Pharma Pearl is updated monthly based on submissions from students that they learned recently. Contact our Student CSHP representatives Radhika or Melanie with your own PharmaPearl for a chance to get featured!
October 2022
THC is a partial CB1 and CB2 agonist that has psychoactive effects. Meanwhile, CBD is not psychoactive and appears to oppose the psychoactive effects of THC. -Anonymous
Rituximab should always be given IV originally and then can consider switching to sc later (Rituxan monograph). -Anonymous
June 2022
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) can be used when starting out someone on levetiracetam to help with its behavioural side effects. Submitted by: Omar Shogan
Iron absorption is increased when dosed every 2 days as opposed to once daily. Submitted by: Omar Shogan
May 2022
Tamsulosin CR has less hypotension/syncope than SR due to release mechanism differences, and may be an important factor to consider when prescribed for a patient – Anonymous
Although usually used for type 2 diabetes, metformin also has a role in treatment treatment PCOS. – Anonymous
April 2022
Patients may experience debilitating CNS effects (including depression and anxiety) as a result of fluoroquinolone therapy. Although rare, patients who experience these effects should generally not be rechallenged with fluoroquinolones. – Anonymous
Lactulose can be used for hepatic encephalopathy, even in the absence of constipation. It is important to keep this in mind when counselling patients. – Anonymous
March 2022
When converting PO morphine dose to SC, a rule of thumb is to decrease the total daily dose by half. – Submitted by Omar Shogan
In liver cirrhosis, NSAIDs are usually contraindicated. In many circumstances, low-dose acetaminophen (max. 2 g daily) is actually more appropriate for pain management. – Submitted by anonymous
February 2022
From Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Clients – Carla Grant – Bridging the Gaps Conference: In Kroll you can override a transgender patient’s previous name and pronouns. Under the insurance options there is an option for patient override to enter the patient’s name and gender assigned at birth. This allows the patient’s preferred pronouns and name to be on the local pharmacy profile to prevent misgendering while making sure there are no issues with insurance and their health record. – Submitted by Melanie King
Firstline – Clinical Decisions is an app which allows you to select which jurisdiction in NL you use and you can select the hospital you spend the most time at! It has information about antibiotics (dosing, spectrum, etc.), pathogens, and guidelines for different conditions! – Submitted by Kathryn Ross
Necrotizing fasciitis is generally treated with multiple antibiotics to ensure all causative bacteria are covered. Clindamycin is often added to antibiotic therapy, not necessarily for it’s antimicrobial effect, but for its effects in inactivating toxins produced by Strep. and Staph. species! (Source: UptoDate) – Submitted by anonymous
January 2022
“Pilleye” is an app which is able to count pills with a picture. It’s available on both the App Store and Google Play. -Submitted by Rebecca Bishop
A1C targets do not always need to be 7%: for some patients, it can be as high as 8.5% (depending on frailty and hypoglycemia risk). -Submitted by anonymous
December 2021
Triptans (used for migraines) can cause a side effect that is the feeling of a pressure on the chest that can be concerning if patients don’t know to expect it. Always remember to counsel your patients on potential side effects! -Submitted by anonymous
A 300mg change in a dose of lithium corresponds to a change of 0.2 micromol/L and this applies to 150mg for elderly. -Submitted by Omar Shogan
In elderly patients, apathy is often misdiagnosed as depression and giving them an antidepressant will make symptoms worse. -Submitted by Omar Shogan