Berhan B Yikna, Abay W Atilaw, Awgichew S Yehualashet
{"title":"Medicine Prescribing Practices and Prescription Errors Evaluations at Outpatient Department in Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia.","authors":"Berhan B Yikna, Abay W Atilaw, Awgichew S Yehualashet","doi":"10.1177/08971900241273176","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241273176","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Currently, irrational uses of medicines becoming global problem largely in developing countries like Ethiopia. Inappropriate prescribing is a major cause for poor treatment outcome and higher costs. Hence, this study was aimed to investigate medicine prescribing practice and prescription errors using WHO medicine-utilization core indicators. <b>Methods:</b> A hospital based retrospective cross sectional study design was used to evaluate prescribing practices and prescription errors from September to October, 2024 at the OPD pharmacy using systematic random sampling technique while a prospective approach was employed for facility indicators. Presence of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) were evaluated using Medscape Online Drug Interaction Checker. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 and interpreted as tables and figures. <b>Results:</b> A total of 1019 medicines were prescribed in 524 prescriptions and 81.6% (n = 832) were actually dispensed. The percentage of antibiotic, injections and medicine prescribed from Essential Drug List was 33.9% (n = 345),3.5% (n = 36) and 92.3% (n = 941) respectively. The most frequently prescribed class of medicine were antibiotics 33.9% (n = 345). 65.1% (n = 341) were ≥2 medicines and 8.3% (n = 85) had at least one potential DDIs. Among overall DDIs, the monitor closely and serious level was 60% (n = 51) and 11.8% (n = 10) respectively. The average prescription error was 4.3. Prescription errors due to failure to mention diagnosis was 40.6% (n = 213). <b>Conclusion:</b> Based on findings, the prescribing practices had defects to the optimum value recommended by WHO and showed high prescription errors. Antibiotics prescribing was the major problem in practice. Remarkable DDIs were observed in prescribed medicines. Therefore, designing and implementing policy to improve medicine use practice is highly indispensable.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"81-92"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141906880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Raha Hosseini, Shelby P Brooks, Elissa Gadelha, Riley Schaap, Jessica Cook, Ammar Husan
{"title":"Effective Treatment of Methotrexate Induced Oral Mucositis With a Morphine Mouthwash Solution: A Case Report.","authors":"Raha Hosseini, Shelby P Brooks, Elissa Gadelha, Riley Schaap, Jessica Cook, Ammar Husan","doi":"10.1177/08971900241276077","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241276077","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction:</b> Methotrexate (MTX) is a common medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MTX inhibits rapid cell turnover throughout the body which can lead to significant side effects. Patients who present with oral lesions may have suffered severe acute toxicity from MTX. Supportive pain treatment includes magic mouthwash solution and/or oral viscous lidocaine to manage pain and allow for healing. We report a case of MTX induced oral mucositis that did not respond to magic mouthwash but did improve with a morphine mouthwash solution. <b>Case:</b> A 67-year-old female with RA presented with worsening oral lesions over 2 weeks. She reported non-compliance with folic acid for 2 weeks while on MTX. Physical exam revealed ulcerating oral lesions on the mucous membranes consistent with mucositis. Pain treatment was initiated with magic mouthwash, but her pain was not well controlled after 24 hours, and still unable to swallow. An oral morphine mouthwash solution was initiated, and patient reported improved pain control over the next 48 hours. She was on the morphine mouthwash for 6 days during which improvement in the lesions was noted. <b>Discussion:</b> Pain management is imperative for oral mucositis. When traditional therapies do not provide adequate control, morphine mouthwash can be considered. It is a safer alternative to systemic opioids and topical opioids may influence cell proliferation and migration, which can positively impact healing of oral lesions. <b>Conclusion:</b> A morphine mouthwash solution can provide effective pain management for oral mucositis lesions in patients who do not respond adequately to magic mouthwash.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"212-216"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142036118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kayla M Cameron-Coffill, Hari K Ondiveeran, Liam D Walsh
{"title":"A Case of Delayed and Persistent Carbamazepine Overdose Treated With Hemodialysis, Plasmapheresis, and Neostigmine.","authors":"Kayla M Cameron-Coffill, Hari K Ondiveeran, Liam D Walsh","doi":"10.1177/08971900241273234","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241273234","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Carbamazepine is utilized for various indications. Due to its pharmacokinetic profile and drug properties, toxicity can be delayed and persistent despite supportive care. We report a severe case of intentional carbamazepine toxicity in a carbamazepine naive individual mimicking brain death that was not diagnosed until three days after consumption of carbamazepine when the patient was comatose. Symptoms of overdose persisted for several days despite attempted treatment with activated charcoal and whole bowel irrigation, hemodialysis, and plasmapheresis. Symptoms only began to improve with bowel evacuation as a result of administration of neostigmine intravenously plus hemodialysis and plasmapheresis additionally. Despite previous literature that reported success with hemodialysis and/or plasmapheresis we did not find either to be overly effective in our case possibly due to lack of ability to perform multidose activated charcoal and whole bowel irrigation. To our knowledge this is one of the few cases of carbamazepine overdose utilizing both hemodialysis and plasmapheresis but without activated charcoal and the only case report in which neostigmine was administered as an attempt to remove drug via the gastrointestinal tract with success.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"198-203"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141975941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Menglan Shi, Yan Ma, Hong Li, Fangjie Li, Shujuan Shen
{"title":"Exploration and Practice of Introducing the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe Classification System to Psychiatric Drugs.","authors":"Menglan Shi, Yan Ma, Hong Li, Fangjie Li, Shujuan Shen","doi":"10.1177/08971900241273200","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241273200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This research aims to summarize and discuss issues related to psychiatric drugs by using the classification system of the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) and to provide a reference for the development and direction of clinical pharmacists' work in the future. Psychiatric patients who were hospitalized in our hospital from Janurary 2023 to December 2023 were enrolled. Drug-related problems (DRPs) were evaluated using the PCNE classification system (version 9.0). The types, causes, intervention plans, acceptance of intervention plans, and statuses of DRPs were analyzed. A total of 362 patients were included, covering 405 DRP cases, with an average DRP of 1.12 for each patient. All 405 DRP cases underwent interventions, with a success rate of 83.46%. The main categories of related drugs were psychotropic drugs (70.37%), anti-infective drugs (8.89%), and cardiovascular system drugs (5.19%). The main DRPs were possible adverse drug events (21.24%), poor treatment effects (69.14%), and unnecessary medication treatment (9.63%). The main causes of DRPs were inappropriate drug selection (18.52%), inappropriate combinations of drugs (16.05%), and excessive drug dosage (13.58%). The PCNE classification system helps clinical pharmacists improve their ability to identify and solve DRPs faced by psychiatric departments, improve pharmaceutical care efficiency, and ensure rational drug use.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"74-80"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141897659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Introduction of a Pre-admission Pharmacist Service Utilising the Surgical Ward Pharmacist.","authors":"Thao Dao, Patrick Lam","doi":"10.1177/08971900241262541","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241262541","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> The challenge with obtaining a best possible medication history (BPMH) post-surgery is the delay in clarifying medications due to decreased post-operative cognitive status and pain, which can lead to missed or late administration of medications. Studies have suggested that unintentional medication discrepancies at the time of admission are common in general medical patients. <b>Objectives:</b> To investigate if a pre-admission pharmacist completing BPMHs for adult elective surgery patients with planned overnight admission increases the proportion of patients with (i) a BPMH completed, (ii) medication reconciliation completed and (iii) all home medications charted correctly within 24 hours of admission. <b>Methods:</b> Patients in the pre-intervention group had a BPMH completed on admission as standard of care. Patients in the post-intervention group were contacted by the pre-admission pharmacist 1 to 3 business days prior to admission to complete a BPMH. The pre-admission pharmacist role was performed by a surgical ward pharmacist in addition to their daily workload. Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyse the data. <b>Results:</b> The post-intervention group had more patients with a completed BPMH (47.2% vs 25.3%, <i>P</i> = .005), medication reconciliation (43.8% vs 15.5%, <i>P</i> = .0001) and all home medications charted correctly (36% vs 16.9%, <i>P</i> = .007) within 24 hours of admission compared with the pre-intervention group. <b>Conclusion:</b> The introduction of a pre-admission service utilising the surgical ward pharmacist increased the proportion of patients with a completed BPMH, medication reconciliation and home medications charted correctly within 24 hours of admission.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"35-42"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141331224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erin Anderson, Brooke Hendrix Brown, Skyler Brown, Nikki Freeman, John R Yates
{"title":"The Effects of Opioid Administration on <i>Clostridioides Difficile</i> Infection: A Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Erin Anderson, Brooke Hendrix Brown, Skyler Brown, Nikki Freeman, John R Yates","doi":"10.1177/08971900241273092","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241273092","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> (<i>C. difficile</i>) is a leading cause of healthcare-associated infections. Using opioids while infected with <i>C. difficile</i> may hypothetically lead to reduced clearance of the organism and higher risk of progressing to severe or fulminant infection. <b>Objective:</b> The objective of this study was to determine if opioid use leads to worsening of <i>C. difficile</i> infection. <b>Methods:</b> This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of patients with <i>C. difficile</i> infection. The primary endpoint was progression to severe or fulminant disease, defined as serum creatinine greater than 1.5 mg/dL or over 50% of baseline, white blood cells above 15,000 cells/mm<sup>3</sup>, shock requiring vasopressors, ileus, toxic megacolon, or vancomycin dose increase. Secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay and time to resolution of diarrhea. The groups were stratified based on average morphine milligram equivalents received during the treatment. <b>Results:</b> A total of 73 patients were included in the non-opioid group and 93 patients in the opioid group. The composite outcome occurred in 16 patients (21.9%) without opioids vs 26 patients (28.0%) with opioids; (<i>P</i> = 0.37). The average length of stay was 7.2 days without opioids and 9.3 days with opioids (<i>P</i> = 0.11) and the average time to resolution of diarrhea was 3.5 days without opioids and 5.5 days with opioids (<i>P</i> = 0.40). <b>Conclusion:</b> There was no significant difference in the rate of progression to severe or fulminant disease. There was a numerical trend towards increase in progression in patients who had opioids, primarily driven by those who had higher dosages of opioids used.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"69-73"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141897661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bupropion in Comorbid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Methamphetamine Use Disorder.","authors":"Jamie Kneebusch, Sanaz Farhadian","doi":"10.1177/08971900241276698","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241276698","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) frequently occur together. Serotonergic agents are preferred medications to treat PTSD, while bupropion is reserved due to limited evidence. Ongoing studies suggest bupropion may be effective for treating methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). Investigators aimed to evaluate if bupropion would confer benefit to patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition diagnoses for PTSD and MUD compared to traditional pharmacotherapy. <b>Methods:</b> This report describes four patients with comorbid PTSD and MUD who had a positive response to medication regimens containing bupropion compared to non-bupropion regimens for their trauma symptoms. Investigators were able to compare this to a control group of 41 patients receiving serotonergic agents alone. <b>Case Report:</b> PTSD checklist-civilian scores at time of medication initiation, site discharge, and post-discharge in the bupropion and non-bupropion group were 77, 35, and 29, compared to 51 ± 15, 52 ± 20 and 53 ± 10, respectively. Rates of relapse, average time to relapse, and hospital utilization in the bupropion vs non-bupropion group were 25.0% vs 48.8%, 107 days vs 210 ± 191 days, and 0% vs 29.3%, respectively. <b>Discussion:</b> Use of bupropion showed a greater reduction in PTSD symptom severity and a lower frequency of methamphetamine relapse and hospital utilization. Though missing data limited inclusion of patients in all outcomes, quantitative data suggests benefit with bupropion in comorbid PTSD and MUD. <b>Conclusion:</b> This case series suggests the potential for earlier initiation of bupropion treatment in those with PTSD who have comorbid MUD.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"208-211"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142036117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anel Couzo, Adia Griffin, Courtney M Willis, Julio Mendez, Kevin L Epps
{"title":"The Impact of a Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Nasal Polymerase Chain Reaction Protocol on Vancomycin Length of Therapy Among Patients With Skin and Soft Tissue Infections.","authors":"Anel Couzo, Adia Griffin, Courtney M Willis, Julio Mendez, Kevin L Epps","doi":"10.1177/08971900241273175","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241273175","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective:</b> We evaluated the impact of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol on the vancomycin length of therapy (LOT) for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). <b>Design:</b> Retrospective quasi-experimental pre- and post- MRSA nasal PCR protocol implementation study. <b>Setting:</b> Tertiary-care academic medical center in Jacksonville, Florida. <b>Patients:</b> Eligible patients received empiric vancomycin for SSTIs from January 1st to September 30th 2020 (pre-implementation group) and from January 1st to September 30th 2022 (post-implementation group). <b>Intervention:</b> The electronic health system software was modified to provide a best-practice advisory (BPA) prompt to the pharmacist upon order verification of vancomycin for patients with SSTIs. <b>Methods:</b> We reviewed patient records to determine the time from vancomycin prescription to de-escalation. The secondary outcomes were incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), number of vancomycin levels collected, and hospital length of stay (LOS). <b>Results:</b> The study included 131 patients (pre-implementation, n = 86 and post-implementation, n = 45). There was no significant difference in vancomycin length of therapy (LOT) between implementation groups: mean LOT in days and standard deviation (SD) were 2.7 (1.9) and 2.6 (1.3), respectively, p-value 0.493. Of significance, in the post-implementation group, vancomycin LOT between patients with a negative and positive MRSA PCR were 2.3 (1.1) and 3.9 (1.6), p-value 0.006. There was no difference in secondary outcomes. <b>Conclusion:</b> The utilization of the MRSA nasal PCR to guide vancomycin de-escalation did not significantly change the vancomycin LOT, however in the post-implementation group there was a significant difference in vancomycin LOT between negative and positive MRSA PCRs.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"93-98"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141913069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Andrea Dressler, Robert W Seabury, William Darko, Wesley D Kufel, Jeffrey M Steele, Courtney Kelly, Ryan Andrew, Zachary Hayes, Christopher D Miller, Katie A Parsels
{"title":"Nationwide Survey to Characterize and Compare the Research Experiences of American Society of Health-System Pharmacists-Accredited Postgraduate Year One Pharmacy Residency Programs.","authors":"Andrea Dressler, Robert W Seabury, William Darko, Wesley D Kufel, Jeffrey M Steele, Courtney Kelly, Ryan Andrew, Zachary Hayes, Christopher D Miller, Katie A Parsels","doi":"10.1177/08971900241273223","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241273223","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Many Postgraduate Year One (PGY1) Pharmacy residencies provide research training however, details of this training are not well described. Publication rates have been utilized to assess residency research learning experiences. Higher publication rates have been reported by programs that have implemented a structured research learning experience. <b>Objective:</b> The primary objective was to identify differences in the research learning experiences for American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited PGY1 Pharmacy residencies with reported resident publication rates of ≥20% vs <20%. <b>Methods:</b> This survey was distributed to PGY1 Pharmacy residency program directors (RPDs). Seven sections were analyzed to identify research learning experience differences between programs with reported publication rates of ≥20% vs <20%: (1) program characteristics/research outcomes; (2) involved individuals; (3) requirements; (4) learning experience structure; (5) educational methods; (6) formal education; (7) barriers/RPD perceptions. Variables with <i>P</i> < 0.05 on logistic regression were considered statistically significant. <b>Results:</b> The survey response rate was 31.3% (308/984). Significant positive predictors for reported publication rates of ≥20% were: involved individuals: research director/coordinator, individuals trained in statistics, non-pharmacy medical staff; requirements: Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative training, research seminars/training courses, research manuscript; learning experience structure: research committee; educational methods: didactic residency-led lectures/courses, formal workshops, self-taught online modules; and formal education: manuscript preparation. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study suggests there are differences in the research learning experiences at PGY1 Pharmacy residencies with reported resident publications rates of ≥20% vs <20%. We encourage PGY1 Pharmacy residency programs to consider implementing elements associated with reported resident publication rates of ≥20%.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"128-140"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142008957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brittni Gochnauer, Anne Rodino, Sarah Russell, Kristin Bradley
{"title":"A Pilot Study Describing DOAC Level Results and Association With Clinical Outcomes.","authors":"Brittni Gochnauer, Anne Rodino, Sarah Russell, Kristin Bradley","doi":"10.1177/08971900241262363","DOIUrl":"10.1177/08971900241262363","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Purpose:</b> Describe direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) level ordering and interpretation practices in association with clinical outcomes at a vascular medicine clinic. <b>Methods:</b> This study was a retrospective, observational study including patients who had a DOAC level ordered and assessed while on DOAC therapy. The primary outcome was the proportion of DOAC levels within previously reported ranges. Secondary outcomes included thrombotic events, major and clinically relevant non-major bleeding events, and the proportion of DOAC level results which prompted a change in the therapeutic plan. <b>Results:</b> A total of 43 patients who had a DOAC level ordered while on DOAC therapy were included in the study. More patients were on apixaban than other DOACs, and the most common indication for anticoagulation was deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). The most common reasons for ordering DOAC levels included history of gastric bypass (n = 20) and drug-drug interactions (n = 8). Most patients on apixaban had in-range levels (n = 24) compared to out of-range levels (5 patients). More patients on rivaroxaban had a level out-of-range (n = 10) than in-range (n = 4). One patient had a DVT, resulting in hospitalization and change in DOAC therapy. Two patients had bleeding events, with 1 hospitalization and change in DOAC therapy. DOAC level results also prompted changes in therapeutic plans for 9 of the patients. <b>Conclusion:</b> DOAC level results did not always correlate with expected outcomes, and further research is warranted to clarify which clinical situations may benefit from ordering DOAC levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":16818,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacy practice","volume":" ","pages":"149-154"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141331223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}