Decoding Your Prescriptions: Understanding Pharmacy Abbreviations
Reading a doctor’s handwritten prescription can feel like trying to understand a foreign language. Between confusing pharmacy abbreviations, complicated medical names and other bits of information, it’s natural for your eyes to glaze over after just a few seconds. Whether you’re a prospective pharmacy technology student looking to better understand the prescription process or a […]
Truvada emerging as potential HIV-blocker
Certified pharmacy technicians and other individuals involved in the world of pharmacology may have noticed an uptick in sales of a new drug, Truvada, over the past year. Though the medicine is still in its early phases of wide scale distribution, it is being heralded as an incredible step towards ensuring safer sexual health. Effectively, the […]
A Historical Overview of Pharmacology
Definition Pharmacology, a term derived from the Greek word pharmakon (“poison” in classic Greek, “drug” in modern Greek) is a branch of biology and medicine that is concerned with the study of drug action 5. Specifically, pharmacology is the examination of the interactions between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical […]
New discovery may solve problem of antibiotic resistance
One of the biggest concerns in the health care industry today is the increasing presence of antibiotic-resistant strains of diseases that could ultimately cause epidemics. In turn, the field of pharmacy technology has faced a massive challenge of trying to make advancements in antibiotics so that they can fend off these superbugs. Few developments have […]
Old drug could be brought back to forefront for smoking cessation
Certified pharmacy technicians with a considerable amount of experience under their belt may remember a time when aids for quitting smoking were somewhat less stratified. These days, there seems to be an absolute plethora of products available to the mainstream consumer who’s looking to kick the nasty affliction. From nicotine patches to chewing gum, different things seem […]
5 key skills in becoming a successful pharmacy technician
As demand for pharmacy technicians reaches new heights, the core criteria for what employers desire is becoming increasingly important. Pharm tech employment is expected to increase by 20 percent from 2010-2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.1 For students graduating from pharmacy technician classes, there are a several basic things to know in order […]
New psoriasis drug anticipated to gain FDA approval
In pharmacy technology news, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) – the European Medical Agency’s advisory council – has just announced its support of Novartis’ new drug secukinumab, a treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The drug, which will be marketed in Europe as Cosentyx, received a similar stamp of approval from U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) Advisory […]
New blood test could identify Alzheimer’s disease
Those in the field of pharmacy technology realize the vast importance of identifying the underlying causes of diseases. For pharmaceutical companies to research and develop effective drugs, they must first have an idea of what to address within the human body. Otherwise, creating drugs that treat specific diseases and conditions is a seemingly impossible game […]
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation changes the pharmaceutical industry
In a move that may change the industry of pharmacy technology, Royalty Pharma has announced a $3.3 billion acquisition of royalties on Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ cystic fibrosis treatments owned by an affiliate of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.1 This is a major payoff for the nonprofit organization that began investing in biotech companies in order to encourage the development […]
Study finds antidepressants alter brain connectivity
A new study published in Current Biology found that the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors – a common antidepressant – can alter brain connectivity in a matter of hours. This is particularly interesting as antidepressants often have to be used for weeks before relieving symptoms of depression and in some cases prove ineffective. No […]
My Starting Point – Mayra Ruiz Gallegos – Final Thoughts
Well folks, I did it! This is my last blog post before I leave Carrington College, having completed the Pharmacy Technology program at the Mesa campus. I’ll check back in one more time in a month or two so you can catch up on what I’m up to, but you can read my story from […]
Sleep Apnea
A new study published in the journal Anesthesiology found that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy can potentially reduce postoperative complications in patients undergoing surgery that experience obstructive sleep apnea.1 Sleep apnea is an underreported and under-diagnosed problem that can cause many health problems both physically and mentally. The study is scaffolded on prior research suggesting? OSA increases the risk […]