Examples Of CSTD Drugs, And Why These Drugs Are The Way They Are
Spotting a CSTD pharmacy's advertisement, you may be wondering just what a CSTD is. This acronym stands for "closed system drug transfer device." It means that the pharmacy offers drugs for specific purposes, and that these drugs may only be taken through a CST device. If you have no idea what this means, but you want to know more, the following examples are just a few of the medications offered for CST devices and what those specific medications are for, and why these medications or drugs have to be administered through a CST device.
Insulin
Insulin already has a short shelf life, but its shelf life is even shorter when it is left out of the refrigerator. Pre-filled sterile syringes with insulin have to remain fresh, pure, and without any contaminants. Contaminated insulin causes medical emergencies. Contaminated needles or syringes for the delivery of insulin can cause horrible infections that a person with diabetes cannot control. Hence, all insulin has to be delivered and filled via CSTDs and by a pharmacy that has a license to fill the syringes.
Epinephrine or "Epi-Pens"
Epi-pens are another example of a CSTD. All of the life-saving medication is encased within one pen. A single shot restores a person's ability to breathe when a violent allergic reaction stops him/her from breathing. Again, this "closed system" of medication transfer to the patient is preserved. Nothing else can be injected into the human body when that body is already in intense distress. This medication (epinephrine) also goes directly to the heart, where any sort of medication or needle contamination can cause life-threatening infections just weeks after treating the allergic reaction.
Chemotherapy
People often get chemotherapy and radiation confused since they are both frequently used to treat cancer. However, chemotherapy is a liquid drug, and radiation is radioactive waves blasted towards the cancer cells. The chemotherapy is always delivered either through an IV or through a sterile port embedded in the skin. For cancer patients, whose immune systems are already dangerously damaged by cancer, the chemo they receive must not be contaminated.
If the bags of chemo medication are contaminated, cancer patients cannot fight off illnesses or infections, and they die. CSTDs in this case involve the IV bags of chemo medication, the IV, and/or the port. Pharmacies that carry chemo treatments are only allowed to release the medication to licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and doctors to administer to cancer patients.