Profile of substance abusers attending at de-addiction center of GMERS medical college, Dharpur-Patan, Gujarat, India: a cross sectional study

Background: Although the history of substance abuse is as old as mankind itself, recently it has become a global problem that is influenced by social, economic, political, and psychosocial factors. The objective of the study was to study the socio-demographic profile of patients attending at de-addiction center.Methods: The present cross sectional study was conducted at de-addiction center of GMERS Medical College, Dharpur-Patan, North Gujarat, India during December 2014 to July 2015. After obtaining approval from Institutional ethical committee and taking written and verbal consent of patients, total 206 patients were interviewed using predesigned, pretested and semi structured proforma. Data thus collected were analysed using SPSS 17 (trial version).Results: Out of total 206 substance abusers, 138 (67%) patients were between the age group of 25 to 45 years.69% of the total abusers belonged to socio economic class 4 and 5. 14.6% substance abusers were illiterate 66.9% of the substance abusers were skilled and semi-skilled workers. Out of total 206 substance abusers, 102 (49.5%) patients had family history of substance abuse. 40.8% of the substance abusers had initiated substance abuse in adolescent age group while 45.6% of the substance abusers had initiated substance abuse between 20 to 30 years age group. Mean age of substance initiation in our study was 22±6 years. The mean duration of substance use was 18.1 years. Friends of substance abusers (peer pressure) were responsible for starting of substance abuse in majority of the substance abusers (81.6%). Out of total 206 substance abusers, 128 (62.1%) patients were addicted to alcohol.Conclusions: This study shows that youth is falling in vicious trap of drug abuse at early age. Awareness programs and camps need to be conducted at community level to address this major public health problem of substance use.

Study of drug utilization, morbidity pattern and cost of hypolipidemic agents in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Data on the extent of use and costs of lipid-lowering agents are not widely available. Our aim was to study the drug utilization and morbidity pattern, cost of different hypolipidemic drugs along with the risk assessment for coronary heart disease.Methods: After approval of protocol by the Institutional Review Board, an observational, prospective study was carried out in 300 patients using NCEP and ATP III Guidelines-2002 for evaluation of presence or absence of risk factors for coronary heart diseases. Data were analysed using SPSS software version 16.0and WHO Core Drug Prescribing Indicators.Results: Patient’s morbidity pattern revealed that 62%, 49.3%, 28% suffered from ischemic heart disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus respectively. On risk assessment, 48%, 13.3% patients had borderline and high level of total cholesterol respectively; 42%, 22.7% had borderline and high triglyceride levels respectively; 71.1% men and 62% women had low HDL cholesterol levels while 17.3%, 6% and 2.7% patients had borderline high, high and very high level of LDL cholesterol levels respectively. Frequency of prescriptions was atorvastatin (82%), rosuvastatin (9.3%) and simvastatin (4.7%) among the most frequently prescribed statins drug group. The mean number of drugs per prescription was 7.34. Drugs prescribed by generic name and from essential drugs list was 24.96% and 71.81% respectively. Mean cost of hypolipidemic agents/prescription/day was 10.74 (±1.96) Indian Rupees with rosuvastatin being the costliest.Conclusion: Rational use of hypolipidemic agents with an increasing trend of statins prescriptions will significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality from coronary heart diseases.