RPCC Pharmacy Forum: November 2016
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November 2016 RPCC Pharmacy Forum Issue 18 Calcium Channel Blocker Treatment with High Dose Insulin-Euglycemia Therapy in Overdose Special Interest Jessica Akin, Pharm. D. Candidate, 2017 Articles: Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) exert There are three main mechanisms of their therapeutic and toxic effects by the benefit for high-dose insulin-euglycemia • High Dose Insulin- direct blockade of L-type calcium therapy: increased inotropy, improved Euglycemia Therapy channels producing relaxation of the local microcirculation, and increased smooth muscle, with subsequent intracellular glucose and transport. The • Naloxone Kits vasodilation and in the case of verapamil primary goal of this therapy is to restore and diltiazem, inhibition of the sinoatrial hemodynamic stability. The major • Aczone (SA) and atrioventricular(AV)nodes. adverse effects associated with high-dose Calcium channel blockade provokes the insulin therapy are hypoglycemia and heart to switch into carbohydrate hypokalemia. Glucose concentrations metabolism as opposed to the free fatty should be regularly monitored and it is acid oxidation that occurs in the likely that supplementation of glucose will myocardium in a non-stressed state. be required throughout therapy and for up Calcium channel antagonism can also to 24 hours after discontinuation of high- Did you know? 2+ result in blockade of L-type Ca channels dose insulin. There is a shift of potassium located in the pancreas, inhibiting insulin from the extracellular to intracellular In the October 2016 secretion thus producing hyperglycemia. space rather than a decrease in total body issue of Pediatrics, The most common and life-threatening stores, which causes a change in serum finding in an acute CCB poisoning is potassium concentrations. The American hypotension, typically caused by a Academy of Pediatrics combination of bradycardia, decreased There are no official guidelines regarding inotropy, and peripheral vasodilation. the insulin dosing in CCB overdose, urged parents and Patients can also present asymptomatic however one of the most common and subsequently worsen rapidly to health care providers recommendations consists of a 1 unit/kg severe cardiogenic shock. bolus dose followed by a continuous to stop giving codeine infusion at 0.5-1 unit/kg per hour which High-dose insulin-euglycemia therapy, to children. Codeine is can be titrated to response. Insulin doses along with glucose supplementation, has up to 10 units/kg per hour have been converted to morphine emerged as an effective treatment for recommended. A healthcare professional calcium channel-blocker poisoning. Initial may want to consult with their local in the liver and “ultra- treatment is primarily supportive care Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. A rapid metabolizers” including saline fluid resuscitation, which continuous dextrose infusion (0.5 is essential to correct vasodilation and low g/kg/hour) is also a common may experience cardiac filling pressures. Conventional recommendation for initiation. Blood severely slowed therapies such as atropine, calcium, and glucose should be checked every twenty glucagon may fail to improve the minutes during first hour, then can be breathing rates or hemodynamic status in severely poisoned checked hourly. The onset of high-dose even die after patients. The increased myocardial insulin-euglycemia therapy is around 15- oxygen demand that results from 60 minutes, but can be delayed for standard doses of vasopressors and catecholamines may be several hours. High-dose insulin therapy harmful in the setting of hypotension and should be continued until hemodynamic codeine. decreased coronary perfusion. stability is achieved. References 1. Woodward C, Pourmand A, Mazer-Amirshahi M. High dose insulin therapy, an evidence based approach to beta Laura Read RPh, CSPI blocker/calcium channel blocker toxicity.DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2014;22(1):36. doi:10.1186/2008-2231-22-36 2. Engebretsen K, Kaczmarek K, Mogan J, Holger J. High-dose insulin therapy in beta-blocker and calcium channel- [email protected] blocker poisoning. Clinical Toxicology (15563650) [serial online]. April 2011;49 (4):277-283. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. (Accessed October 20, 2016). 3. Jang DH, DeRoos F. Calcium Channel Blockers. In: Hoffman RS, Howland M, Lewin NA, Nelson LS, Goldfrank LR. eds. Goldfrank'sToxicologic Emergencies, 10e. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2015.http://accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com.ezproxy.samford.edu/content.aspx?bookid=1163&Sectionid=6509637 6. (Accessed October 18, 2016). Page 2 of 3 Page 2 of 3 Naloxone Kits Available in Retail Pharmacies for the General Population Jordan Loper, Pharm. D. Candidate, 2017 Page 2 of 3 Naloxone is a pure opioid antagonist opioid addiction, and law enforcement that competes with and displaces or fire department personnel. It is opioids at opioid receptor sites. It is especially important to counsel used for the emergency treatment of patients who are purchasing naloxone known or suspected opioid overdose, on the proper administration of manifested by respiratory or CNS naloxone, as well as the opioid depression. Recently, there has been toxidrome that would signal that a push to make naloxone kits available someone has potentially overdosed. in retail pharmacies for the general The opioid toxidrome consists of CNS population to purchase and have on depression, respiratory depression, hand in the event of an opioid miosis, bradycardia, hypotension and overdose. In recent years, heroin and hypothermia. Furthermore, naloxone fentanyl overdoses have been on the has a very short duration of action (30- rise throughout the country. In 120 minutes depending on route of Jefferson County, there were 46 administration), so it is important that heroin deaths and 34 fentanyl deaths people know that in situations when between January 1 and June 30, naloxone is warranted, they still need 2016. Walgreens Pharmacy plans to to immediately seek medical treatment make naloxone available without a in a healthcare facility. If they do not “In Alabama prescription in 35 states by the end of seek medical attention, the naloxone the year, including Alabama. CVS will wear off and the person could specifically, recent Pharmacy made naloxone available in rapidly develop life-threatening laws have been 14 states. Some smaller chains and respiratory depression. passed that remove independent pharmacies also provide criminal and civil naloxone without a written There are two new FDA approved liability for prescription, based on their state’s naloxone products that are currently protocol. available, Narcan® nasal spray physicians, dentists, (4mg/0.1mL) and an auto-injector pharmacists, and Each state has the authority to pass called Evzio® (0.4mg/0.4mL).In nurses who laws about whether to sell naloxone October 2016, a new strength of Evzio administer or without a written prescription from a was approved by the FDA, physician. The sale of naloxone is 2mg/0.4mL, but it will not be available .” dispense naloxone available through either the state’s until early 2017. The difference in the collaborative practice agreement or concentrations of naloxone is due to through a standing order with a local differences in bioavailability among the physician. In Alabama specifically, different routes of administration. The recent laws have been passed that bioavailability of a drug delivered via remove criminal and civil liability for the nares will be less than that physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and delivered intramuscularly or nurses who administer or dispense intravenously, therefore, a larger dose naloxone. Furthermore, a layperson is is required. Narcan nasal spray has also immune to liability when they an onset of action of about 8-13 administer naloxone. minutes, while Evzio begins to work in 2-5 minutes. In recent years, the price The standing order in Alabama states of naloxone products has increased that naloxone can be sold without a exponentially due to increased prescription to patients who are at risk demand. At CVS, the cost of the of an opioid overdose, friends and injectable form is around $45, while family members of someone with an the nasal spray sells for $90. continued on page 3 Page 3 of 4 Continued from page 2 Under the standing order in Alabama, naloxone. These records must be kept pharmacists may dispense naloxone in by the pharmacy. The standing order a retail pharmacy via the following for naloxone will expire each year, but process. The requestor of naloxone can be renewed until it is approved as must complete a form stating the an over-the-counter medication. An factual basis for why they need the example of the standing order for naloxone and sign the form stating that Alabama can be found at the following they have been counseled. The website: pharmacist must provide basic http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.aparx.or instructions on how to recognize an g/resource/resmgr/Docs/NaloxoneStan opioid overdose and administer dingOrder.pdf naloxone. The pharmacist must also explain that once an opioid overdose has occurred the responder should call 911, begin rescue breathing, and administer References 1. Robinson, Carol. “Jeffco sees 25 heroin, Fentanyl deaths in June; 103 fatal overdoses so far in 2016.” The Birmingham News 11 July 2016: http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/07/jeffco_sees_25_heroin_fentanyl.html .(Accessed October 18, 2016) 2. Lexicomp Online, Pediatric and Neonatal Lexi-Drugs Online, Hudson, Ohio: Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug