March 2014 Mental Health

Insomnia is one of the most prevalent patient complaints, ranking third after headaches and the common cold.

Patients require careful assessment before OTC analgesics for migraines can be recommended.

While visiting India from February 10 to 18, 2014, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, announced plans to increase regulation of pharmaceutical manufacturers in the country amid concerns about the safety of medications they produce.

The FDA announced plans to hold a meeting on March 25 and 26, 2014, to discuss potential changes to regulation of OTC medications.

The FDA has used its recently increased power to combat drug shortages nimbly, but so far the agency has not succeeded in reducing the overall number of shortages, according to a report.

Medication synchronization programs have been promoted as an important tool to improve medication adherence.

OTC case studies involving insomnia, anxiety, depression and headache.

Medications that have been on the market for quite some time are not immune to medication errors, even errors involving drug name confusion.

Serotonin syndrome was one of the first serious drug interactions ever described, with the first cases reported more than 50 years ago.

By relying on medication reconciliation, hospital pharmacists can prevent errors that occur when a patient's medications include prescription and/or OTC drugs and herbal and/or dietary supplements.