Consumption of medicines in high-risk pregnancy: evaluation of determinants related to the use of prescription drugs and self-medication

The use of drugs during pregnancy still represents a challenge for medicine, since the majority of drugs cross the placental barrier with a potential to cause several congenital problems to the fetus, and most of them have not been clinically tested in pregnant patients. At the same time, the medicalization phenomenon, self-medication, and lack of patient information about the misuse of medicines are additional problems. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the pattern of medicine consumption in high-risk pregnancies and the determinants related to this consumption pattern. In order to do so, a cross-sectional descriptive study was performed with puerperal women who had a history of high-risk pregnancy. Statistically significant associations were found between self-medication and fewer prenatal visits, and cigarette use during pregnancy and a higher number of children. According to these data, the vulnerability of this population to the risks of drug use is evident, demonstrating a gap that requires urgent interventions in health-care education

Snake Envenomation In Children: Early Reactions Frequency At Antivenom In Patients Pretreated With Histamine Antagonists H1 And H2 And Hydrocortisone

Type and frequency of early reactions (ER) were studied in 24 children aging 2-14 years victims of snake bites who received pretreatment with histamine antagonists H1 (dextrochlorfeniramine) and H2 (cimetidine or ranitidine) and hydrocortisone from 1989 to 1993. None of them had atopy nor received any type of anti-venoms (AV) and antitoxins before. Of 24 children, 15 received botrophic AV (ER in 5), 7 crotalic AV (ER in 5), 1 crotalic plus cortalic-botrophic AV, and 1 elapidic AV (ER in 1). In 3 children severe early reactions were observed and they were classified as severe crotalic accident. Results suggest that pre-treatment did not offer safety protection at the appearance of early reactions.36545145