A collaborative research project between the University of Tasmania and the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) is improving the way a critical cardiac medication is prepared, while giving students valuable hands-on experience tackling real-world healthcare challenges.
The project was initiated in response to a common issue faced by clinicians globally during cardiac catheterisation procedures.
Intracoronary adenosine, widely used in these procedures, must traditionally be prepared on demand, creating delays, increasing staff workload, and introducing the risk of medication-preparation errors and drug wastage.
Recognising the need for a more efficient and safer approach, researchers from the University of Tasmania partnered with clinicians at the Royal Hobart Hospital to investigate an alternative.
Dr Rahul Patel, Senior Lecturer in the University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology said the research team, comprising of an interventional cardiologist, hospital pharmacists and research pharmacists, supported by a Master of Pharmaceutical Science student, evaluated whether adenosine could be prepared in advance and stored safely without compromising quality.
“Using clinically relevant concentrations and real-world storage conditions, the research used a combination of sophisticated analytical methods to enable chemical and physical stability testing,” he said.
The findings showed that adenosine remains stable for up to seven weeks when prepared under controlled conditions.
“This makes ready-to-use prefilled syringes a practical option, reducing the need for on-the-spot preparation during procedures, alleviating potential errors, and helping streamline workflows in catheterisation laboratories.”
Dr Patel said the project, which started as a quality use of medicine query by hospital pharmacists, highlights the value of strong partnerships between universities and health services.
“Students involved gained direct experience in translational research, contributing to outcomes with the potential to influence clinical practice locally and internationally, while supporting safer, more efficient and sustainable healthcare systems,” he said.
The research project has been published in BMJ European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy https://ejhp.bmj.com/content/early/2026/02/17/ejhpharm-2025-004827 and will be included in the 10th edition of Australian Injectables Drugs Handbook monograph.