Course Summary

Although traditionally classified as a vitamin, vitamin D is now recognized as a secosteroid hormone with essential roles in human health, maintaining calcium homeostasis, supporting bone integrity, modulating immune responses, and facilitating various metabolic functions. Endogenous synthesis of vitamin D occurs through skin exposure to ultraviolet B radiation, while additional sources include supplementation and dietary intake. As a hormone, vitamin D influences multiple organ systems, such as the skeletal, immune, and nervous systems. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to osteoporosis, rickets, muscle weakness, increased risk of falls, immune system dysregulation, and certain mental health disorders. Conversely, excessive intake, particularly through supplementation, can lead to toxicity and requires careful monitoring by healthcare professionals.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
• Pharmacological Profile
  • Mechanism of Action
• Indications for Treating Vitamin D Insufficiency/Deficiency
  • Vitamin D–Related Skeletal Disorders: Osteoporosis, Osteomalacia, and Rickets
  • Chronic Kidney Disease-Related Secondary Hyperparathyroidism
  • Hypoparathyroidism
  • Neurological Disorders
  • Mood Disorders
  • Obesity
  • Autoimmune Conditions and Emerging Research
  • Fall Prevention in Older Adults
• Differential Diagnosis: Laboratory Testing
• Treatment
  • Dosing: Based on Age, Gender, Pregnancy/Lactation
  • Deficiency Treatment:
  • Dosing Adjustments
  • Holistic Supplementation of Vitamin D
  • Common Drug Interactions with Vitamin D and Clinical Implications
• Toxicity: Management and Prognosis
  • Vitamin D Toxicity
  • Prognosis and Long-Term Considerations
• Clinical Pearls
  • Balancing Sun Exposure: Vitamin D Synthesis vs. Skin Cancer Risk
  • Deficiency Can Mimic Other Conditions
  • Vitamin D’s Role in Genetic Regulation and Disease Prevention
• Interprofessional Health Team Roles and Vitamin D Deficiency
• RX Journal Club
  • Assessment of Vitamin D Status in Obese and Non-Obese Patients: A Case-Control Study
  • Study Design and Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Study Limitations
  • Clinical Implications
• Summary

Authors

Elisabeth Gordon, BScPharm, RPh

Elisabeth Gordon earned her BSc(Pharm) from the University of British Columbia in 2004. After graduation, she worked in community retail pharmacies on Vancouver Island, before returning to her rural hometown of Salmon Arm. In 2016 and 2017, Elisabeth trained with Pallium Canada and Victoria Hospice to enhance her knowledge of end-of-life-care and palliative services. She is a volunteer medical supervisor for T1DOutreach, a peer support platform for adults living with type 1 diabetes, and a member of a Canadian peer support group for adults living with Birdshot Uveitis. Elisabeth enjoys working in a small, fast-paced rural pharmacy where she brings compassion and empathy to her everyday practice.

Richard Daniels, PharmD, BCPS

Richard “Cole” Daniels earned his Doctor of Pharmacy(PharmD) from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana in 2018. Throughout pharmacy school he completed a 3-year internship at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana in which he gained valuable experience in an acute care setting. Cole currently serves as a psychiatric clinical staff pharmacist at the Montana State Hospital. He has over 11 years of pharmacy experience having worked in several settings including retail, acute care, and inpatient psychiatric care. Cole has a diverse set of interests. However, acute care medicine, infectious disease, pain management, and asthma/COPD are a primary focus of his at the Montana State Hospital. He obtained board certification as a certified pharmacotherapy specialist in the Spring of 2022.