Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

Contributing Writer https://www.empr.com

Cassandra Pardini is a freelance writer and registered pharmacist with a diverse background in drug therapy, scientific research, and the drug discovery and developmental process. She obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University, Master of Science degree in chemistry and chemical biology from Northeastern University, and Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Boston College. She currently lives in Rhode Island with her husband and 3 children.

All articles by Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

News

Ear Precipitate Formation Following Otitis Externa Treatment

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

July 9, 2020

Upon examination, the patient’s external ear canal was found to be inflamed, red, and swollen, and she was subsequently diagnosed with otitis externa.

News

CDC Issues Guidance on Vaccination During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

July 2, 2020

Routine vaccination should not be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to interim guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

News

Testing for Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2: Timing Important for Accuracy

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

June 30, 2020

Serology tests were better at detecting the presence of antibodies to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients when they were tested 15 to 35 days post-symptom onset, according to the findings of a recently published review on the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

News

Statin Use May Benefit Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

June 29, 2020

The use of statins appears to benefit patients hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the findings of a retrospective study conducted in Hubei Province, China.

Safety Alerts and Recalls

Supplements With Undeclared Active Ingredients Pose Substantial Health Risk

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

June 25, 2020

A recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) highlights the risks associated with use of over-the-counter (OTC) products containing undeclared prescription ingredients as well as the importance of collaboration between various health departments and systems to ensure a prompt response to an outbreak.

News

Clinical Benefit Observed With Colchicine in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

June 24, 2020

The open-label, prospective study (GRECCO-19) assessed the effect of treatment with low-dose colchicine on cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers as well as clinical outcomes.

News

CDC: Penicillin-, Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Meningococci Detected in US

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

June 22, 2020

The CDC has reported observing a significant increase in the number of meningococcal disease cases with isolates containing a blaROB-1 β-lactamase enzyme gene, conferring resistance to penicillin antibiotics and, in some cases, ciprofloxacin as well.

News

Guideline Issued on the Use of Probiotics for Managing GI Disorders

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

June 16, 2020

Probiotics should only be recommended for specific patient populations since there is not enough evidence to support their use in the majority of digestive conditions, according to new clinical guidelines released by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and recently published in Gastroenterology.

News

Case Series Suggests Famotidine May Improve COVID-19 Symptoms

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

June 11, 2020

For a small group of nonhospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), self-administration of high-dose oral famotidine was found to be associated with improvements in disease-related symptoms, according to a recently published case series.

News

Combined Long-Acting Bronchodilator Therapy Compared With Monotherapy for COPD

Cassandra Pardini, PharmD

June 11, 2020

Eighteen RCTs with a total of 6086 patients were included in the analysis.