Pharmacomplicated

Third Year Pharmacy Student.PharmLife

[sciencealert]

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DAMN STRAIGHT.

[blackcanarys-movedblogs-deactiv]

“Do you have to be so vulgar about men, like they’re pieces of meat?”

[the-morning-and-the-evening-star]

I HAVE WAITED SO LONG FOR THIS GIF SET

[just-shower-thoughts]

If old men can deny young women access to life-saving reproductive health care, then young women should be able to deny old men access to Viagra.

[skunkbear]

The development of antimalarial drugs is fascinating – it is often driven by war and conquest. When human beings got busy trying to kill each other (during the era of colonial expansion, WWII, the Vietnam War), they often found themselves face to face with an even deadlier foe. 

Check out my animation that explores this incredible history.

Read more about the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

[npr]

Thanks to Youyou Tu for saving so many lives in the fight against malaria, and for also giving us ladies (and non-ladies, too, tbh) some new #lifegoals to aspire to! -Ariel

[mindofapharmacystudent]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Addyi (flibanserin) to treat acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. Prior to Addyi’s approval, there were no FDA-approved treatments for sexual desire disorders in men or women.

[melodyhansen]

[ucresearch]

A new gel helps wounds heal

Researchers from UCLA have developed an injectable hydrogel that helps skin wounds heal faster. 

The new synthetic polymer material creates an instant scaffold, sort of like stacked gumballs, that allows new tissue to latch on and grow within the cavities formed between linked spheres of gel.

Conventionally, ointments and other hydrogel dressings have been used to fill in wounds to keep the areas moist and accelerate healing. But none of the materials used now provide a scaffold to allow new tissue to grow while the dressing itself degrades. As a result, the new tissue growth is relatively slow and fragile.

So bringing about an injectable biomaterial that promotes rapid regeneration of tissue has been a “holy grail” in the field of tissue engineering, said co-principal investigator Dino Di Carlo.

They envision the material being useful for a wide variety of wound application, including lacerations to large-area burns.

UC Berkeley researchers have also been developing new approaches to tissue engineering. Last March, their advancement in “herding cells” marked a new direction for smart bandages.

Learn more about how this new gel works

[studentparamedics]

Factor I

Name : Fibrinogen Source : Liver Pathway : Both extrinsic and intrinsic Activator : Thrombin Actions : When fibrinogen is converted into fibrin by thrombin, it forms long strands that compose the mesh network for clot formation.

Factor II

Name : Prothrombin Source : Liver Pathway : Both extrinsic and intrinsic Activator : Prothrombin activator Actions : Prothrombin is converted into thrombin which then activated fibrinogen into fibrin.

Factor III

Name : Thromboplastin / Tissue factor Source : Platelets (intrinsic) and damaged endothelium (cells) lining the blood vessel (extrinsic). Pathway : Both extrinsic and intrinsic Activator : Injury to blood vessel Action : Activates factor VII (VIIa).

Factor IV

Name : Calcium Source : Bone and absorption from food in gastrointestinal tract Pathway : Both extrinsic and intrinsic Action : Works with many clotting factors for activation of the other clotting factors. These are called calcium-dependent steps.

Factor V

Name : Proaccerin / Labile factor / Ac-globulin (Ac-G) Source : Liver and platelets Pathway : Both extrinsic and intrinsic Activator : Thrombin Action : Works with Factor X to activate prothrombin (prothrombin activator).

Factor VII

Name : Proconvertin / Serum prothrombin conversion accelerator (SPCA) / stable factor Source : Liver Pathway : Extrinsic Activator : Factor III (tissue factor) Actions : Activates Factor X which works with other factors to convert prothrombin into thrombin.

Factor VIII

Name : Anti-hemoplytic factor / Antihemophilic factor (AHF) or globulin (AHG) / antihemophilic factor A Source : Endothelium lining blood vessel and platelets (plug) Pathway : Intrinsic Activator : Thrombin Actions : Works with Factor IX and calcium to activate Factor X. Deficiency : Hemophilia A

Factor IX

Name : Christmas factor / Plasma thromboplastin component (PTC) / Antihemophilic factor B Source : Liver Pathway : Intrinsic Activator : Factor XI and calcium Actions : Works with Factor VIII and calcium to activate Factor X. Deficiency : Hemophilia B

Factor X

Name : Stuart Prower factor / Stuart factor Source : Liver Pathway : Extrinsic and intrinsic Activator : Factor VII (extrinsic) / Factor IX + Factor VIII + calcium (intrinsic) Actions : Works with platelet phospholipids to convert prothrombin into thrombin. This reaction is made faster by activated Factor V.

Factor XI

Name : Plasma thromboplastin antecedent (PTA) / antihemophilic factor C Source : Liver Pathway : Intrinsic Activator : Factor XII + prekallikrein and kininogen Actions : Works with calcium to activate Factor IX. Deficiency : Hemophilia C

Factor XII

Name : Hageman factor Source : Liver Pathway : Intrinsic Activator : Contact with collagen in the torn wall of blood vessels Actions : Works with prekallikrein and kininogen to activate Factor XI. Also activates plasmin which degrades clots.

Factor XIII

Name : Fibrin stabilizing factor Source : Liver Activator : Thrombin and calcium Actions : Stabilizes the fibrin mesh network of a blood clot by helping fibrin strands to link to each other. Therefore it also helps to prevent fibrin breakdown (fibrinolysis).

Prekallikrein

Source : Liver Pathway : Intrinsic Actions : Works with kininogen and Factor XII to activate Factor XI.

Kininogen

Source : Liver Pathway : Intrinsic Actions : Works with prekallikrein and Factor XII to activate Factor XI.

[medxclusive]

Few of the High-Yield Teratogenic DRUGS and problems they can cause:

ACE inhibitors - Renal malformations

Aminoglycosides - Ototoxicity

Carbamazepine - Neural tube defects

Cyclophosphamide - Ear/facial anomalies, limb hypoplasia, absence of digits

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) - Clear cell vaginal adenocarcinoma

Fluoroquinolones - Cartilage damage

Isotretinoin (Vitamin A derivative) - Spontaneous abortions

Lithium - Ebstein anomaly

Methotrexate - Neural tube defects, abortion

Phenytoin - Fetal hydantoin syndrome

Statins - CNS and limb abnormalities

Tetracyclines - Discolored teeth

Thalidomide - Phocomelia

Valproic acid - Neural tube defects

Warfarin - Facial/Limb/CNS anomalies, spontaneous abortion

[countby5s]

If Anyone Wants To Know What Being A Pharmacist Is Like, I Just Show Them This

[inthewards]

Pre-eclampsia / Eclampsia

Risk factors:

>35 year old

Primip

Multiple pregnancies

Molar pregnancies

Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH)

Previous PIH

Family Hx of PIH

Pre-existing hypertension, renal disease, autoimmune disease

Hx should include:

When was the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia, what was the treatment, compliance to treatment, ongoing monitoring

Sxs - headache, blurry vision, epigastric pain, nausea (signs of impending eclampsia)

Fetal movements?

Per vaginal bleed?

Growth of fetus / AFI scans / fetal scans till date

Current gestational age

Physical Examination:

General - Vital Signs! Height, weight (look out for trend increase), pallor, petechiae, edema

Lungs - crepitations sec. to pulmonary edema

Abdomen - SFH, liquor volume, obvious fetal movements, scars, estimated fetal weight, woody hard uterus - indicative of placenta abruptio

Neuro - Hyperreflexia, clonus

Fundoscopy - hypertensive changes

Investigations:

- Urine dipstick, 24 hour urine collection (albumin measure)

- FBC - Hb (anaemia), Platelets (low? <100)

- U/E/Cr - Renal function / metabolic derangements? / 

- Uric acid

- LFT - Look at AST / ALT (elevated > x2?)

- GXM - blood group and cross match

- Ultrasound - Estimated fetal weight, amniotic fluid index

Management

For mild to moderate pre-eclampsia, monitor closely as outpatient.

Counsel patient: what is pre-eclampsia, dangers of pre-eclampsia, can be cured via delivery, return of BP to normal within 6 weeks post partum

Pharmaco: methyldopa to control hypertension

Monitor: Blood pressure, Urine dipstick, keep a diary

Discuss about sxs of impending eclampsia - headache, blurry vision, epigastric pain, nausea - to come to hospital immediately, or if blood pressure uncontrollable, increasing trend in proteinuria

Follow-up: weekly! - BP measurement, urine dipstick, fetal ultrasound, physical examination

Re-assure patient

For severe eclampsia

ADMIT PATIENT

CALL FOR HELP - Senior Obs/MO/Registrar, Labour room sisters, Anaesthetist/Operating theatre (Emergency LSCS)

Start Pre-eclampsia chart (Vitals - BP/PR, Weight, edema, urinary albumin levels, fetal movement/HR, input/output chart)

CTG - monitor baby

Anti-hypertensives : methyldopa (slow acting) / Hydralazine (fast acting) - be careful of quick drop in BP. Provide IV fluids if BP dropping too quickly. Do not give fluids if evidence of pulmonary edema

Seizure prophylaxis: MgSO4 ! S/e: palpitations, hypotension, flushing, sweating. Toxicity: Renal failure, respiratory depression, hyporeflexia. Antidote: Calcium gluconate. Monitor Levels! 

Plan for delivery: LSCS vs Normal vertex delivery. Indications for delivery: fetal compromise (abnormal CTG, abnormal doppler, IUGR, AFI <5), maternal compromise (placenta abruptio, end-organ damage - oliguria, HELLP syndrome, signs + sxs of impending eclampsia), dexamethasone, 

Intrapartum - continue MgSO4 till 24hours postpartum (14% seizures can occur postpartum), control BP, LSCS if fetal compromise

Postpartum - monitor resolution of blood pressure, monitor renal function and resolution of biomarkers (LFTs, FBC - platelets), refer physician if still hypertensive and/or proteinuria

Counsel - reoccurrence in subsequent pregnancies. if severe pre-eclampsia, 30% can reoccur in future pregnancies

[beyondtheoath]

Overall great information. Some things about management that can be dependent on institution you’re at: although methyldopa is the textbook drug, more often patients are given labetalol or nifedipine, both of which have been shown safe and effective in managing PreE. Also remember that uric acid isn’t diagnostic, but is helpful in trending.

Another kind of trivia point about risk factors: sperm naïveté. If the pregnancy is with a new partner or one with whom she only rarely did not use condoms, there is an increased risk of PreE.

[phdstudents]

when i’m the last to graduate from my cohort

[sorayachemaly]

Women scientists made up 25% of the Pluto fly-by New Horizon team. Make sure you share this, because erasing women’s achievements in science and history is a tradition. Happens every day.

.

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20150712

[littlealienproducts]

[phineaslightfoot-deactivated201]

CANNOT REBLOG FAST ENOUGH

[fullten-deactivated20240430]

Because its safer to be nobody than a woman

[sixpenceee]

The first insulin pump in 1963 compared to the modern one. 

[lykanthropic]

This week on products that are ridiculously gendered when they don’t need to be: stool softeners

[pharmacybrownie]

Patient calls for a refill on a prescription.....from 3 years ago