MUEs conducted on frequently prescribed, expensive drug therapy help to identify misuse of medications. Protocols that empower pharmacists to accurately assess treatment can improve patient care while minimizing direct drug costs.

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Forty-seven patients who met inclusion and exclusion criteria participated in the project. Thirteen patients either did not have a telephone or were not willing to take part in the project. The remaining 34 patients were contacted by telephone and were subsequently stepped down to lansoprazole canadian administered once a day.

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Patients

This project reviewed Kansas City VA Medical Center patients identified as part of an MUE. In order to obtain an adequate group, all patients receiving a one-month supply of the formulary PPI, lansoprazole canadian, and with a quantity of 60 doses or greater from January 1 to December 31, 1999, were evaluated. Criteria for step-down therapy included an active prescription or a refill within six months of lansoprazole administered twice daily and a diagnosis of uncomplicated GERD based on EGD results and/or primary care provider notes.

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INTRODUCTION

The Medical Advisory Panel for the Veterans Health Administration Pharmacy Benefits Management Strategic Healthcare Group (PBM SHG) coordinates the development of guidelines for the pharmacological management of common disease states treated within the Veterans Affairs (VA) system. These documents are based on nationally recognized treatment guidelines and current literature with the purpose of assisting primary care practitioners in clinical decision-making. As a result, if drug therapy is standardized, patient outcomes improve and the use of cost-effective medication is enabled.

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Manufacturer: Lilly, France, for Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN

Indication: Stimulation of new bone formation in patients with osteoporosis

Drug Class: Teriparatide is a recombinant human parathyroid hormone (PTH), which is the primary regulator of calcium and phosphate metabolism in bones. It has an identical sequence to the 34N-terminal amino acids (the biologically active region) of the 84-amino acid human PTH.

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Manufacturer: Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN Indication: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Drug Class: Atomoxetine is classified as a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.

Uniqueness of Drug: The precise mechanism by which atomoxetine produces its therapeutic effects in ADHD is unknown, but it is thought to be related to selective inhibition of the presynaptic norepinephrine transporter. Atomoxetine is the first nonstimulant medication approved for the treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents, and adults. It is the only FDA-approved ADHD medication that has proved clinically effective for adults. It is not considered a controlled substance.

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Ezetimibe (Zetia drug)

Manufacturer: Schering Corporation, Kenilworth NJ, for Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals, North Wales, PA (joint venture)

Indications: Primary hypercholesterolemia. Eze-timibe can be prescribed in several situations: …..Click here to read more