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American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) Annual Meeting & Exhibition
November 5-7, 2014; Orlando, FL
Managing Drug Interactions in Older Adults
Drug interactions in older adults is a significant topic of concern for those managing medications in this vulnerable patient population. Increased awareness and interventions through a pharmacist–physician collaboration may help reduce exposure and minimize the risks associated with potentially harmful drug combinations in elderly adults, according to presenters who spoke on this topic during an educational session at the ASCP annual meeting.
Exploring New Links in Alzheimer’s Disease Risk
The search for an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been elusive. While beta-amyloid and phosphorylated tau protein have been research targets, the positive results of early trials have not been validated. Research efforts are now being focused on identification of risk factors and preventative treatments.
Progress Continues for Dementia Initiative to Reduce Antipsychotics
During an educational session at the ASCP conference, stakeholders in The Partnership to Improve Dementia Care shared their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the reduction of antipsychotic usage.
Practice Tools to Identify Potential Medication Problems in Elderly Patients
William Simonson, PharmD, CGP, FASCP, and Edward Davidson, PharmD, MPH, reviewed a variety of practice tools including the Screening Tool of Older Person’s Prescriptions/Screening Tool to Alert Doctors to Right Treatment (STOPP/START), Individualized Medication Assessment and Planning (IMAP), and the Beers Criteria. They discussed the practice tools potential use by pharmacists during an education session at the ASCP conference.
Implications of ACA, New Care Models for Pharmacists
Conversations related to accountable care organizations (ACOs) and other emerging models of care rarely address pharmacists or medication management. Paul Baldwin, BS, principal, Baldwin Health Policy Group, LLC, discussed pharmacists’ involvement in ACOs and other care models with an overview of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during an educational session at the ASCP conference.
