Long term macrolides in adults with respiratory disease: What do the BTS guidelines tell us?

Ms Ravijyot Saggu studied Pharmacy (BPharm) at the London School of Pharmacy (University of London) and graduated in 1999.  She went on to pursue a career in hospital pharmacy undertaking further post graduate study with subsequent respiratory study.  She currently works at University College hospital, London, as a senior clinical Pharmacist for Medicine and Emergency services with an interest in Respiratory medicine and is an honorary clinical lecturer for the London School of Pharmacy (UCL).  She is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council and is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (of Great Britain) undertaking membership of its faculty as well as being an independent prescriber and a member of the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association.  She has affiliations with various respiratory organisations such as the Pan London Airways Network and British Lung Foundation and is a committee member on the British Thoracic Society Macrolides guidelines group and the NICE COPD guidelines committee.

Lung disease is one of the UK’s top five causes of death.  The NHS long term plan has recognised this and included respiratory as a priority disease area.

So…are Macrolide antibiotics the new panacea for respiratory disease? 

This session will run through the draft 2018 British Thoracic Society guidelines and recommendations on the long-term use of macrolide antibiotics in adults with respiratory disease.

Do the guidelines answer questions we have or raise more and what will be the impact for our everyday practice?

This session will provide an overview of Macrolides, their use, safety and monitoring issues and considerations of how these guidelines can be applied to practice.  In particular, encouraging discussion as to how pharmacists, taking a holistic view, can support appropriate prescribing and safe use of these agents for optimal patient benefit.

Advanced level