Texted Medication Orders Raise Concerns for Pharmacists
and Others
Some pharmacists in hospitals are getting daily texts with orders from prescribers. A new survey of healthcare workers, including pharmacists, found out that concerns about the practice are widespread. What are the chief worries about using text messaging to communicate medication information?

Blood Pressure Levels Appear to Decrease Progressively
Before Death
A pharmacist’s goal for most patients with hypertension might be to use medications to lower blood pressure enough so that antihypertensive medications can be discontinued. A new study suggests, however, that the issues are very different for some older patients who began to see drops in their blood pressure levels. Here are the details.

Continuous Glucose Monitors Help Type 1 Diabetes Patients With Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia can be dangerous, especially for type 1 diabetes patients who use insulin. Technology may have come to the rescue, with a small new study showing the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring in those patients with longstanding disease. Here is what the study found.

Low Narcotic Prescribers Remain Significant Factor in Nation’s Opioid Crisis
Pharmacists usually are on the alert for so-called opioid shoppers and know which physicians are high prescribers of the painkillers. A new study suggests that might not be enough. What percentage of opioids prescribed to high-risk patients come from clinicians with a history of low use of narcotic painkillers in their practice?