decades, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new type of antiviral influenza drug.
Almost One in 10 Treated in Hospital for Non-Fatal Injury
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In 2013, 9.8 per 100 people were treated in the hospital for a non-fatal injury, with costs estimated at $1.853 trillion, according to a study published online Oct. 8 in Injury Epidemiology.
Algorithm-Defined Tx Duration Non-Inferior in Staph Bacteremia
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with staphylococcal bacteremia, an algorithm that defines treatment duration results in a non-inferior rate of clinical success compared with usual care, according to a study published in the Sept. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
AGA Issues Guidelines for Opioid-Induced Constipation
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations for medical management of opioid-induced constipation include laxatives as first-line agents, according to a guideline from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) published online Oct. 17 in Gastroenterology.
Abstract/Full Text – Guideline (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract/Full Text – Technical Review (subscription or payment may be required)
Most Supplements Contain Prohibited Stimulants
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many supplements contain one or more stimulants that have been the subject of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-issued public notices, according to a research letter published online Oct. 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editor’s Note (subscription or payment may be required)
High-Dose Flu Vaccine May Cut Hospitalization in Dialysis Patients
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Receipt of the high-dose influenza vaccine in 2016 to 2017 was associated with lower rates of hospitalization among dialysis patients, according to a study published online Oct. 23 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
White House Unveils New Insurance Option for Small Firms
TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A plan to allow small businesses to use tax-free accounts to provide health coverage for employees was announced today by the Trump administration.
AP News Article
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A-Fib Patients With Cancer Less Likely to See Cardiologist
TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with cancer are less likely to see a cardiologist and fill prescriptions for anticoagulants, according to a study published in the Oct. 16 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Intensive SBP Tx Cuts Kidney Damage Biomarkers in Incident CKD
TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients with incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the setting of intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) treatment have decreases rather than increases in kidney damage biomarkers, according to a study published online Oct. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
High Uptake, Acceptability of Rapid Fentanyl Test Strips
MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Young adults who report injecting drugs or using heroin, cocaine, or illicitly obtained prescription pills report high uptake and acceptability of fentanyl test strips to detect illicitly manufactured fentanyl, according to a study published online Oct. 18 in the International Journal of Drug Policy.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Variability in Geographic Availability of New Antibiotics
FRIDAY, Oct. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is considerable variability in the geographic availability of antibiotics, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in PLOS ONE.
CDC: Vaccination Rates More Than 95 Percent for Kindergartners
FRIDAY, Oct. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Overall vaccination coverage is high among the nation’s kindergarten students, according to research published in the Oct. 12 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Triple Combo Regimens May Address Cause of Cystic Fibrosis
FRIDAY, Oct. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Triple therapy with VX-659 or VX-445 combined with tezacaftor-ivacaftor shows promise for the treatment of adult patients with cystic fibrosis who have mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), according to two studies published online Oct. 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The studies were published to coincide with a presentation at the annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, held from Oct. 18 to 20 in Denver.
Abstract/Full Text – Davies
Abstract/Full Text – Keating
Editorial
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2014 to 2016 Saw 470 Percent Increase in HIV PrEP Use in U.S.
FRIDAY, Oct. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2014 to 2016 there was an increase in the annual number of HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users in the United States, although only about 7 percent of those with indications for PrEP were prescribed PrEP in 2016, according to research published in the Oct. 18 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Aspirin, Anticoagulants Similarly Prevent VTE After TKA
FRIDAY, Oct. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Among patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), aspirin alone may provide protection against postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) that is similar to that of other anticoagulants, according to a study published online Oct. 17 in JAMA Surgery.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Sharp Drop in U.S. Life Expectancy Rankings by 2040
THURSDAY, Oct. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The United States will have the largest drop in life expectancy rankings of all high-income countries by 2040, a new study says.
CNN Article
Abstract/Full Text
Editorial
WHO: Congo Ebola Outbreak Not a Global Emergency
THURSDAY, Oct. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The latest Ebola outbreak in Congo is not yet severe enough to be declared a global emergency, the World Health Organization decided after a meeting of experts yesterday.
AP News Article
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HPV Vaccination Not Tied to Risky Sexual Behavior in Teen Girls
THURSDAY, Oct. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in Canada did not lead to an increase in sexual risk-taking behaviors among adolescent girls, according to a study published in the Oct. 15 issue of CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Procurement Requirements Drive Interoperability in Health Care IT
THURSDAY, Oct. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Interoperability of health care information technology (IT) must be improved to facilitate creation of a fully integrated health care system that can improve health and health care at lower cost, according to a report published by the National Academy of Medicine.
CDC: Many Pregnant Women Not Receiving Immunizations
THURSDAY, Oct. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many pregnant women are not getting recommended vaccinations, with less than half of those pregnant during the peak influenza vaccination period in 2017 to 2018 reporting being vaccinated before or during their pregnancy, according to research published in the Sept. 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Limited Evidence for OTC Preps to Treat Nasal Symptoms of Colds
THURSDAY, Oct. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Limited evidence is available for over-the-counter (OTC) treatments for nasal symptoms of the common cold, according to a report published online Oct. 10 in The BMJ.
Giving Flu Shots in Pharmacies Could Up Vaccination Coverage
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Administering influenza vaccines through pharmacies in addition to traditional locations can increase vaccination coverage in the event of an epidemic, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in Vaccine.
Gabapentin Beats Pregabalin for Chronic Sciatica
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic sciatica (CS), gabapentin (GBP) is superior to pregabalin (PGB), with fewer and less severe adverse events (AEs), according to a study published online Oct. 15 in JAMA Neurology.
Well-Being of Young Adults on Kidney Replacement Tx Studied
Homicide, Suicide, and Overdose Leading Causes of Maternal Death 
Model Predicts Poor Outcomes Within 30 Days of a Before Medically Advised Discharge 
Fewer Than Half of Drug Overdose Survivors Go to the Hospital 
2000 to 2023 Saw Rise in Pediatric Exposure to Medications, Supplements 
2013 to 2024 Saw Decrease in Benzodiazepine Prescribing 
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, SGLT-2is Slow Renal Function Decline in T2D With Albuminuria 
Polypharmacy of Prescription Medications Increased for U.S. Older Adults 
Low Hydroxychloroquine Intake, Blood Levels Linked to ASCVD Risk in Lupus 
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