The earlier the better: statins to reduce cholesterol and cardiovascular disease

A recently published study evaluated incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the initiation as well as subsequent adherence to statin treatment for the treatment of primary prevention in those who...

Calculation Skills: keeping it simple

Try the following drug calculations and remember that Sir Isaac Newton [1643-1727] once said ‘Truth [the answer] is ever to be found in the simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of...

Updates: May 2021

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) announced on the 4 May 2021 that more people the rare genetic disorder spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) will be able to benefit from...

Drug breakdown: Rivaroxaban

With the help of Prescribing and Therapeutics Training Ltd and the Journal of Prescribing Practice, you can earn your 1-hour CPD certificate.

Exploring the significance of delayed antimicrobial prescribing

In 2016, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) released a quality statement declaring that prescribers in primary care could use delayed prescribing of antimicrobials where they...

Polypharmacy and multimorbidity

This Canadian review paper by Potempski and Bilimoria (2021) aimed to highlight the common phenomenon of polypharmacy in the light of the COVID-19 global pandemic. They begin by pointing out that...

A newly qualified physiotherapist non-medical prescriber in the pandemic

Throughout my training, and as a newly qualified NMP, I was fortunate to work closely with a multidisciplinary team of consultants and nurse specialists in the specialty of rheumatology, all of whom...

Exploring pharmaceutical communication

Obedience to collaboration: compliance, adherence and concordance

A literature review was conducted to gain an overview of the use of the terms ‘compliance,’ ‘adherence’ and ‘concordance’ alongside the meanings that have been attached to them. A search of English...

The role of community pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Pharmacies have played a vital role during the pandemic, not only by ensuring a stable supply of key medicines, but also in becoming an information hub regarding the virus. Many pharmacies are now the...

Drug Breakdown: Dapagliflozin

Day 1: In the mid 19th century, phlorizin extracted from the root bark of the apple tree was found to cause glycosuria; there was poor oral absorption and also, because non-selective, the inhibition...

Complexity of fall prevention and whether deprescribing fall-risk-increasing drugs works

Being one of the leading causes of death in the elderly, falls can cause numerous health complications. Prescribing is important to protect the health of the frail and vulnerable, just as much as the...