Pharmacoeconomic analysis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its microvascular complications

The international society for pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research (ISPOR) defines “Pharmacoeconomics as the field of study that evaluates the behaviour of individuals, firms and markets relevant to the use of pharmaceutical products, services and programs and which frequently focuses on the costs (inputs) and consequences (outcomes) of that use”. It is the description and analysis of the cost of drug therapy to health care systems and society. This prospective observation study was carried out for over a period of 6 months commencing from March 2014 to August 2014 among inpatients of General medicine and Nephrology departments of a tertiary care referral hospital in kerala.All diabetes mellitus patient treated in the Inpatient department of General medicine and Nephrology department during March-August 2014 were monitored, collect relevant data and entered into the data sheet. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the protocol approved by the IEC, patients belonging to the age group 40-70 of both sex were selected and enrolled for the study

Prescription auditing in rural area

Prescription is an order written by a physician, dentist or any other medical practitioner to the pharmacist to compound and dispense a specific medication for individual patient. Prescription auditing is a quality improvement process that seeks to improve patient care. The parameters which has to analyzed in the process of prescription auditing are, patient demographics, clinical diagnosis, department, prescribing standards, doctors name and signature. It is a prospective survey carried out in a rural area. About 50 prescription was collected. The study provides the effect of prescription auditing. Patients age sex, date of prescription ,drugs name and signature of the prescriber, dose, dosage form, duration of treatment was collected and analyzed. About 96% of prescription contain patient name, 88% contain patient age, all of these prescription are written in brand names and 96% are written in small letter. About 60% of the prescription contain dose of the drug and 90% of drug dosage forms are included. Among 50 prescription, 36% are eligible for reading, 48% are partially eligible and 16% are not eligible for reading. Prescription audits is an educational activity, which promotes high-quality patient care and which should carried out regularly.. A prescription auidit is to designed to measure the compliance with the standards of the proven clinical practice and to record the required and the documented changes in the clinical practice, which are shown by the re-audits.&nbsp

A survey on functioning of male and female with migraine

Migraines are severe, recurring, and painful headaches. The extreme pain have that migraines cause can last for hours or even days. Migraines can follow an aura of sensory disturbances followed by a severe headache that often appears on one side of the head. Objective of the study include; To find out whether male and female are more prone to develop migraine, To evaluate which triggering factors contributes to migraine and To evaluate the people taking OTC for migraine. A Prospective survey will be carried out in 75 peoples using the information’s gathered from students in Pharmacy colleges in Trivandrum. This study provides the prevalence of migraine headache. Past history, medication usage, diagnosis, treatment, triggering factors, physical and intellectual activities was collected, analysed properly and response is recorded. These collected data will be subjected to statistical analysis. In the current research, a survey on functioning of male and female with migraine was formulated. Among the respondents about 18-35 age group is commonly affected migraine with 98.7%(n=74). Approximately, 63.5%(n=47) female are affected with migraine than 36.5%(n=27) male. About 11.16%(n=8) of patients taken prescription drugs and 52.2%(n=48) are taken over-the-counter medicines. Migraine worsened in 77.20%(n=48) patients with stress, 50%(n=33) bright sunshine, 33.30%(n=22)  loud noise and others have air travel, fatigue, certain smells and perfume. The goal of management is to reduce frequency and severity of episodes in males and females. Also limit the impact of this chronic pain condition

Role of pharmacy students in reducing medication error- a survey

A medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of health care professional, patient, or consumer.The disciplines of medicine, nursing, and pharmacy all play a major role in preventing medication-related errors. To Study the role of pharmacy students in reducing the occurrence of medication errors. A Prospective survey will be carried out using the informations gathered from students in Pharmacy Colleges. This study is to analyze the knowledge of the pharmacy students in reducing medication error. In the questionnaire how the medication error reported, Types of medication error, common drugs involved in medication error etc was included. Also response is recorded. These collected data will be subjected to proper statistical analysis. About 50 students were responded through Google forms. Majority 44% Pharm-D students were responded well. About 88% of medication error was monitored and remaining 12% not.The majority of 60% antibiotics involved in the Medication error. About 96% of people have beneficial in patient care. About 94% responders having lack of knowledge and insufficient training of pharmacist is a problem. Responders of about 62%prescription error, 24% administration error and 14% dispensing error. 84% of responders were documented the medication error. This study will help to aware pharmacy students the importance of reporting medication error and to reduce the occurrence of the medication error and also to study the knowledge of the pharmacy students in medication error reporting.&nbsp

Prevalence, pattern and management of tonsilitis in students-an online survey

Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat-one tonsil on each side. Signs and symptoms of tonsillitis include swollen tonsils, sore throat, difficulty swallowing and tender lymph nodes on the sides of the neck. The objective of the study is to study the prevalence of tonsillitis in adults, to evaluate which triggering factors contributes to tonsillitis and to evaluate the treatment strategy for tonsillitis. A Prospective survey will be carried out in 49 peoples using the information's gathered from students in Pharmacy colleges in Trivandrum. This study provides the prevalence of tonsillitis. Past history, medication usage, diagnosis, treatment and triggering factors was collected and analyzed properly. Also response is recorded. In the current research, a survey on prevalence of tonsillitis in adults was formulated .Approximately, 77% female are affected with tonsillitis than 22.9% of male. Among the responders, 75% have tonsillitis and remaining 25% not. About 13% of patients taken self medication, 47.8% consulting physician and 41% are taken home remedies. From this study, most of the responders were satisfied with OTC medicines and home remedies and recurrent attack of tonsillitis are increasing day by day to abolish Tonsillitis, to reduce the frequency and severity of recurrent throat infections to improve general well-being, behavior, and educational achievement with minimal adverse effects.    &nbsp

Prevalence of breathing difficulty and evaluating the use of inhaler among public in rural area

Asthma and COPD are common diseases of the airways and lungs that have a major impact on the health of the population. Major limitation to the effective use of inhaled medications is the inability of many patients to use various inhaler devices correctly. Patients require appropriate education in the correct handling of inhaled medications. Objective of the study is the prevalence of breathing difficulty and evaluating the use of inhaler among public in rural area. Methodology includes a cross sectional questionnaire study carried out among 35 people in rural area. The study is mainly based on the use of inhaler techniques among peoples leave in a particular locality and taken there duration of disease, medications, frequency of using the inhaler to determine the correct way of using the inhaler. Result includes about 35 patients were responded. Among them 36.5% were female patients and 23.5% were males. Most of the patients have asthma 24%. most often people have correct knowledge about inhaler use. 59.3% people using meter dose inhaler and 37% people use rotahaler. about 63% people use inhaler whenever necessary, 25.9% people use inhaler twice a day, 3.7% use after a long journey and 7.4% use all of the above. The opportunity for technological innovation and educational interventions to reduce errors is highlighted, as well as the specific challenges faced by children

A rare presentation of adult Bartter syndrome: a case report

Bartter syndrome (BS) is an inherited renal tubular disease. It is caused by a defective salt reabsorption in the thick ascending limb of loop of Henle. The term BS signify a group of renal disease which is the common divisor of hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis. BS is categorized into 5 types based on the specific channel; type 1 is linked to gene SLC12A1, type 2 is linked to a gene KCNJ1, type 3 is linked to a gene called CICNKb while type 4 is linked to a gene BSND and type 5 is linked to CASR gene. This disorder is correlated with an increased antenatal and neonatal mortality. Here, a 61 years old female patient was presented with complaints of fever, myalgia, nausea, and cough for one day, decreased appetite and unable to do daily routine. Patient had conscious, oriented and afebrile. She had history of OAD, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. On hospital stay, she was started on IV calcium gluconate, potassium chloride, magnesium sulphate, antipyretics and other supportive measures. This case concludes the rarity of the BS. Correct diagnosis of BS is more expensive and not routinely available genetic testing. Therefore, the significance of diagnosing the case is more relevant

Pharmacogenetics and the Future of Perzonalized Medications

Clinical genetic testing has grown across the globe over the past 30 decades as the causative mutations for Mendelian diseases have been pointed out, especially helped in part by the recent advances in molecular technologies. Substantially, the use of up to date tests and other strategies such as diagnostic confirmation, testing prenatally, and population-based carrier screening is offered with caution and careful consideration before implementing clinically. This may facilitate the appropriate use of brand new genetic tests available. It helps clinicians to judge and prescribe drugs more wisely. Nowadays, most of the health organizations and drug safety commissions provide revisions that include pharmacogenetic information leaflets for selected drugs. However, regardless of some pharmacogenetic associations with adverse results, rest of the proposals has been proven successfully. When compared with testing for the Mendelian diseases, pharmacogenetic testing for other manifestations may have only a negligible positive predictive value, which is one rationale for underutilization. A number of other barriers remain with implementing clinical pharmacogenetics, including lack of clinical utility, professional education, and regulatory and reimbursement issues, among others. Through this review we put forward some of the challenges and barriers faced in executing a clinical pharmacogenetic test

A case report on anti-tubercular agent induced hepatotoxicity

Hepatotoxicity is the serious adverse effect of tuberculosis treatment and it leads to the discontinuation of Anti-tubercular agent (ATT) causing increased drug resistance, morbidity and mortality. We report a 69 years old male patient with ATT induced hepatotoxicity.

Evaluation and effect of patient counseling by Pharm D students in hospitals - a survey

Patient understanding about the illness is very important role in management .Counseling makes the patient understand his/her illness, lifestyle modifications in better way and enhance patient compliance. The objective of the study is to find out the impact of Pharm D students in patient counseling and analyzing the effect of counseling enhances the patient care services or not. In this method, a set of self-designed questionnaire was prepared to evaluate the knowledge of patients regarding their disease, medications and lifestyle and a prospective survey was carried out using the information’s gathered from Pharm D students in all pharmacy colleges in South India. The study provides the effect of counseling; counseling place, time, and counseling aids, language, disease conditions are collected and analyzed properly. Also patient response to the counseling was recorded. These collected data was subjected to proper statistical analysis and a total of 15 colleges with 72% female and 25% male Pharm D student’s response were collected. The significance of the study was to identify the effect of patient counseling at bedside, discharge and their follow-up