Asthma & COPD Treatment Guideline Updates

This article provides a summary of the newly updated asthma and COPD treatment guidelines. The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) treatment guidelines were updated in 2022. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) treatment guidelines were updated in 2023. Both the GINA and GOLD treatment guidelines are published by Science Committees composed of physicians from various countries; the Science Committees meet twice yearly to review published literature and update the guideline recommendations if necessary. The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the important updates to the GINA and GOLD treatment guidelines

Pneumococcal Vaccine Guidance 2022

PCV15 and PCV20 received FDA approval in 2021. This article provides an overview of all pneumococcal vaccines - PPSV23, PCV13, PCV15, and PCV20 and their place in therapy. It provides a summary of pneumococcal disease burden in the U.S., vaccine spectrum of activity, indications, adult/pediatric dosing schedules, efficacy, and common adverse drug reactions

Novel Drugs Approved in 2021-2022

This article provides an abbreviated overview of the newly Federal Drug Administration (FDA)approved novel drugs of 2021-2022 with their respective approved indication(s). The FDA serves as the governing body that regularly evaluates and approves medications that will eventually be introduced to the market for routine use. These medications include both drugs that are the same or related to previously approved products (e.g., Extended indications of priorly approved medications) and novel drugs. By definition, a novel drug is an innovative product which serves to improve quality care in patient populations with unmet or advanced medical needs to overall advance patient care and public health. This article was employed to highlight medications that may be seen in practice and to heighten overall awareness of these new drugs. From January 1, 2021, through June 13, 2022, the FDA approved 66 drugs characterized as novel (Table 1). The four drugs highlighted in this article were selected based on potential inpatient and outpatient utility, disease-state prevalence, and overall innovative medication-based treatment approaches. The four highlighted drugs are included in Table 2

Impact of adding reduced and weight-based insulin dosing options to the emergency department and inpatient hyperkalemia order-set

Purpose: To compare the effects of weight-based, reduced, and standard IV insulin doses on potassium reduction and hypoglycemia incidence in the treatment of acute hyperkalemia. Methods: The hyperkalemia treatment order-set was updated to include reduced and weight-based insulin dose options. Patients ≥ 18 years old with acute hyperkalemia treated with insulin using the order-set were included. Patients with missing data or who started dialysis before follow-up potassium monitoring were excluded. The primary efficacy outcome was reduction in serum potassium. The primary safety outcome was incidence of hypoglycemia and severe hypoglycemia. Secondary outcomes included insulin dose administered, completion of hourly glucose checks, and dextrose use. Results: The pre-protocol group included 60 patients and the post-protocol group included 76 patients. Potassium reduction was similar with a mean reduction of 0.9 mEq/L in the pre-protocol group and 0.85 mEq/L in the post-protocol group. The incidence of hypoglycemia was 18% in the pre-protocol group with 2% of patients developing severe hypoglycemia. The incidence of hypoglycemia was 13% in the post-protocol group with 3% of patients developing severe hypoglycemia. The mean insulin dose administered was 9.5 units in the pre-protocol group and 7.7 units in the post-protocol group. In the post-protocol group, weight-based and reduced insulin doses were administered to 84% and 13% of patients, respectively. Less than 25% of patients completed all glucose checks. Only about 50% of patients with hypoglycemia were treated with dextrose. Conclusions: Using weight-based and reduced insulin doses in the treatment of acute hyperkalemia results in comparable potassium reduction and reduced hypoglycemia incidence

Pneumococcal Vaccine Guidance 2022

PCV15 and PCV20 received FDA approval in 2021. This article provides an overview of all pneumococcal vaccines - PPSV23, PCV13, PCV15, and PCV20 and their place in therapy. It provides a summary of pneumococcal disease burden in the U.S., vaccine spectrum of activity, indications, adult/pediatric dosing schedules, efficacy, and common adverse drug reactions.</jats:p

Asthma &amp; COPD Treatment Guideline Updates

This article provides a summary of the newly updated asthma and COPD treatment guidelines. The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) treatment guidelines were updated in 2022. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) treatment guidelines were updated in 2023. Both the GINA and GOLD treatment guidelines are published by Science Committees composed of physicians from various countries; the Science Committees meet twice yearly to review published literature and update the guideline recommendations if necessary. The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the important updates to the GINA and GOLD treatment guidelines.</jats:p