Knowledge and Attitude towards Prevention and Management of Hypertension in Jatinangor Sub-district

Background: There is an increase in prevalence of hypertension all over the world as well as Indonesia. Hypertension affects almost all body organs and systems. Hypertension prevention and management are influenced by knowledge and attitude towards the disease. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and attitude towards prevention and management of hypertension.Methods: This was a descriptive study with cross–sectional approach conducted in Jatinangor sub-district in 2013. Sample sizes were determined based on proportion of the case in population and precision estimates (95% confidence intervals). One hundred twenty respondents aged 18–60 year-old were selected from population using stratified random sampling method. Hypertensions knowledge and attitude were assessed using validated questioner as the scale measurement. Frequency of knowledge level was presented as three ordinal categories; good, moderate, and poor. Attitude of hypertension was presented as frequency in two categories; relatively positive and relatively negative.Results: Out of 120 respondents administered the questioner, 42.50% had good knowledge; 41.67% had moderate knowledge; 15.83% had poor knowledge related to hypertension prevention and 21.67% had good knowledge; 19.17% had moderate knowledge; 59.17% had poor knowledge related to management of hypertension. Hypertension attitude of respondents were 60.83% relatively positive in topics of hypertension prevention and 39.17% in topics of hypertension management.Conclusions: Respondents are knowledgeable about hypertension prevention but are less knowledgeable about its management. Respondents have relatively positive attitudes towards hypertension prevention. In the other hand, respondents have more relatively negative attitudes towards its management. [AMJ.2016;3(2):222–9]DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n2.80

Solanumnigrum L. as a Hepatoprotective Agent

  Background: Liver damage may be caused by various factors. SolanumnigrumL.fruit is known to contain flavonoid antioxidant which is responsible for its hepatoprotective effect. A study was conducted to determine the protective effect of Solanumnigrum L. fruit infusion (SNFI) on CCl4-induced hepatic cell damage in rats. Methods: A complete randomized experimental study was conducted on 25 male Wistar strain-white rats (Rattusnorvegicus) which were divided into five groups during the period of September– October 2012. Group I (negative control) was given standardized food and water; group II (positive control) was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) 10% paraffin intraperitoneally by 8 mL/kg body weight on the 8th day of the study; group III, IV, V (treated) were given Solanumnigrum L. fruit infusion (SNFI) by 22.5g/100mL, 45 g/100mL and 90g/100mL concentrations for 8 days, respectively, prior to CCl4 induction. The calculation of necrotic liver cells was performed in 48 hours after induction. Data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Mann-Whitney post-hoc test. Results: The percentage of necrosis liver cells in group III, IV, and V was smaller compared to  the positive control group. The protective effect of SNFI against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity may be related to its ability to elevate the antioxidant agent in the body. There were significant differences in necrotic between Group II and group III, IV, V which were treated with SNFI. Conclusion: Further investigation is required to characterize the active ingredients and the mechanism of SNF action to confirm the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects.Keywords: CCl4, hepatoprotective, Solanumnigrum L.DOI: 10.15850/amj.v2n1.433 

Polypharmacy Treatment of Hypertensionin Public Health Centers

Background: Hypertension is one of the most prominent global diseases. Despite the availability of effective therapies, hypertension remains poorly controlled in Indonesia. In many cases, patient’s noncompliance may be attributable to the low patients’ knowledge, attitude, and life-style practices such as polypharmacy. Polypharmacy is defined as the administration of many drugs at in one prescription. Polypharmacy increases expenses, possible adverse reaction to a single agent, incidence of drug interactions, and decreases patient’s compliance This study aimed to identify the practice of polypharmacy in hypertension treatment in primary health centers.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out on 60 patients from two primary health centers in Jatinangor, West Java, Indonesia in October 2013. Sociodemographic profile, degree of hypertension, types of antihypertensive drugs, concomitant drugs given together with antihypertensive drugs, and treatment compliance data were collected and presented in tables and figures.Results: The incidence of hypertension was more common among male patients compared to female patients. Thirty-three patients (55%) have low compliance to their medication. Twenty-nine patients (48%) received single drug and 31 patients (52%) received more than one drugs.Conclusions: The percentage of polypharmacy practice in treating hypertension in primary health centers is 52%. The most frequently prescribed anti-hypertensive are angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium-channel blockers (CCB). Most of hypertensive patients have low compliance to therapy. [AMJ.2016;3(4):633–9] DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n4.95

Knowledge and Attitude towards Prevention and Management of Hypertension in Jatinangor Sub-district

Background: There is an increase in prevalence of hypertension all over the world as well as Indonesia. Hypertension affects almost all body organs and systems. Hypertension prevention and management are influenced by knowledge and attitude towards the disease. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and attitude towards prevention and management of hypertension.Methods: This was a descriptive study with cross–sectional approach conducted in Jatinangor sub-district in 2013. Sample sizes were determined based on proportion of the case in population and precision estimates (95% confidence intervals). One hundred twenty respondents aged 18–60 year-old were selected from population using stratified random sampling method. Hypertensions knowledge and attitude were assessed using validated questioner as the scale measurement. Frequency of knowledge level was presented as three ordinal categories; good, moderate, and poor. Attitude of hypertension was presented as frequency in two categories; relatively positive and relatively negative.Results: Out of 120 respondents administered the questioner, 42.50% had good knowledge; 41.67% had moderate knowledge; 15.83% had poor knowledge related to hypertension prevention and 21.67% had good knowledge; 19.17% had moderate knowledge; 59.17% had poor knowledge related to management of hypertension. Hypertension attitude of respondents were 60.83% relatively positive in topics of hypertension prevention and 39.17% in topics of hypertension management.Conclusions: Respondents are knowledgeable about hypertension prevention but are less knowledgeable about its management. Respondents have relatively positive attitudes towards hypertension prevention. In the other hand, respondents have more relatively negative attitudes towards its management. [AMJ.2016;3(2):222–9]DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n2.80

Hepatoprotective Effect of Solanum melongena/Eggplant against Acute Hepatitis

   Background: Hepatitis is a liver inflammation that can be acute or chronic and may cause damage to hepatocytes such as necrosis.. Hepatocyte necrosis can be inhibited by antioxidants such as flavonoids found in Solanum melongena fruit. This study aimed to determine the hepatoprotective effect of Solanum melongena fruit infusion to inhibit hepatocytes damage in CCl4-induced rats.Methods: Twenty five male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups, and adapted for 7 days before the experimental study. Negative and positive groups were given aquadest, Group III−V were given Solanum melongena fruit infusion containing 1.125 grams, 2.25 grams and 4.5 grams orally for 9 days. At the 9th day, all rats were induced by 8 mL/kgBW of 10% CCl4 in paraffin, except for the negative group. Rats were sacrificed on the 11th day, and liver biopsy preparations were made. Hepatocyte necrosis was counted and was analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test. Results: The study showed that the percentage of necrotic hepatocytes in group III, IV a nd V were lower than in the positive group. Using Mann-Whitney test, there were significant differences in negative group, group III, and group V (p0.05). Kruskal-Wallis test showed that there weresignificantly differences among groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: Solanum melongena fruit infusion has hepatoprotective effects against acute hepatitis in rat model histopathologically.Keywords: CCl4, flavonoids, hepatocyte, necrosis, Solanum melongena DOI: 10.15850/amj.v2n1.434 

Solanumnigrum L. as a Hepatoprotective Agent

  Background: Liver damage may be caused by various factors. SolanumnigrumL.fruit is known to contain flavonoid antioxidant which is responsible for its hepatoprotective effect. A study was conducted to determine the protective effect of Solanumnigrum L. fruit infusion (SNFI) on CCl4-induced hepatic cell damage in rats. Methods: A complete randomized experimental study was conducted on 25 male Wistar strain-white rats (Rattusnorvegicus) which were divided into five groups during the period of September– October 2012. Group I (negative control) was given standardized food and water; group II (positive control) was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) 10% paraffin intraperitoneally by 8 mL/kg body weight on the 8th day of the study; group III, IV, V (treated) were given Solanumnigrum L. fruit infusion (SNFI) by 22.5g/100mL, 45 g/100mL and 90g/100mL concentrations for 8 days, respectively, prior to CCl4 induction. The calculation of necrotic liver cells was performed in 48 hours after induction. Data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Mann-Whitney post-hoc test. Results: The percentage of necrosis liver cells in group III, IV, and V was smaller compared to  the positive control group. The protective effect of SNFI against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity may be related to its ability to elevate the antioxidant agent in the body. There were significant differences in necrotic between Group II and group III, IV, V which were treated with SNFI. Conclusion: Further investigation is required to characterize the active ingredients and the mechanism of SNF action to confirm the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects.Keywords: CCl4, hepatoprotective, Solanumnigrum L.DOI: 10.15850/amj.v2n1.433 

Polypharmacy Treatment of Hypertensionin Public Health Centers

Background: Hypertension is one of the most prominent global diseases. Despite the availability of effective therapies, hypertension remains poorly controlled in Indonesia. In many cases, patient’s noncompliance may be attributable to the low patients’ knowledge, attitude, and life-style practices such as polypharmacy. Polypharmacy is defined as the administration of many drugs at in one prescription. Polypharmacy increases expenses, possible adverse reaction to a single agent, incidence of drug interactions, and decreases patient’s compliance This study aimed to identify the practice of polypharmacy in hypertension treatment in primary health centers.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out on 60 patients from two primary health centers in Jatinangor, West Java, Indonesia in October 2013. Sociodemographic profile, degree of hypertension, types of antihypertensive drugs, concomitant drugs given together with antihypertensive drugs, and treatment compliance data were collected and presented in tables and figures.Results: The incidence of hypertension was more common among male patients compared to female patients. Thirty-three patients (55%) have low compliance to their medication. Twenty-nine patients (48%) received single drug and 31 patients (52%) received more than one drugs.Conclusions: The percentage of polypharmacy practice in treating hypertension in primary health centers is 52%. The most frequently prescribed anti-hypertensive are angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium-channel blockers (CCB). Most of hypertensive patients have low compliance to therapy. [AMJ.2016;3(4):633–9] DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n4.95

Analgesic Usage in Elderly at Public Health Center: A study in West Java, Indonesias

Background: Various analgesics prescriptions for elderly are not appropriate according to the guideline and can cause the increase of side effects such as gastric problems. Puskesmas as a public health center in Indonesia has an important role in anticipating this problem. The objectives of this study was to identify the  analgesic usage in elderly patients at the public health center. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted for 3 months at Tanjungsari public health center, Sumedang, West Java, Indonesia, using total sampling. The data was taken from 417 medical records from 2013. The data taken from medical records were: sex, analgesic drug, diagnosis, and drug for gastric problem.Results: From the collected data, the most analgesics prescribed for the elderly patients was paracetamol, followed by Piroxicam, Mefenamic acid, and Ibuprofen. Not all of the elderly patients who received NSAIDs, were given gastric drug. Conclusions: The most prescribed analgesic drug given to elderly patients at the public health center is paracetamol. [AMJ.2017;4(1):16–9]DOI: 10.15850/amj.v4n1.101