Socio-economics: a propensity of self-medication among OPD patients of a teaching hospital

Background: Use of over the counter (OTC) drug is very much common in India. Not only medical professionals or educated urban population but also it is common in rural area and low educated person. This study was done to assess the extent of knowledge and practices of OTC drugs among OPD patients of a tertiary care hospital.Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted among 1680 Medicine OPD (outpatient department) patients.Results: Among the participants, 62% patients taking OTC drugs at least once in their life. Most common symptoms for self-medication were fever (89%), cough and cold (78%), headache (67%), pain (53%), diarrhea (10%), vomiting (10%), indigestion (20%). Antipyretics (65%), analgesics (35%) among NSAIDs which were common used as OTC drugs. Others drugs were antacids (50%), cough and cold preparations (50%), Vitamins (30%), antiemetics (5%).Conclusions: Awareness is necessary to use drugs rationally with proper prescription and know about harmful effects of OTC drugs

Rationality of utilization of antimicrobial agents in medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital

Background: Patients admitted to intensive care unit receive multiple medications of different pharmacological classes due to various life threatening ailments. This study was conducted to assess the patterns of usage of antimicrobial agents in medical ICU of a tertiary care hospital and to suggest necessary modifications in prescribing patterns to achieve rational therapeutic practices.Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out at ICU of the tertiary care hospital for 6 months. From the inpatient case record of ICU relevant data on prescription of each patient was collected. The demographic status, disease data and the utilization of different antimicrobial drug classes and individual drugs were analysed.Results: Of 753 patients admitted in the medical ICU during the study period, 640 consecutive patients were included for analysis. Male to female ratio was 1.45. Mean age was 63.32±17.93 years. Extensive poly-pharmacy (100%) and drugs with non-generic name (73%) noticed among the prescriptions.Average number of drugs per prescription was 12.1±2.13. Penicillins (51.87%) and cephalosporins (45.78%) were most commonly used antimicrobial drug classes. Piperacillin (37.03%), ceftriaxone (33.28%) and levofloxacin (22.5%) were commonly used antimicrobial drugs. A total of 181 prescriptions contained two and 138 contained three antimicrobial drugs. Piperacillin+tazobactam(37.03%) was the most common fixed dose combination noticed.Conclusions: Overall extensive poly-pharmacy and drugs with non-generic name noticed among the prescriptions. Few interventional programs should be aimed at control of infections, rational antimicrobial drug prescription to minimize adverse drug events, emergence of bacterial resistance and attenuating unnecessary cost

Self-medication of sleeping pills among MBBS students in a medical college of West Bengal, India

Background: Psychological stress, anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance are highly prevalent in medical students and therefore they are at higher risk of using sleeping pills defined as any pharmaceutical preparation inducing sleep. There is currently paucity in data describing the prevalence of sleeping pill use among medical students in India.Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of sleeping pill use among medical students in Burdwan Medical College (BMC).Methods: A cross sectional study was done by anonymous questionnaires from MBBS students enrolled at BMC. Questionnaire consisted of social and demographic variable and use of sleeping pills, tobacco and alcohol since enrollment. Collected data were analyzed by Athen's insomnia scale and DASS-21.Results: With response rate72.2% (397 out of 550) and of 397 respondants (1st yr-97+2nd yr-90+3rd yr part I-114+3rd yr part II-96), 6.3% reported use of sleeping pill at some time since enrollment. Athen's insomnia scales showed 27% poor sleepers. According to DASS-21, 44% respondents were depressive, 61.96% anxious, and 31.73% stressed. Insomnia were found to significantly (p value <0.0001) associated with sleeping pill use. Majority (96%) of sleeping pill uses were self-medicated.Conclusions: Tendency to use sleeping pill is very less (majority self-medicated), though a substantial proportion of medical undergraduate students were found to be depressed, anxious, stressed revealing a neglected area of students' psychology requiring urgent attention

Socio-economics: a propensity of self-medication among OPD patients of a teaching hospital

Background: Use of over the counter (OTC) drug is very much common in India. Not only medical professionals or educated urban population but also it is common in rural area and low educated person. This study was done to assess the extent of knowledge and practices of OTC drugs among OPD patients of a tertiary care hospital.Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted among 1680 Medicine OPD (outpatient department) patients.Results: Among the participants, 62% patients taking OTC drugs at least once in their life. Most common symptoms for self-medication were fever (89%), cough and cold (78%), headache (67%), pain (53%), diarrhea (10%), vomiting (10%), indigestion (20%). Antipyretics (65%), analgesics (35%) among NSAIDs which were common used as OTC drugs. Others drugs were antacids (50%), cough and cold preparations (50%), Vitamins (30%), antiemetics (5%).Conclusions: Awareness is necessary to use drugs rationally with proper prescription and know about harmful effects of OTC drugs

Rationality of utilization of antimicrobial agents in medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital

Background: Patients admitted to intensive care unit receive multiple medications of different pharmacological classes due to various life threatening ailments. This study was conducted to assess the patterns of usage of antimicrobial agents in medical ICU of a tertiary care hospital and to suggest necessary modifications in prescribing patterns to achieve rational therapeutic practices.Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out at ICU of the tertiary care hospital for 6 months. From the inpatient case record of ICU relevant data on prescription of each patient was collected. The demographic status, disease data and the utilization of different antimicrobial drug classes and individual drugs were analysed.Results: Of 753 patients admitted in the medical ICU during the study period, 640 consecutive patients were included for analysis. Male to female ratio was 1.45. Mean age was 63.32±17.93 years. Extensive poly-pharmacy (100%) and drugs with non-generic name (73%) noticed among the prescriptions.Average number of drugs per prescription was 12.1±2.13. Penicillins (51.87%) and cephalosporins (45.78%) were most commonly used antimicrobial drug classes. Piperacillin (37.03%), ceftriaxone (33.28%) and levofloxacin (22.5%) were commonly used antimicrobial drugs. A total of 181 prescriptions contained two and 138 contained three antimicrobial drugs. Piperacillin+tazobactam(37.03%) was the most common fixed dose combination noticed.Conclusions: Overall extensive poly-pharmacy and drugs with non-generic name noticed among the prescriptions. Few interventional programs should be aimed at control of infections, rational antimicrobial drug prescription to minimize adverse drug events, emergence of bacterial resistance and attenuating unnecessary cost

Reduction of triterpenoid ketones with bornan-2-exo-yloxyaluminium dichloride: a convenient preparation of axial triterpene alcohols

Reduction of 3-oxo-triterpenoids with bornan-2-exo-yloxyaluminium dichloride furnishes axial (3 α-) alcohols as the major products (75-100%), which are easily separable from the reaction mixtures. Reduction with sodium borohydride gives mainly the 3α-alcohols (85-95%)