| Dear e-newsletter subscriber, |
| |
Welcome to our first e-newsletter, alerting you to significant changes in the clinical content of the BNF and BNF for Children and to the way that this information is delivered. We will be reviewing case studies to help you put this sound therapeutic advice into practice and providing you with tips on using these publications effectively.
To access links to the BNF content, you will need to register at http://bnf.org. Registration and use of this website is FREE in the UK.
» BNF 55 now published
» BNF update on significant changes
» BNF case study
» Tips on using the BNF and BNFC effectively
» BNF and BNFC in the news
|
|
| BNF 55 now published |
 |
| If you are in the UK you should shortly be receiving your copy of the latest edition. Within England, distribution should be finalised by 18th April. Full details on the supply of the BNF to NHS organisations within England is available at the DH website http://tinyurl.com/2uebpp. Information relevant to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be provided shortly. |
 |
|
|
| BNF update on significant changes |
 |
|
Anaphylaxis and adrenaline
Changes have been made to the adrenaline doses for anaphylaxis in children. The intravenous dose of adrenaline for adults has also been revised to reflect the latest guideline from the Resuscitation Council (UK). BNF 55 continues to emphasise that the intramuscular route is the route of choice for administering adrenaline. It also provides advice on when it is appropriate to consider intravenous adrenaline.
For further information click on allergic emergencies |
 |
Prevention of endocarditis
Antimicrobial prophylaxis is no longer recommended for the prevention of infective endocarditis in patients undergoing dental and non-dental procedures. Prophylaxis may expose patients to the adverse effects of antimicrobials when the evidence of benefit has not been proven.
For further information click on prevention of endocarditis |
|
Folic acid for prevention of neural tube defects
Did you know that women with coeliac disease, diabetes mellitus, or sickle-cell anaemia are at high risk of conceiving a child with a neural tube defect? BNF 55 provides more advice on assessing whether a woman is at high risk of having a child with a neural tube defect and whether she should take folic acid 5 mg daily.
For further information click on prevention of neural tube defects |
|
Heart failure
Guidance on heart failure has been updated in BNF 55 to take into account the recommendations of the SIGN clinical guideline: Management of Chronic Heart Failure (2007). This guideline emphasises that an ACE inhibitor and a beta-blocker are of value in any grade of heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction.
For further information click on heart failure |
|
Stable angina, acute coronary syndromes, and actinic keratosis?
What's the connection? If you are looking for a quick refresher on the drug treatment of these conditions then the revised prescribing notes in BNF 55 are well worth a read.
Just click on angina / myocardial infarction / actinic keratosis |
|
Erythropoietins
Overcorrection of the haemoglobin concentration may increase the risk of death and serious cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease, and may increase the risk of thrombosis and related complications in patients with cancer (Drug Safety Update 2007; 1(5):2 - 5). BNF 55 advises that erythropoietins can be used within their licensed indications for these patients only if symptoms of anaemia are present, and that haemoglobin concentrations higher than 12g/100mL should be avoided.
For further information click on erythropoietins |
|
Dental patients on anticoagulants
Anticoagulated patients who require dental surgery should have their INR measured 72 hours before the dental procedure to allow time for dose modification if necessary. The INR should be assessed within 24 hours of the dental procedure in those with an unstable INR. Patients with an INR of less than 4 who require minor dental procedures (including extractions) may continue warfarin without dose adjustment. There is no need to check the INR of patients requiring non-invasive dental procedures.
For further information click on dental patients on anticoagulants |
|
Medical emergencies in the community
In the glossy pages at the back of the print version of BNF and BNFC you will find guidance on the management of medical emergencies in the community. This section provides rapid access to doses used during these emergencies.
For further information click on medical emergencies |
|
How the BNF is constructed
This new section provides valuable insight into how the national prescribing resource is constructed.
For further information click on BNF |
|
| |
|
| BNF case study |
|
|
To help you put BNF advice on diabetes, heart failure, and angina into practice, please follow this link to a BNF case study.
|
|
| Tips on using the BNF and BNFC effectively |
|
|
How can I identify significant changes in a new edition of the BNF or BNFC?
You have already taken the first step by signing up to receive this e-newsletter but there is more you can do to identify further changes in these publications.
- The section on 'Changes for this Edition' provides a more comprehensive list of changes. You can find it by logging on to the BNF content at http://bnf.org or to the BNFC content at http://bnfc.org. Registration and use of these websites is FREE in the UK.
- To review 'Changes for this Edition' in BNF 55, please click on Changes. Follow the link to 'Significant Changes'.
To obtain further details about a change, click on the link to the cross-reference that is provided and you will be taken directly to the section of BNF 55 where the change is located. You can view other changes such as dose changes and new preparations in a similar way.
- Alternatively, the section on 'Changes for this Edition' can also be found near the beginning of the print version of these publications. For ease of identification, the margins of these pages are marked in blue stripes in the BNF and in pink stripes in BNFC.
- In the print version of the BNF, drug entries that have changed in Appendixes 1-5 (Drug Interactions, Liver Disease, Renal Impairment, Pregnancy, and Breast-feeding) are underlined.
- Numerous changes are made during the compilation of each new edition and not all of them can be accommodated in the Changes section. We recommend that you regularly review the information on drugs that you prescribe or encounter frequently.
|
|
| Digital Developments |
|
|
Changes to the display of preparations online
Preparation records are now displayed along with the relevant monograph above so that monograph-level information is displayed without additional navigation.
BNF aligned with NHS drug dictionary
The NHS dm+d provides a standard way of representing medicines to clinicians within prescribing and dispensing systems. Development of a new interface on bnf.org allows system suppliers to provide their healthcare professional users with a robust and secure means of accessing BNF knowledge directly from their clinical software applications.
Multi-ingredient monographs
Digital versions of BNF 55 now include the first of a large number of additional multi-ingredient monographs, providing a more accurate representation of the characteristics of these preparations than has hitherto been possible in print, and crucially presents this information in a single location within the publication.
|
|
|
| Pulse - BNF highlights eGFR failures |
| Prescriber - BNF 54 - Updates to guidance |
| Nursing Standard - Review of BNFC 2007 (January 16, vol 22 no 19; 2008: 31) |
| |
| Purchase a copy of the BNF and BNFC |
| |
| |
| Feedback on our e-newsletter |
|
|
If there is anything you would like to see included in our e-newsletter, please contact us at enewsletter@bnf.org with your suggestions.
|
Forward to a colleague to subscribe
If you find our email news service useful, why not
forward this message
to a colleague? It's easy to subscribe. |
| |
