scholarly journals Community Pharmacist-Provided Wellness and Monitoring Services in an Employee Wellness Program: A Four-Year Summary

Pharmacy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Yifei Liu ◽  
Kendall D. Guthrie ◽  
Justin R. May ◽  
Kristen L. DiDonato
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Blood Pressure Monitoring ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Blood Glucose Monitoring ◽  
Employee Wellness ◽  
Wellness Program ◽  
Monitoring Group ◽  
Employee Wellness Program

Objective: To assess the clinical outcomes of participants of an employee wellness program during four years of service implementation. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at 15 independent community pharmacy chain locations in northwest and central Missouri. A total of 200 participants were enrolled in an employee wellness program, and the program included five monitoring groups—cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, weight, and healthy participant groups. Participants selected a pharmacist wellness coordinator and wellness appointments were conducted, consisting of education, goal-setting, and monitoring through physical assessment and point of care testing. The primary outcome measures were total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC). The secondary outcome measures were the proportion of patients who achieved the clinical value goals at baseline versus 48 months. The primary outcome measures among data collection time points were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests, and the secondary outcomes were compared between baseline and 48 months by Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests. One-way ANOVA post hoc tests were also performed using least significant difference, to further identify which time points differed from each other. Results: At baseline, there were 134 patients in the cholesterol monitoring group, 129 in the weight monitoring group, 117 in the blood pressure monitoring group, 46 in the blood glucose monitoring group, and 26 in the healthy participant monitoring group. For patients in the blood pressure monitoring group, compared with baseline, there was a significant decrease in DBP at months 12, 24, 36, and 48, and a significant increase in the proportion of patients achieving blood pressure goals at 48 months. For patients in the blood glucose monitoring group, compared with baseline, there was a significant decrease in FBG at months 12, 24, 36, and 48, and a significant increase in the proportion of patients achieving blood glucose goals at 48 months. Conclusions: Pharmacist-led wellness visits provided to employee wellness patients in a community pharmacy may lead to improvements in BP and FBG values.

scholarly journals Implementation of a financially incentivized weight loss competition into an already established employee wellness program

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Schramm ◽  
Kristen L. DiDonato ◽  
Justin R. May ◽  
D. Matthew Hartwig
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽  
Employee Wellness ◽  
Wellness Program ◽  
Serum Triglycerides ◽  
Employee Wellness Program ◽  
Pharmacy Chain

Objective: To assess improvement in clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction of a financially incentivized weight loss competition adjunct to a currently established pharmacist-directed employee wellness program. Design: Retrospective, cohort, pilot study Setting: 6 independent community pharmacy chain locations, two long-term care pharmacies, and a pharmacy corporate office in northwest and central Missouri, from January 2013 to April 2013. Participants: 24 benefit-eligible patients employed by the self- insured pharmacy chain. Intervention: A financially incentivized weight loss competition focusing on healthy lifestyle practices was implemented at nine pharmacy locations over an eight week period. Main outcome measure(s): Change from baseline in mean total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), weight, and body mass index (BMI). Patient satisfaction was also assessed after completion. Results:24 patients completed the competition. The average weight loss among all participants was 10 ± 7.3 pounds. A mean decrease in serum triglycerides was significant at 36.9 mg/dL per participant (p Conclusion: The implementation of a financially incentivized weight loss competition provided significant short-term weight loss to a patient population that was already enrolled in an established pharmacist-directed employee wellness program and had not shown clinical improvement prior to the intervention. Overall the patients were satisfied, felt healthier, and agreed to continue following the recommendations of the program.   Type: Original Research

scholarly journals The Role of Bioactive Compounds from Dietary Spices in the Management of Metabolic Syndrome: An Overview

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
Dana Hasan Alkhatib ◽  
Abdul Jaleel ◽  
Maryam Naveed Muhammad Tariq ◽  
Jack Feehan ◽  
Vasso Apostolopoulos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Dietary Supplements ◽  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Fasting Blood Glucose ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Preventive Measure ◽  
Blood Lipid ◽  
Lifestyle Changes

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of physiologically dysregulated parameters that can include elevated fasting blood glucose, high blood pressure, central obesity, increased triglyceride levels, insulin resistance, diabetes, elevated low density lipoprotein levels, and reduced high density lipoprotein levels in the blood. Effective clinical management of MetS is critical as it is strongly associated with long lasting and fatal complications in patients. Alongside standard care of lifestyle changes and medication, dietary supplements derived from herbal resources could be an alternative therapeutic strategy that is safe, efficient, culturally acceptable, and has few side effects. Of the dietary supplements, spicy foods have always been considered a great source of functional bioactive compounds. Herbal therapy is broadly used in many countries as a treatment or as a preventive measure in the management of MetS risk factors, including blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels. Herein, an attempt is made to evaluate the recent studies in the management of MetS with herbal alternatives, and to explore the possibility of their use as therapeutic treatments or supplements.

scholarly journals Prediabetes in pregnancy, can early intervention improve outcomes? A feasibility study for a parallel randomised clinical trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. e018493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth C E Hughes ◽  
Janet Rowan ◽  
Jonathan Williman
Keyword(s):  
Blood Glucose ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Intervention ◽  
Caesarean Section ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Standard Care ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Blood Glucose Monitoring ◽  
Oral Glucose ◽  
Early Intervention Group

ObjectiveMeasurement of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in early pregnancy is routine in New Zealand to identify women with diabetes and prediabetes. However, the benefit of early intervention in women with prediabetes is inconclusive. Our aim was to test the feasibility of a two-arm parallel randomised controlled trial of standard care versus early intervention in pregnancies complicated by prediabetes.SettingTwo tertiary referral centres in New Zealand.ParticipantsWomen <14 weeks’ gestation and HbA1c ≥5.9%–6.4% (41–46 mmol/mol) measured at booking, without pre-existing diabetes.InterventionsRandomisation was done by remote web-based allocation into one of two groups. Women in the early intervention group attended an antenatal diabetes clinic, commenced daily home blood glucose monitoring, and medication was prescribed if lifestyle measures failed to maintain target blood glucose levels. Controls received lifestyle education, continued standard care with their midwife and/or obstetrician, and were asked to perform a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test at 24 weeks’ gestation with a referral to clinic if this test was positive. Both groups received lifestyle questionnaires at recruitment and in late pregnancy.Outcome measuresRecruitment rate, adherence to protocol and validation of potential primary outcomes.ResultsRecruitment rates were lower than expected, especially in Māori and Pacific women. Non-adherence to allocated treatment protocol was significant, 42% (95% CI 24% to 61%) in the early intervention group and 30% (95% CI 16% to 51%) in controls. Caesarean section and pre-eclampsia were signalled as potential primary outcomes, due to both the high observed incidence in the control group and ease of measurement.ConclusionsFor a future definitive trial, extending the gestation of eligibility and stepped-wedge cluster randomisation may overcome the identified feasibility issues. Consistent with published observational data, pre-eclampsia and emergency caesarean section could be included as primary outcome measures, both of which have a significant impact on maternal and neonatal morbidity and healthcare costs.Trial registration numberACTRN12615000904572; Pre-results.

scholarly journals Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease among Urban Women with Psoriasis: A Case–Control Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (02) ◽  
pp. 102-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudha Bala ◽  
Archana Mavoori ◽  
Harshal Pandve ◽  
Chinmayee Biswal ◽  
Vijay Prasanna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Waist Circumference ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Low Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Fasting Blood Glucose ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Control Study

Abstract Background and Aim Psoriasis have a direct impact on development of cardiovascular risk factors leading to atherosclerosis and metabolic abnormalities. In order to prevent the complications, early and prompt identification of factors through various parameters help in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among these psoriatic patients. Therefore the aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of various determinants for cardiovascular diseases among cases and controls. Methods A hospital based case control study at a tertiary care hospital included women from the out patient department, aged above 18 years who were known cases of psoriasis. 114 patients were recruited with 1:1 ratio between cases and controls. All patients were evaluated using semi structured interview schedule with socio demographic variables, duration of disease, family history, and usage of drugs. Severity of disease was assessed through the psoriasis area severity index (PASI). Body surface area (BSA), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and blood pressure measurement were done using standard methods. Lipid profile, high sensitivity C-Reactive protein (HsCRP) and blood sugar through calibrated analyzers having quality control. Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) was assessed by using carotid Doppler technique to measure atherosclerosis. Results One hundred fourteen patients, means 57 pairs of cases and controls were analyzed in this study. Significant determinants among cases were raised such as waist circumference (p = 0.025), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.0001), low density lipoprotein (p = 0.002) and fasting blood glucose (p = 0.004) when compared to controls. HsCRP and CIMT were also raised among cases but only CIMT was statistically significant when compared to controls (p = 0.0001). We also found raised determinants among psoriatic arthritis patients compared to psoriasis. Conclusion Psoriasis patients had high waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, low density lipoprotein, fasting blood glucose, and CIMT when compared to controls. Early identification of these determinants make them amenable for prevention.

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