Activity Downloads

To Participate

To participate in this continuing education activity:

1. Review the activity description and objectives.
2. View the activity.
3. Complete the online post-test and activity evaluation.

NOTE: If you attended the live CE activity titled "Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Injectable Prostacyclin Pharmacotherapy" that was held on December 6, 2011 during the 46th ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition in New Orleans, Louisiana AND received CE credit (i.e. a pharmacist CE statement of credit with ACPE  number 221-000-11-084-L01-P), you are NOT allowed to also receive credit for this home-study on-demand web activity.

Activity Description

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and debilitating condition. Given the rarity, complexity, and severity of PAH, patients are frequently treated at specialized referral centers. Pharmacotherapy treatment options include chronic oral, inhaled, and injectable medications. Technical complexities associated with administration of injectable PAH therapy requires treating practitioners to have clinical expertise with these medications when initiating and titrating. Decompensation in PAH patients may require emergent hospitalization at facilities where practitioners may be unfamiliar with these therapies.

This activity will provide information on the etiology of pulmonary hypertension and describe the pathophysiology of PAH. Treatment goals in patients with PAH will be reviewed, together with therapeutic regimens used to treat PAH. Approaches to patient education will be integrated into this material. Patient-specific factors that influence injectable prostacyclin selection will be discussed. Administration differences and technical aspects associated with the provision of marketed injectable prostacyclins will be reviewed.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, pharmacists will be able to:

• Discuss the etiology and pathophysiology of PAH

• Explain goals of treatment, therapeutic regimens, efficacy, and side effects for the various classes of medications used to treat PAH

• Compare newer, emerging treatment options that are changing the standard of care in the treatment PAH

• Identify technical and administrative factors that impact the provision of injectable prostacyclins

• Recognize key elements necessary to educate PAH patients on medication administration and monitoring parameters

Faculty

Heather Bream-Rouwenhorst, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Internal Medicine
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City, Iowa

Ryan A. Hobbs, BS Pharm, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Cardiology
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City, Iowa

Disclosure

It is the policy of ProCE to require the disclosure of the existence of any significant financial interest or any other relationship a faculty member or a sponsor has with the manufacturer of any commercial product(s) discussed in an educational presentation. Heather Bream-Rouwenhorst has nothing to disclose. Ryan Hobbs has nothing to disclose. A portion of grant funds received by ProCE from Actelion will be used to compensate the faculty for this activity.

Please note: The opinions expressed in this activity should not be construed as those of the CE provider or Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc. The information and views are those of the faculty through clinical practice and knowledge of the professional literature. Portions of this activity may include the use of drugs for unlabeled indications. Use of drugs outside of labeling should be considered experimental and participants are advised to consult prescribing information and professional literature.

CE Accreditation

Release Date: 01-30-2012
Expiration Date: 12-06-2014

Pharmacists:

ProCE, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. ACPE Universal Activity Number 221-000-12-005-H01-P has been assigned to this knowledge-based, home-study activity (initial release date 01-30-12). This CE activity is approved for 2.0 contact hours (0.20 CEUs) in states that recognize ACPE providers. The activity is provided at no cost to participants. Statements of credit will be issued online upon completion of the activity evaluation and the post-test with a score of 70% or higher. No partial credit will be given.

Funding

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.

The material presented in this CE activity does not reflect the views of ProCE, Inc. or the commercial sponsor. These materials may discuss uses and dosages for therapeutic products, processes, procedures and inferred diagnoses that have not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. A qualified health care professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product discussed. All readers and continuing education participants should verify all information and data before treating patients or employing any therapies described in this continuing education activity.

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