RxCELLENCE December 2025

DECEMBER 2025

THE

IN THIS ISSUE Holiday Greetings Hypertension Guideline Update Diabetes Awareness Month Our latest initiatives

Happy Holidays!

From the EPICORE Team

DECEMBER 2025

Guideline Update

Hypertension Canada’s 2025 primary-care

In

guideline offers a refreshed, streamlined

accompanied by updated patient resources

approach to help clinicians re-establish

on blood pressure management (see below)

strong

and click this link to access the patient

blood-pressure

control

across

Canada—and it brings many opportunities for pharmacists to lead meaningful change.

Key updates include: Treatment thresholds: All adults with BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg Adults with systolic 130–139 mm Hg who are at high cardiovascular risk Treatment target: single systolic BP target < 130 mmHg for most adults First line therapy: low-dose combination therapy (single pill if possible) using two of the following: ACE inhibitors or ARBs Thiazide/thiazide like diuretics Long acting dihydropyridine CCBs

addition,

resource.

these

guidelines

are

DECEMBER 2025

Diabetes Awareness Month Honouring the Vital Role of Alberta Pharmacists Did you know?

Diabetes affects millions of Canadians, and the number continues to rise each year.

Many individuals live with diabetes or pre-diabetes without knowing it—early detection remains one of the most powerful tools for prevention.

People living with diabetes face a heightened disease,

risk

kidney

of

cardiovascular

impairment,

nerve

As frontline health professionals and medication

experts,

pharmacists

are

damage, and vision loss.

uniquely positioned to identify early risk,

The emotional burden is significant:

optimize therapy, and support long-term

diabetes is associated with increased

self-management.

rates of stress, burnout, and depression.

Your

Advantage

as

Pharmacists

in

Alberta

Why This Matters Awareness

Pharmacists in Alberta have been leaders

Month, a critical reminder that diabetes

in innovative diabetes care. Thanks to

remains one of the most pressing public

advanced scope—prescribing, ordering

health challenges in Canada.

labs, adapting therapy, and implementing

Across the country, one in three Canadians

evidence-based

is living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. These

pharmacists in this province continue to

conditions carry profound impacts on daily

shape

life, long-term health outcomes, and overall

management.

November

well-being.

marked

Diabetes

high-quality

interventions— chronic

disease

DECEMBER 2025

Your Unique Opportunity Pharmacists in Alberta have been leaders in innovative diabetes care. Thanks to advanced scope—prescribing, ordering labs, adapting therapy, and implementing evidence-based lifestyle interventions— pharmacists in this province continue to shape

high-quality

chronic

disease

management.

Your everyday impact includes: Screening using validated tools like the CANRISK questionnaire Initiating

and

adjusting

therapy,

including

antihyperglycemics

and

cardioprotective agents Ordering

and

interpreting

labs,

including

A1C,

lipids,

renal

and

function Providing coaching

personalized to

support

lifestyle sustainable

behaviour change Reducing

therapeutic

inertia

and

closing care gaps Coordinating care with primary care teams and specialists

Evidence from practice-based research in Alberta has repeatedly shown that pharmacist-directed interventions can achieve meaningful reductions in A1C and

improved

clinical

outcomes,

reinforcing your essential role in chronic disease care.

Thank You Your

expertise,

commitment

make

compassion, an

and

extraordinary

difference in the lives of people living with diabetes.

Your work is essential. Your impact is measurable.

And

your

leadership

continues to shape the future of diabetes care in Alberta.

Keep leading the way—your patients depend on it.

DECEMBER 2025

Join the PREPARED Study We are excited to invite pharmacies to participate in a research study aimed at improving access to point-of-care testing for individuals experiencing respiratory illness.

The Department of Family Medicine at the University of Calgary has launched PREPARED: Participating pharmacies will play a key role in supporting timely diagnosis and management of respiratory illnesses by helping patients access testing directly in the pharmacy. This can enhance patient care, guide treatment decisions, and strengthen your pharmacy’s role in community-based healthcare during peak cold and flu seasons.

Participating pharmacies will: • Screen patients aged 5 years and older who present with at least two respiratory symptoms that have developed within the past 7 days.

• Obtain informed consent and collect basic demographic information.

• Perform testing, which includes obtaining nasopharyngeal swabs for a multi pathogen rapid test and a second swab for PCR analysis.

All supplies and training will be provided.

Pharmacies will receive $40 compensation per participant enrolled.

If your pharmacy is interested in becoming a PREPARED testing site, we’d love to hear from you!

Email: prepared@ucalgary.ca

DECEMBER 2025

KIDNEY CARE STUDY Tell us about strategies and resources that support coordinated and accessible kidney care

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? Must be 18 years or older, and living in Canada Patients with kidney disease and other conditions (not on dialysis or transplant) Caregivers Healthcare providers, decision-makers, and administrators in primary care, nephrology, and allied health care settings

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

15-minute online survey You will receive a $25 gift card

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE? Complete the survey link below or scan the QR code. https://survey.ucalgary.ca/jfe/form/SV_3kM9I2MeBNT81pA

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT sabrina.jassemi@ucalgary.ca 403-210-8820 This research study has been approved by the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (phone number 403-220-7990). Principle investigator Dr. Maoliosa Donald (donaldm@ucalgary.ca). Ethics ID: REB24-0983. Version 1

DECEMBER 2025

DECEMBER 2025

Studies: Call for Ideas Have you noticed something interesting, or had a question come up in practice and thought that would make a great research question? Are you currently recruiting participants for an ongoing study?

We are always looking for ways that we can help YOU turn your questions into research studies or provide you with assistance with your ongoing endeavors. Please email us at rxexcell@ualberta.ca with any ideas or requests, and we’ll work with you to make it a reality!

CONNECT WITH US www.epicore.ualberta.ca/home/rxcellence

rxexcell@ualberta.ca

Become a RxCELLENCE member