Ankylosing spondylitis

To help support early diagnosis & management of ankylosing spondylitis, it is important that health professionals are able to recognise the possibility of AS being present. The pharmacist is in a good position to help identify AS and referral to a GP. This course aims to provide an overview of this condition and provide pharmacists with insight on the pathophysiology, prevalence, causes, risk factors, diagnosis and management of AS.

Course Objectives:
After completion of this activity, you should be able to:

• describe ankylosing spondylitis (AS) including what it is, its causes, risk factors and symptoms;
• briefly outline the techniques used to diagnose a patient with AS;
• discuss the management of AS (non-pharmacological and pharmacological);
• highlight the key impacts AS has on quality of life of patients and the role pharmacists can play in the management of AS.

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