Acute elevations in intracranial pressure from brain injury or illness can be life-threatening or lead to significant morbidity. Rapid identification and lowering of the intracranial pressure with directed therapy in the form of hyperosmolar therapy while awaiting definitive management of the underlying cause is essential in many cases. This podcast will discuss the selection between mannitol and hypertonic saline, logistics of storage and administration in the emergency department, goals of therapy, and monitoring parameters.
SPEAKERS
Vicki Basalyga, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCPPS, is the Director for the Section of Clinical Specialists and Scientists. In this role Vicki serves as an information resource and provides guidance to ASHP members regarding science and scientific developments affecting pharmacy practice in health systems. She serves as secretary to the Section executive committee and coordinates activities to accomplish the objectives established by the Section. Additionally, Vicki has assumed the position of Council Secretary for the ASHP's Council on Therapeutics.
Vicki received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Duquesne University and completed an ASHP accredited PGY1 at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Vicki is also a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and a Board Certified Pediatric Pharmacotherapy Specialist.
Prior to her current position at ASHP, Vicki practiced as critical care pharmacist in both the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Other activities Vicki performed included drafting policies and procedures, co-chairing the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, creating and drafting order sets for CPOE conversion and precepting residents and students.
Jenny Koehl, PharmD, BCPS, is an emergency medicine clinical pharmacist and Coordinator of the PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. After earning her PharmD degree at UCSF (2015), she returned home to Wisconsin to complete my PGY-1 and PGY-2 Emergency Medicine pharmacy residencies (2015-2017) at the University of Wisconsin Health. Following residency, she moved to Boston to join the incredible EM team at MGH. At MGH, Jenny splits her time between the emergency department and neuro ICU. Her passions include advancing pharmacy resident education and research training, mentorship, national committee involvement, and global health. Her clinical practice interests include neuro critical care, cardiology, and geriatrics.