Insights Newsletter: Help Reduce Barriers to Paxlovid for COVID-19, Learn About Beer, Wine, and Drug Interactions, July’s Webinars, and More!

Help Reduce Barriers to Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) for COVID-19

• Pain Point: High-risk outpatients with COVID-19 who are eligible for the oral antiviral Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) should start the medication within 5 days of symptom onset. However, patients may face treatment delays for a variety of reasons. In addition, many clinicians have questions about how to use Paxlovid safely and appropriately, especially since it interacts with many other medications. 
• Solution: Our Hospital Pharmacist’s Letter, Hospital Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacist’s Letter Canada, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter Canada, and Prescriber’s Letter articles provide answers to the top questions that may pose barriers to prescribing or dispensing Paxlovid. Practical approaches are provided to manage common drug interactions. Other common questions about patient eligibility, proper use, and tips to improve tolerability are also addressed. Our resource, Treatments of Interest for COVID-19, has guidance about the role of other medications for treating COVID-19.

*Note: After this article went to press, the FDA authorized pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid with certain limitations.

Consider Subcutaneous Insulin to Treat DKA

• Pain Point: New evidence is leading to questions about the role of subcutaneous insulin, instead of IV, to treat diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
• Solution: Our Hospital Pharmacist’s Letter article reviews the evidence comparing subcutaneous and IV insulin for DKA treatment. It provides recommendations for when to consider using subcutaneous insulin to treat DKA, and emphasizes the need to educate clinicians and create a protocol before implementation. Guidance on how to dose and adjust subcutaneous insulin is provided, along with monitoring requirements. Other treatment options that should be included, such as fluids and electrolytes, are reviewed. Our resource, Hyperglycemia in the Hospital, takes a deeper dive into treating DKA and other common causes of hyperglycemia.

This month’s Insights also features our RxAdvanced: Leadership & Communication pharmacist training program, an all-inclusive program that trains pharmacists to develop leadership skills that promote teamwork and effective communication and collaboration with patients, colleagues, and other healthcare providers.

And don’t miss out on our most popular charts, as well as helpful resources from our COVID-19 Resource Hub. You’ll also get access to our can’t-miss webinars and details on our free course for July.

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