🧵Safe diabetes treatment for older adults
👉🏽

1/ Risks of harms from side effects

⚠️For diabetes meds, low blood sugar is one of the most important side effects
⚠️Sulfonylureas & insulins are the drugs most likely to cause low blood sugar

#ptsafety #T2DM ti.ubc.ca/letter151 2/ Isn’t low A1c always good?

Trials w/ tens of thousands of pts looked at effects of achieving A1c < 7% for older ppl & found:

❌ No benefit to A1c < 7%, compared w/ more relaxed value of 7.5-8%
⚠️ A1c < 7% raises chance of dangerously low blood sugar

ti.ubc.ca/letter151

🧵 How well do you know your dopamine antagonists? 💊💊

1/ Using these drugs safely requires that clinicians & patients appreciate their important #AdverseEffects, which are not always well understood

👉🏽ti.ubc.ca/letter139

#MedEd #prescribing #deprescribing #medsafety 2/ #AdverseEffects may include:

⚠️ Drug-induced #Parkinsonism
-↘️ or slowed movements, rigidity/tremor/unsteadiness, facial expression loss

⚠️ #Akathisia
-intense internal restlessness or desire to move (which may be mistaken for anxiety)

👉🏽Pt videos: ti.ubc.ca/letter139

🧵 Reducing unnecessary use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

1/ Many people take #PPIs but up to 50% don’t have a good reason to take them > 8 wks

Read on for tips on how you as a clinician can work together with pts to decide if/how to 🛑 or reduce PPIs

#MedEd #deprescribing 2/ Does this person need #PPIs long-term (> 8 wks)?
 
Find pts who might not need long-term PPI:
1⃣ Flag refill requests
2⃣ Use a poster or video in waiting room
3⃣ Run EMR report
 
This @bmj_latest article has more tips to help with #deprescribing PPIs: bit.ly/3fisHsT

🧵 Reducing #PrescribingCascades ⬇️

1/ What are #Prescribing Cascades?

1⃣ A drug is prescribed 💊
2⃣ #AdverseEvent occurs but is misinterpreted as a new medical condition ⚠️
3⃣Another drug is prescribed for the drug-induced adverse event 💊💊

ti.ubc.ca/letter138 #MedEd 2/ Anticholinergics ➡️ cognitive dysfunction ➡️ drugs for #dementia

#Anticholinergic 💊 block acetylcholinergic neurotransmission in the brain, impairing cognition & memory

Can lead to new Rx or ↗️ acetylcholinesterase inhibitor doses

ti.ubc.ca/letter138 #MedEd #FOAMed

THREAD: #Prescribers, how do YOU respond to Conflicts of Interest (COI)? 👀

1/8 This thread looks at the issues highlighted in our TI Therapeutics Letter on COI

👉🏼Full Letter: ti.ubc.ca/letter136

#ConflictofInterest #MedEd #MedicalEthics 2/8 Kirsten is a clinical pharmacist attending a primary care conference👩🏽‍⚕️

When a keynote speaker reports financial relationships💰with several drug companies, Kirsten takes note🤨

Find out why she prefers #MedEd free of commercial sponsorship: ti.ubc.ca/letter136

THREAD: Online Portraits for BC family physicians

1/7 UBC’s Therapeutics Initiative now has Online #PrescribingPortraits: ti.ubc.ca/portrait

✅ Timely evidence
✅ Personalized, confidential prescribing data
✅ Recommendations to support

#BetterPrescribing & #BetterHealth 2/7 Why have a #PrescribingPortrait?

"How do I prescribe compared to others or to evidence standards?"

✅Portrait does NOT tell individual doctors how to practice
✅Portrait DOES promote optimal prescribing based on best available evidence

More here: ti.ubc.ca/portrait

THREAD: How best to treat Urinary Tract Infections?

1/6 Our new TI Therapeutics Letter 135 describes the best approach for treating symptomatic, uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections (UTIs)

👉🏽ti.ubc.ca/letter135

#MedEd #FOAMed #UTIs #BetterPrescribing 2/6 Use symptoms, not tests to diagnose UTIs:

Uncomplicated lower UTI can be diagnosed with > 90% probability if pt has 2 or more of dysuria, urgency, and frequency, and no vaginal discharge.

This is less reliably predicted for older women.

👉🏽ti.ubc.ca/letter135

#MedEd

THREAD: Bring it down safely! ↘️💊

1/6 6⃣tweets about our new TI Therapeutics Letter 134: Finding the lowest effective dose for non-opioid #analgesics

👉🏾 Full Letter: ti.ubc.ca/letter134

#MedEd #medsafety #prescribing #BetterPrescribing 2/6 Consistent evidence that minority of pts get clinically meaningful pain relief from any dose of:
✅#Cyclobenzaprine (at best 1/4)
✅#Duloxetine (at best 1/6)
✅#Gabapentin / #Pregabalin (at best 1/6)

👉🏾ti.ubc.ca/letter134

#MedEd #ptsafety #BetterPrescribing #prescribing

THREAD: Primary #hypertension therapy: after thiazides, an ACEI or an ARB?

1/8 Nearly 650,000 British Columbians took an ACEI or ARB in 2021

Our new TI Therapeutics Letter reiterates evidence for one of the most common primary care tx choices: ti.ubc.ca/letter133

#MedEd 2/8 Lower #BloodPressure not the Main Goal

#Antihypertensives lower various measures of blood pressure (BP) 💊

But... not all BP lowering drugs are proven to reduce both morbidity & mortality

👉🏾ti.ubc.ca/letter133

#MedEd #prescribing #hypertension

THREAD: #ExercisePrescriptions

1/5 The TI’s Dr. Josh Levin asks:

Clinicians, can you help your patients be more active? 🏃🏾‍♀️🏊🏾‍♂️ 🚶🏾‍♂️

👉🏾Watch Dr. Levin’s recent presentation: bit.ly/3nLCEje 👨🏾‍💻

#Exercise #prescribing #twitterRx 2/5 #ExercisePrescriptions: How much activity should people get? It depends on their age.

👉🏾See the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology activity guidelines for different age groups: csepguidelines.ca 🏊🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♀️🚶🏾

#Exercise #prescribing #twitterRx #BetterHealth

THREAD: SGLT2 inhibitors for #diabetes

1/5 Dr. Jamie Falk @jamisonfalk presented "A Deep Dive into #SGLT2i: What Comes to the Surface for Individuals with Diabetes"

👉🏽Watch the presentation here: bit.ly/3FRCEoM 🧑🏾‍💻

#T2DM #medsafety #FOAMed #MedEd 2/5 #AdverseEffects for #SGLT2i to be aware of: genital infections, hypovolemia, DKA, amputations

✅Check out the image ⬇️ for the risk estimates
✅Watch @JamisonFalk's presentation here: bit.ly/3FRCEoM🧑🏾‍💻

#T2DM #medsafety #FOAMed #MedEd #diabetes #ptsafety

THREAD: Evidence for oseltamivir for #influenza prevention

1/6 Not much #flu last year, yet almost 14,000 BC residents were prescribed #oseltamivir (Tamiflu) for prevention

✅Flu guidelines bit.ly/3wwGJei

✅Systematic review of Tamiflu safety pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27246259 2/6 #Oseltamivir for prevention reduces ↘️ symptomatic influenza by 3%, (NNT=33) with an uncertain effect on asymptomatic #influenza

It likely has a central symptom reducing effect but may not reduce viral transmission
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27246259

#Tamiflu #prescribing

THREAD: Medication adherence and shared decision-making

1/6 Our TI Letter 132 suggests a more democratic & ethical approach to shared decision-making: ti.ubc.ca/letter132

Here are 5⃣ highlights…

#MedEd #FOAMed #MedicationAdherence #PatientPreferences 2/6 Patients always retain right to say “no, thank you”🛑

Some pts may not want to accept their doctor's recommendations for a prescribed 💊 & have their own reasons to feel that it's not worth it for them.

This "intentional non-adherence" is a choice that should be respected

THREAD: Shedding light on the risks of anticholinergic drugs

1/8 NEW information on risk of dementia and harm in the frail elderly. Free #BestEvidence webinar w/ Dr. Aaron Tejani @amtejani on July 14th

✅Registration: ti.ubc.ca/Anticholinergi…

#MedEd #deprescribing #medsafety 2/8 One of every 14 of the top 200 💊 prescribed in BC has anticholinergic properties

They include: amitriptyline, cyclobenzaprine, fluoxetine, quetiapine, sertraline, trazadone, venlafaxine, zopiclone, citalopram...

👉🏽More here ti.ubc.ca/2018/09/10/113…

#MedEd #deprescribing

THREAD:5⃣things to know from 5 recent TI Therapeutics Letters👩🏽‍🔬

1/5: How to choose a good #mirtazapine dose? 🤔

Mirtazapine has a dose response 💊for harm but NOT for efficacy: harm ↗️ after 30mg/day but efficacy doesn't: bit.ly/361LU9E

#MedEd #deprescribing #ptsafety 2/5: Want to learn about recent @GovCanHealth #medsafety or international warnings for medications?

Read our Therapeutics Letter on international drug safety advisories: bit.ly/3wc0ar8 ⚠️ 💊

#drugsafety #SegPac #ptsafety

THREAD - What if we could track and record repeat Adverse Drug Events? 🤔 💊

1/6: Register for our May 12 #BestEvidence webinar, as @corinne_hohl talks about Assessing the Impact of Information Continuity on Health Outcomes: bit.ly/3ap4FGO #MedEd 2/6: Why do Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) matter?

Each year in British Columbia, ADEs account for:
👉240,000 emergency dept (ED) visits
👉480,000 days in hospital
👉approx. 1 in 9 adult ED visits

More here: bit.ly/2Q7UGi8
#drugsafety #ptsafety #MedEd

THREAD: Dr. John Mandrola: “The more you see, the harder the medicine gets”

1/7 Some new views on legacy prescriptions: Beta-blockers, ASA & #statins by Dr. John Mandrola

(based on @drjohnm presentation hosted by @drug_evidence Oct 17, 2020: bit.ly/32fsPiA)

#MedED 2/7 Example 1: Beta blockers in heart failure 💊♥️

Observational studies suggest beta-blockers for heart failure tx beyond 3 years are NOT associated with beneficial outcomes 😯

These findings challenge current recommendations: bit.ly/3acX9P7

#MedEd #deprescribing

THREAD: Trama-DO or Trama-DON'T?
What to know about #tramadol

1/7 Tramadol has multiple mechanisms of action:
- via serotonin & norepinephrine reuptake inhibition
- after metabolism to M1 metabolite, via opioid agonism

bit.ly/3t5o7jC #chronicpain #arthritis #MedEd 2/7 People metabolize #tramadol variably 🤔💊

- Some who are ‘ultra rapid’ produce more M1 (opioid);
- Some ‘poor’ metabolizers (~20% with inactive CYP2D6) may have more SSRI/SNRI-like effect

Thus, analgesic & adverse effects are unpredictable
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK315950 #MedEd

THREAD: Tamiflu for #influenza prevention – the evidence

1/6 In 2019 21,000 BC citizens were prescribed Tamiflu (oseltamivir), many to prevent the flu. Flu prevention guidelines. AMMI Canada ammi.ca/?ID=171

Systematic review of Tamiflu safety: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27246259/ 2/6 Tamiflu for prevention ↘️ symptomatic flu (by 3%, NNT=33) with uncertain effect on asymptomatic flu.

One likely explanation is that Tamiflu has a central symptom lowering effect but may not ↘️ viral transmission.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27246259

#influenza #flu #tamiflu

THREAD: Are we using ACEIs & ARBs properly? A TI Tweetorial

1/6: British Columbia doctors give 4.5m scripts/year for ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) & angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) to control bp. Goal is to ↘️ mortality & morbidity, not simply to ↘️ bp.

#MedEd #hypertension 2/6 BEST EVIDENCE on ARBs & ACEI for #hypertension

3⃣@CochraneHTN systematic reviews:

ACEs v ARBs for htn bit.ly/34vS0hu

BP lowering efficacy of ACEIs for htn bit.ly/30YNIOX

BP lowering efficacy of ACEIs for htn https://t.co/NCl1dfCCAO

#MedEd

THREAD: 5 Things You Need to Know About PPIs

For many years, we've dissected the research on Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) 🤔

This thread captures our publications on PPIs that can help you in clinical practice: ti.ubc.ca/?s=ppis

#MedEd #medsafety #DrugEvidence #GERD 2/6 PPI COSTS VARY CONSIDERABLY 💰

Even without differences in efficacy or safety between PPIs, costs can vary x 10. The cheapest in BC? Pantoprazole Mg 40mg or Rabeprazole 10mg. Most expensive: Dexlanzoprazole

More here: ti.ubc.ca/letter99

#MedEd #DrugCosts #GERD