Brian L Erstad

PMID: 11408992;Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To review the use of proton-pump inhibitors for acute peptic ulcer bleeding. DATA SOURCES: Articles were obtained through computerized searches of MEDLINE (1966-September 2000). Additionally, several textbooks containing information on the diagnosis and management of acute peptic ulcer bleeding were reviewed. The bibliographies of retrieved publications and textbooks were reviewed for additional references. STUDY SELECTION: All randomized studies and pharmacoeconomic evaluations that used proton-pump inhibitor therapy for acute peptic ulcer bleeding were included. Randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses involving other therapies for treating peptic ulcer bleeding were also reviewed for possible inclusion. DATA EXTRACTION: The primary outcomes extracted from the literature were persistent or recurrent bleeding, transfusion requirements, need for endoscopic intervention or surgery, length of stay, and mortality. DATA SYNTHESIS: Data from double-blind, placebo-controlled trials involving more than 1000 patients demonstrate that short-term, high-dose omeprazole therapy is effective for reducing bleeding and transfusion requirements in patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding. The patients most likely to benefit from this therapy are hospitalized patients at high risk for rebleeding and patients in whom endoscopic evaluation must be delayed or is unavailable. CONCLUSIONS: Omeprazole (and likely other proton-pump inhibitors) is useful in reducing bleeding and transfusion requirements in patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding, although better delineation of appropriate candidates is needed.

PMID: 2690471;Abstract:

Severe cardiovascular adverse reactions including death have been associated with high-dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy. Some of the patients appeared to have acute hypersensitivity reactions to the corticosteroid, with rashes and bronchospasm; other problems included arrhythmias and myocardial infarctions. Most of the patients had underlying renal disease and/or were undergoing renal transplantation. All of the patients having the cardiovascular reactions associated with the corticosteroid received individual doses of at least 250 mg of methylprednisolone or its equivalent. The doses were usually administered over a 30-minute period or less. A cause-effect relationship between high-dose corticosteroid therapy and severe cardiovascular reactions has not been scientifically proved by a controlled trial, but caution is advised when high-dose corticosteroid therapy is administered.

PMID: 18029956;Abstract:

Purpose. The cost implications of and potential adverse events prevented by the interventions of a critical care pharmacist were studied. Methods. A decentralized clinical pharmacist assigned to a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) documented all interventions made from mid-October 2003 through February 2004 using a standardized written form. The data were retrospectively evaluated and the following information was extracted: amount of time spent performing various clinical activities, how drug-related problems were identified (e.g., order entry versus chart review), and a general description of the interventions. The interventions were independently reviewed by two other clinical pharmacists to determine whether an actual or potential adverse drug event (ADE) would have occurred without the intervention, the probability that an ADE would have occurred without the intervention, the type of intervention, and potential cost avoidance of the intervention. Once the evaluations were completed, the data obtained from order entry and verification activities were compared with the data obtained during other clinical functions. Results. A total of 129 interventions were documented over 4.5 months. The majority of interventions were identified during chart review (40%) and patient care rounds (39%).The potential cost avoidance of the documented interventions was $205,919-$280,421. Interventions identified during patient care rounds and chart review were most likely to achieve the greatest impact on cost avoidance. Conclusion. Among the interventions performed and documented by a clinical pharmacist in an ICU, patient care rounds and chart-review activities were associated with the greatest number of interventions and the greatest potential cost avoidance. Copyright © 2007, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.