Monthly prescribing

ratio of ACEIs significantly decreased after the policy and there was a significantly decreased and increased trend for pre- (71.2% to 70.9%) and post-policy period (70.7% to 70.8%), respectively (Table) Table: Segmented time-series analysis of effect of BCBV policy on prescribing rates Monthly measure Pre-policy trend# Change at policy implementation Post-policy trend# *P < 0.001, # changes (increase or decrease) in monthly number learn more of prescriptions. The implementation of the BCBV policy was expected to influence RAS drug prescriptions by encouraging switching from patented ARBs to generic ACEIs. This study found, on this occasion, that the BCBV indicator had a small but statistically significant negative impact on the ACEIs prescription ratio, although this increased after the policy implementation. In addition, the utilisation of ACEIs and ARBs, and other antihypertensive drugs in primary care declined after the policy. These findings imply that the BCBV policy may have no direct influence on the utilisation of antihypertensive drugs, and further research is needed to explore reasons for the changes in utilisation of antihypertensive drugs, and how this impacts on outcomes of hypertension management. 1. The see more Ontarget Investigators. Telmisartan, ramipril or both in patients at high risk for vascular events. New England

Journal of Medicine. 2008; 358: 1547–1559. Philip Rogers, Harriet Hyman, Ratidzo Mushayanyama, Emma Whale University of Bath, Bath, UK A research study has been conducted to assess whether community pharmacists recommend Aqueous Cream BP in accordance with current recommendations following recent research showing that the use of sodium lauryl sulfate in emollients may exacerbate eczema. Results show that a significant minority of 4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase pharmacists still recommend Aqueous Cream BP as an emollient although this is influenced by their year of registration. Following the recent MHRA warning on the use of aqueous cream, a variety of educational interventions is recommended to reinforce a change

in practice. Aqueous cream is an inexpensive OTC product used traditionally to treat various dry skin conditions including eczema. Recent studies have shown that when it is used as an emollient it damages the skin: sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) 1%, the emulsifier, has the ability to increase skin permeability.1 In 2011 Aqueous Cream BP was removed from the emollients section (13.2.1) of the BNF although it remains in the bath and shower preparations list (13.2.1.1). There have been no published studies to assess whether practising pharmacists are following current recommendations on its use. The aims of this research were to investigate what Aqueous Cream BP was being recommended for in community pharmacy, how aware pharmacists were that SLS is irritant and whether the use of Aqueous Cream BP has changed since 2010.