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20 RESEARCH NEWS PHARMACY UTI TREATMENT FOR QUEENSLAND WOMEN Queensland women will now be able to seek immediate advice and treatment, inclusive of the supply of antibiotics when appropriate, for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) through their community pharmacy. The Urinary Tract Infection Pharmacy Pilot Queensland reached a key milestone with the state government releasing the ‘Drug Therapy Protocol – Pharmacist UTI Trial’. The endorsed model of care enables eligible community pharmacists participating in the pilot to provide empirical treatment to non-pregnant women with acute uncomplicated cystitis, through the supply of antibiotics. The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia says the Drug Therapy Protocol is another positive step forward for the historic pilot, with a large majority of community pharmacies registering and participating across Queensland. PSA Queensland Branch Manager Chris Campbell says the quality and skill of pharmacists in Queensland has been clearly demonstrated and supported by the Queensland Department of Health with this pilot. “This brings access for Queensland women to a service already successful in other countries and is welcomed with the backdrop of COVID-19, a time when pharmacists have kept the doors open to provide quality primary healthcare to Queenslanders.” Pilot and Consortium Lead Professor Lisa Nissen, from QUT, describes the development as “another fantastic opportunity for pharmacists to increase their contribution to patient care in the community”. “We’re looking forward to evaluating the outcomes,” she said. Pharmacy Guild Queensland Branch President Adjunct Professor Trent Twomey thanked the Queensland government for continuing to realise the value of community pharmacy in delivering accessible primary healthcare. “Community pharmacists stand prepared and waiting to increase their scope of practice and deliver more health services to Queenslanders,” he said. “We’ve seen firsthand the importance of community pharmacy this year with consumers relying heavily on their trusted community pharmacy for healthcare advice and flu immunisation throughout the pandemic.” THE CANCER FACTOR IN SUBOPTIMAL CARDIAC CARE A new Australian study has found that heart patients with a history of cancer are less likely to receive the heart medications they need. The study found that the management of risk factors for heart disease and stroke among cancer patients and survivors was “suboptimal compared with those without a history of cancer”. Certain chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other cancer treatments are known to damage heart muscles, valves and blood vessels, and other organs. This study focused on how well cancer survivors’ risk factors for heart disease were being managed. The study, co-authored by University of Newcastle researchers Associate Professor Aaron Sverdlov and Professor Doan Ngo, was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The researchers investigated the care of 320 patients admitted to the cardiology unit at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle between July 2018 and January 2019. They were being treated for heart attacks, blocked arteries, atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), heart failure and other heart conditions. Sixty-nine had a current or prior history of cancer and 251 had no history of cancer. Both groups had similar risk factors for heart disease and stroke, but the researchers found a discrepancy in who was taking medications to treat their risk factors. The researchers found: • 58 per cent of cancer patients and survivors were taking anti-platelet medications to prevent blood clots, compared with 75.3 per cent for the cancer-free group. • 63.3 per cent of cancer survivors in this group were taking statins, which are usually used to treat high cholesterol or unstable plaque in the arteries, compared with 79.7 per cent for those with no cancer history. The researchers recommended a multidisciplinary approach for treating cancer patients. GOVERNMENT INPUT DOUBLES FUNDS FOR HEART PROJECTS The federal government is matching the Heart Foundation’s $4 million investment for targeted cardiovascular research. Heart Foundation CEO Adjunct Professor John Kelly says the contribution from the government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) “has the potential to make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of millions of Australians”. “This initiative opens up new funding models for the MRFF to partner with organisations, such as the Heart Foundation, to support life-saving medical research,” he said. Four research projects will each receive $2 million to tackle Australia’s biggest killers, heart disease and stroke. The funding will boost research into: • Predictive modelling – new ways to accurately predict a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which could lead to intervention early in their life and prevent sudden cardiac death in young people. • Cardio-oncology – preventing and treating heart disease in cancer survivors which can be caused by toxic chemotherapies and other cancer therapies. • Secondary prevention – improving the treatment and care of patients after a cardiovascular event, including cardiac rehabilitation. • Women and heart disease – addressing the disparities in treatment and care that exist between women and men, investigating the biological and behavioural factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease in women and improving their survival rates after a cardiac event. “The Heart Foundation consulted Australians living with heart conditions, the general community, health professionals and other stakeholders to get their opinion on what our research priorities should be for 2020 and beyond,” Professor Kelly said. “We’re focusing on research that will find answers to major gaps in our knowledge.” RETAIL PHARMACY • JUL 2020