Medication Resources

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is reported to be a rare condition that occurs in people who have catheters, chronic constipation and bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI). While in most cases it is harmless, the purple colour of the urine (a result of the breakdown of tryptophan, an amino acid found in food, in the intestines by gut bacteria) can be alarming. The priority is to address any underlying infection and maintain good catheter hygiene. Much of the literature focuses on symptomatic treatment. This paper, based on a case history, uses a more holistic approach to explain what PUBS is, why it occurs, and how it can be treated.

In 2012 a national working party consisting of experts in the care of patients with learning disabilities and the management of swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) was convened to develop guidelines to assist with the identification of at-risk patients. The aim was to improve the diagnosis and management of dysphagia in this patient population. The guidelines were also designed to improve the protection of such patients by ensuring that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner. This article provides an overview of the guidelines (Wright et al, 2012) for the community nurse.

David Wright, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich
Tom Howseman, GP and Clinical Director of LD Commissioning, Nene and Corby CCG, St Luke’s Primary Care Centre, Northampton