Pharmacist-Led Research Highlights Key Insights and Innovations in Patient Care

With the increasing complexity of treatments and patient care seen across health systems, pharmacists continue to play a pivotal role in enhancing therapeutic outcomes and ensuring patient safety. This issue of Pharmacy Practice in Focus: Health Systems™ delves into several significant areas of focus within pharmacy, including critical emergency interventions, management of common conditions such as xerostomia (dry mouth), the importance of medication education, and advancements in anticoagulation therapy.

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In the peer-reviewed original research paper on page 11, authors Megan Haas, PharmD; Amanda Lowney, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, BCEMP; and Jamie Warren, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, CPP, present their retrospective, multicenter study evaluating the impact of early epinephrine administration on sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to hospital discharge in patients with initial nonshockable in-hospital cardiac arrest. Among 100 patients, 66% received epinephrine within 2 minutes, but there was no significant difference in sustained ROSC (40% vs 43%) or survival to discharge (11% vs 6%) compared with those who received it at 2 minutes or later.

In the peer-reviewed literature review on page 16, authors Carmen Cheung, PharmD, HBSc, RPh; Ellen Guritzky, MSJ, RDH, AHFI, CHC, FADHA; and Ashley Andrew, PharmD, explore dry mouth and its etiologies, symptoms, and management strategies, emphasizing the role of pharmacists in patient education and care. The authors highlight the importance of lifestyle modifications, oral hygiene, and the use of salivary stimulants and substitutes while underscoring the need for increased pharmacist awareness and engagement in addressing this condition.

In the peer-reviewed original research paper on page 24, authors Vy P. Pham, PharmD, BCPS; Marisol Ramirez, CPhT; Amit Patel, MD; and Lan N. Bui, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, present their pharmacy-led clinical initiative in a community hospital emergency department (ED)–implemented enhanced medication education at the point of admission using a teach-back method to improve medication adherence and reduce hospital readmissions. Although the study found numerical reductions in all-cause 30-day ED revisits and hospital readmissions, the results were not statistically significant, highlighting the need for larger studies to determine the true impact of such interventions.

In the peer-reviewed literature review on page 31, authors Michelle Krey, PharmD candidate; Sophia Villa, PharmD candidate; and Jonathan Arnon, PharmD, examine the evolution of anticoagulation therapy, highlighting the emergence of factor XI inhibitors as a promising alternative to direct oral anticoagulants due to their potential to reduce bleeding risks while maintaining efficacy. The authors explore factor XI inhibitors’ mechanism of action, ongoing clinical trials, and future implications for using these therapies in the prevention and treatment of thrombosis.

The research and insights presented in this issue underscore pharmacists’ vital contributions to advancing patient care through innovative practices, enhanced education, and emerging therapies, as well as highlighting the need for ongoing pharmacist-led research to better realize pharmacists’ impact on health outcomes.