Dear colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you on behalf of the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) to the ESCP Spring Workshop that will be held on 26 and 27 April 2021 in Zurich, Switzerland. 

Malnutrition is common and can be caused by malabsorption, decreased nutrient intake, or hypermetabolism due to illness or injury. It is associated with a longer hospital stay, increased morbidity and mortality, increased incidence of infection, poor wound healing, and decreased immune competence.  Many gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s disease or interventions such as bariatric surgery lead to an altered absorption of food as well as drugs. Affected patients may need specific drug therapy and nutritional supplements such as antidiarrheal medicine, proton pump blockers or vitamins. The risk of nutritional deficiencies depends on the type of surgical procedures, the location and the extent of the resection. Short and long-term complications are common and close monitoring is required. Enteral or parenteral feeding must be installed with caution in malnourished patients in order to avoid a refeeding syndrome. Drug therapy in patients in patients with parenteral nutrition is challenging due to possible incompatibilities. Medication application via an enteral tube requires a careful selection and preparation of dosage forms and appropriate administration methods. Pharmacists can play an important role in taking care of those patients together with nurses, physicians and dieticians.