10 research outputs found
Pharmacists attitudes and awareness towards the use and safety of herbs in Kuwait
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes among pharmacists in Kuwait towards the use of herbs. Methods: Self-administered questionnaire was designed as the study instrument and distributed among 100 qualified pharmacists working in government and private pharmacies in Kuwait. Results: The mean age was 34.2 (SD=7.5) years. About 51% of pharmacists reported they had used herbal therapy in their lifetime. The majority were interested in herbal information, and their herbal information came mainly from their previous classes during college. Although the pharmacists¿ knowledge about uses of selected herbs was good, their awareness about side effects of those herbs was modest. About 31% of the pharmacists did not have enough information about potential interactions between herbs and conventional medicines. Conclusion: Herbal information is needed for pharmacy students as part of the Pharmacy College curriculum. Continuing education programs for practising pharmacists about the safety of different herbal products should be established in Kuwait
Pharmacists attitudes and awareness towards the use and safety of herbs in Kuwait
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes among pharmacists in Kuwait towards the use of herbs.
Methods: Self-administered questionnaire was designed as the study instrument and distributed among 100 qualified pharmacists working in government and private pharmacies in Kuwait.
Results: The mean age was 34.2 (SD=7.5) years. About 51% of pharmacists reported they had used herbal therapy in their lifetime. The majority were interested in herbal information, and their herbal information came mainly from their previous classes during college. Although the pharmacists¿ knowledge about uses of selected herbs was good, their awareness about side effects of those herbs was modest. About 31% of the pharmacists did not have enough information about potential interactions between herbs and conventional medicines.
Conclusion: Herbal information is needed for pharmacy students as part of the Pharmacy College curriculum. Continuing education programs for practising pharmacists about the safety of different herbal products should be established in Kuwait
Pharmaceutical and chemical pediatric poisoning in Kuwait: a retrospective survey
Past studies of pediatric poisoning in Kuwait have
suggested differences at hospital level which could
impact on the implementation of public health
interventions. The objective was to compare
pediatric poisoning admissions at general hospitals
in Kuwait.
Methods: Retrospective survey of all pediatric
poisoning cases at the six general hospitals from
January 2004 to December 2005. Case data were
documented using ICD-10 criteria and the poisoning
severity score. Aggregated data was also obtained
from five private hospitals.
Results: 978 children were admitted in public
hospitals over 2004 and 2005 (no fatalities) being
1.8% and 1.6% of all pediatric admissions (private
hospitals admitted 293 cases). The majority of the
poisoning cases came from Jahra hospital (>35%),
the median age was 2.3 yrs, 93% of cases were
under 6 yrs old and 71% were Kuwaiti. Two thirds of
cases involved pharmaceuticals although this varied
between hospitals with a tendency for more severe
cases with chemical poisoning (p=0.011). Kerosene
was an important problem at Jahra hospital (34.7%
of chemical exposures). Non-opioid analgesics
constituted 22.3% of medication exposures with
hormones and drugs affecting the autonomic
nervous system also common with some difference
in pattern between institutions.
Conclusion: Case demographics do not vary
significantly between the hospitals but there are
differences in the nature of toxic agents to which
children are exposed suggesting that preventive
and educational programs could be targeted to
specific areas for maximal effect particularly with
regard to household chemical and kerosene
exposures.Anteriores estudios de envenenamiento pediátrico
han sugerido diferencias a nivel hospitalario que
podrían tener impacto en la implantación de
intervenciones de salud pública. El objetico fue
comparar los ingresos de envenenamientos
pediátricos en hospitales generales de Kuwait.
Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de todos los casos
de envenenamiento pediátrico en seis hospitales de
enero 2004 a diciembre 2005. Los datos de los
casos se documentaron utilizando los criterios CIE-
10 y las puntuaciones de gravedad. Se obtuvieron
también datos agregados de cinco hospitales
privados.
Resultados: 978 niños ingresaron en hospitales
públicos durante 2004 y 2005 (sin muertes) siendo
el 1,8% y el 1,6% de todas lis ingresos pediátricos
(los hospitales privados ingresaron 293 casos). Ña
mayoría de los casos de envenenamiento vinieron
del hospital de Jahra (>35%), la mediana de edad
fue de 2,3 años, el 93% de los casos fueron d niños
de menos e 6 años y el 71% eran kuwaitíes. Dos
tercios de los casos involucraron medicamentos,
aunque esto varió entre hospitales con una
tendencia hacia casos más graves con los
envenenamientos por químicos (p=0,011). El
keroseno fue un problema importante en el hospital
de Jahra (34,7% de las exposiciones a químicos).
Los analgésicos no opioides constituyeron el 22,3%
de las exposiciones a medicamentos con las
hormonas y los medicamentos que afectan al
sistema nervioso autónomo también frecuentes con
algunas diferencias en el patrón entre instituciones.
Conclusión: La demografía de los casos no varía
significativamente entre los hospitales pero hay
diferencias en la naturaleza de los agentes tóxicos a
los que se exponen los niños sugiriendo que los
programas preventivos y educativos podrían
dirigirse a áreas especificas para maximizar los
efectos, particularmente con respecto a las
exposiciones a productos químicos almacenados en
casa y a keroseno