Medication Safety Minute
This is very interesting! Bite-sized information highlighting medication safety issues. For example, can you name 4 categories of medicines which increase the risk of falls? 10 medications/classes likely to...
RPS reclassification guides
These guides produced by RPS are very helpful to revise some of the POM to P reclassified medicines https://www.rpharms.com/resources/pharmacy-guides/reclassification-guide Not a member of RPS? It’s free during your foundation...
Infections in patients taking corticosteroids
Infections Prolonged courses increase susceptibility to infections and severity of infections; clinical presentation of infections may also be atypical. Serious infections e.g. septicaemia and tuberculosis may reach an advanced...
Equivalent doses of opioid analgesics
Analgesic/Route Dose Codeine: PO 100 mg Diamorphine: IM, IV, SC 3 mg Dihydrocodeine: PO 100 mg Hydromorphone: PO 2 mg Morphine: PO 10 mg Morphine: IM, IV, SC 5 mg Oxycodone: PO 6.6 mg Tramadol: PO...
Digoxin bioavailability
One 62.5mcg digoxin tablet is equivalent to 50 mcg in liquid form as the liquid has a higher bioavailability https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/switching-between-liquid-and-tablet-capsule-formulations-which-medicines-require-extra-care/ When switching from intravenous to oral route may need...
Precipitated opioid withdrawal when buprenorphine commenced
Buprenorphine has opioid agonist and antagonist properties It can therefore precipitate withdrawal symptoms , particularly in people dependent on large doses of opioids. Precipitated opioid withdrawal, if it occurs, starts...
Opioid substitution therapy: Switching from methadone to buprenorphine
The dose of methadone should be reduced to a maximum of 30 mg daily before starting buprenorphine treatment Switching to sublingual buprenorphine tablets if the dose of methadone is over 10 mg...
Carbamazepine
Your high risk drug this month is Carbamazepine Carbamazepine pdf...
Disulfiram reaction with alcohol (including reactions with metronidazole)
Alcohol causes an extremely unpleasant systemic reaction when given with disulfiram. Reactions may occur following exposure even to small amounts of alcohol found in perfume, aerosol sprays, or low...
OTC treatment of acute pain
Table: Common acute pain conditions and the recommended, over-the-counter, evidence-based analgesia Presenting condition Evidence-based recommended analgesic Lower back pain Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; e.g. ibuprofen 400mg three times per...
