At the NEIAP forum in Boston, experts highlight the expanding role of pharmacists in managing obesity treatments and innovative ketone-monitoring technology, redefining diabetes care protocols.
At the New England Institute of Ambulatory Care Pharmacists annual forum in Boston, Jennifer Goldman said pharmacists are becoming more important both in helping patients stay on obesity medicines and in making sense of newer ketone-monitoring technology. Goldman, a professor of pharmacy practice at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and director of cardiometabolic services at Well Life Medical in Peabody, Massachusetts, told Pharmacy Times that preparation before treatment begins is key to keeping people on glucagon-like peptide-1 therapy when side effects appear.
Goldman said patients should be warned in advance about nausea and other stomach-related effects, because many of them improve if the dose is not increased too quickly. She described the need for practical counselling, including making sure patients understand that these medicines reduce appetite but do not remove the need to eat. Goldman also said pharmacists should not move patients on to a higher dose until side effects have settled.
She also pointed to continuous ketone monitoring as an emerging part of diabetes care. According to Pharmacy Times, the US has approved a device that measures glucose and ketones together, although the full clinical impact is still being worked out. Goldman said the added ketone data can act as an early warning sign for diabetic ketoacidosis, but only if clinicians know how to interpret it and turn it into action.
That means pharmacists will need more than technical familiarity with the readings, Goldman said. They must help build a clear plan with prescribers that defines what different ketone ranges mean, what patients should do at each level and when emergency care is needed. Pharmacy Times said the broader shift reflects a growing role for pharmacists in diabetes management as monitoring tools become more sophisticated.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
