Evaluation of prescribing practices for gabapentin as an analgesic among veterinary professionals
Evaluation of prescribing practices for gabapentin as an analgesic among veterinary professionals
Reader, R., Olaitan, O. and McCobb, E. (2021) Evaluation of prescribing practices for gabapentin as an analgesic among veterinary professionals. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, 48 (5), pp. 775-8781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaa.2021.06.007
Summary
This paper reports on the prescribing practices of GP and specialist vets relating to gabapentin as an analgesic.
While the study focuses on views of veterinarians in the US and Canada and the specific results may be different to those in the UK and in your practice, it covers some interesting information about the use, and potential misuse, of gabapentin that could form a useful basis for discussion about prescribing and dispensing of gabapentin.
The August 2021 edition of inFOCUS contains a summary of this paper.
Support with assessing the relevance of this paper
We have produced a guide that you can use to work through this paper as a practice. For those less confident in assessing published papers there is a partially completed guide.
For those new to journal clubs, we have a step-by-step guide you might find useful: Setting up and running a journal club
Additional resources
RCVS Code of professional conduct for veterinary surgeons: 4. Veterinary medicines [RCVS] [online] Available from: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/code-of-professional-conduct-for-veterinary-surgeons/supporting-guidance/veterinary-medicines/ [Accessed 14 September 2021]
RCVS (2020) Controlled Drugs Guidance: common topics: consolidation of legislation and advice. London: RCVS. Available from: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/publications/controlled-drugs-guidance/ [Accessed 14 September 2021]
Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Controlled drugs: veterinary medicines [online] Available from: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/controlled-drugs-veterinary-medicines [Accessed 14 September 2021]
Next steps
If you are considering carrying out a clinical audit in your practice RCVS Knowledge has a range of resources and examples that may be useful:
Clinical Audit Case Example: Controlled drugs process audit
Significant Event Audit Case Example: Informed consent
Significant Event Audit Case Example: Controlled drugs register
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