P H A R M A G R A M    

...an educational memo from your Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee

August, 2005

Formulary Changes: Auto-Substitutions, Deletions and Additions:

Auto-Substitutions: The following items have been approved with the substitutions indicated below:

Drug Ordered                                                                          Substitution

►Bupropion Extended-Release (Wellbutrin XL®)           Bupropion Sustained-Release (Wellbutrin SR®)       (same milligram per 24 hours)

►Travaprost (Travatan, Unoprostone (Rescula®)            Latanoprost (Xalactan®)

►Choice DM® enteral formula                                           Resource Diabetic ® enteral formula

Deletions: The following items have been deleted from the Formulary due to lack of use.

AVC Vaginal Cream (Sulfanilamide)                                 Glacial Acetic Acid Vaginal Jelly (Acid Jelly®)

Bretylium (Breytol®)                                                              Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera®)

Additions: The following was added to the Formulary.

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra®) has improved immune response over the unconjugated form (Menomune®). Menomune® will continue to be available in case of a supply shortage of Menactra® and Menomune® is FDA approved for a broader age range of 2 – 55 years. Common side effects with Menactra® include headache, fatigue and malaise. Prescribers are encouraged to specify which meningococcal vaccine they want by specifying the trade name. 

ANTIBIOTIC OVERuse!!!    ANTIBIOTIC  MISuse!!!       ANTIBIOTIC OVERuse!!!

Facts on Antibiotic Overuse and Misuse

• Is a national problem
• Increases drug resistance
• Increases healthcare cost

Impact on OSF Saint Francis Medical Center

·      Parenteral antibiotics comprise 15 % of the highest volume/highest cost drug items

·      86 Thousand  Doses of Parenteral Antibiotics Administered per Quarter

·      Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is 63%

·      Prevalence of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is 37%

·      Prevalence of Quinolone-Resistant Pseudomonas is 22%

·      Prevalence of 3^rd Generation Cephalosporin Resistant Enterobacter is 15-20%

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Launches an Antibiotic Stewardship Program in August 2005

• An approach to optimal selection of antibiotics.
• An approach to optimal utilization (indication, dosage, duration of antibiotics).
• An approach to optimal treatment and prevention of infections
• An approach to best clinical outcome.

NEED YOUR HELP FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.    WATCH FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

ADE (Adverse Drug Event) Hotline: 655-6805

Visit the Pharmacy Website for past issues of the PharmaGram: http://library.osfhealthcare.org/Pharmacists.asp