Case Studies - July 2012

CASE 1

ZR is a 32-year-old woman who presents to your pharmacy with complaints of moderate nausea and vomiting. She is 10 weeks pregnant and states she has already tried her doctor’s advice regarding dietary and lifestyle modifications (ie, avoiding spicy and fatty foods; avoiding aggravating environmental triggers; eating small, frequent meals; and taking frequent breaks) with minimal improvement. She would now like to try an OTC medication that “won’t harm my baby.” She has no known drug allergies.

As the pharmacist, what would you recommend?

CASE 2

JF, a 57-year-old woman recently diagnosed with a Helicobacter pylori infection, presents to the pharmacy counter to pick up her prescriptions for clarithromycin and metronidazole. In her hand, JF holds a box of omeprazole (as advised by her doctor to round out her 3-drug H pylori regimen) and a bottle of Nyquil that she states is to “help me sleep at night.” Other than penicillin, she has no known allergies.

What counseling points should the pharmacist have for JF?

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Dr. Coleman is associate professor of pharmacy practice and director of the pharmacoeconomics and outcomes studies group at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy. Ms. Fuh is a PharmD candidate from the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy.