IMPACT OF PHARMACIST LED INTERVENTION IN IMPROVING MEDICATION KNOWLEDGE AMONG CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led medication management clinics in improving medication knowledge among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Methods: This was a retrospective study using a convenient sampling method. All CKD patients age 18 y above with complete pre and post knowledge assessment record were included. The pre-knowledge assessment was done at baseline while the post-assessment was done after a few sessions of medication knowledge teaching done by the clinical pharmacist using medication knowledge assessment form. Demographics data and pre-post knowledge scores were retrieved from patient’s electronic medical record system. All data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24. Results: The study shows a total of 13 patients, with the majority being Malay, male with a median age of 60. 84.6% of the patients were consuming more than 5 medications. While 53.9% of patients fall into CKD stage 4 and 5. Patient’s knowledge towards medications improved significantly with an increase in the median pre-knowledge score of 13 to post knowledge score of 18 (p<0.05) after completion of the session. Conclusion: From this preliminary evaluation, pharmacist-led medication management clinic resulted in significant improvement of medication knowledge which is further expected to improve medication adherence and delay the disease progressio

Balancing public health with economic gains

In light of the recent decision by the government to remove nicotine used in ecigarettes and other vaping products from the Poisons List of controlled substances, several precautionary measures can be taken to prevent inappropriate consumption and reduce the potential harm of using these products

EVALUATION OF GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE ESTIMATING EQUATIONS IN CKD PATIENTS WITH DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION

Objective: To compare the performance of Cockcroft-Gault and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations in estimating kidney function in CKD patients with diabetes and hypertension. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed medical records in Hospital Kajang. The GFR was calculated using Cockcroft-Gault and MDRD equations. Kappa Measure of Agreement was used to check the consistency of CKD staging. Wilcoxon signed-ranked tests and Bland-Altman plots were used to determine the difference of both equations. Spearman correlation was used to determine the correlation between blood pressure and blood sugar levels with eGFR. Results: Data pertaining to a total of 81 patients were extracted. Results showed 22% of the patients were staged differently (Kappa value = 0.644 [P<0.001]) and the majority of them moved down one CKD stage when MDRD equation was used instead of Cockcroft-Gault equation. Wilcoxon signed rank test demonstrated there was a significant difference (P<0.001) in eGFR using CandG and MDRD in patients with diabetes and hypertension. Furthermore, the mean difference observed was 3.78±5.56 [P<0.001]), where the Cockcroft-Gault equation measured 3.78 units higher than MDRD equation. However, the relationship between blood sugar and blood pressure with eGFR were not significant. Conclusion: There was a significant difference between Cockcroft-Gault and MDRD equations in estimating kidney function CKD patients with diabetes and hypertension

The power of digital medicine: A new era in healthcare

Digital medicine refers to the use of digital technologies to enhance the delivery and effectiveness of medical care. It is a rapidly growing field that has the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes. It encompasses a range of technologies, including mobile apps, wearables, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence (AI). Digital medicine has the potential to revolutionize the way diagnosis, treatment, and disease management are made to improve patient outcomes

The impact of skin disorders on patients’ quality of life in Malaysia

Background: Skin diseases is a common worldwide problem. It affected every aspect of patients’ quality of life (QOL) mainly physically, socially and psychologically. Objectives: to assess the impact of skin disorders on patients’ quality of life and to identify factors associated with it. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in outpatient dermatology clinic of a tertiary hospital in Malaysia. A random sample of 145 patients with acne, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) were interviewed using DLQI questionnaire during their scheduled follow-up appointments at dermatology clinic. Main outcome measure: Self-reported patients’ QOL due to their skin diseases. Results and discussion: Out of three skin diseases psoriasis patients had the highest prevalence (39.3%) followed by AD (34.5%) and acne (26.2%). Patients’ QOL was highly influenced by their skin conditions especially on working/schooling domain. Furthermore, several factors were identified, namely age, working environment, concurrent skin diseases, usage of supplement for skin diseases and type of food as aggravating factors—that may influence patients’ QOL. QOL among females and younger adults was found to be more significantly influenced as compared to males and elderly. With respect to working environment, those who had both indoor and outdoor working environment showed the highest impact of their skin conditions on their QOL. Single patients were more influenced by their skin conditions when compared to those who are married, however it was not significant. Conclusion: Our findings revealed skin disease had negatively impacted individual QOL with different level of aspects. Among the three diseases, AD patients had the worst impact on QOL. Significant predictors of QOL did not relate solely to skin diseases but also other factors such as type of food and working environment

Enhancing medication management in hemodialysis patients: Exploring the impact of patient-centered pharmacist care and motivational interviewing.

BackgroundPatients on hemodialysis (HD) often uses several medications, making them highly susceptible to medication-related problems (MRP) thereby leading to medication nonadherence. Therefore, an innovative pharmaceutical care strategy incorporating drug therapy optimization (DTO) and motivational interviewing (MI) can mitigate medication-related problems and optimize patient care.Aims and objectiveThe objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of pharmacist led interventions in utilizing DTO and MI techniques in managing medication related problems among patients undergoing hemodialysis.Method and designA12-months, cross sectional prospective study was conducted among 63 End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients on HD. DTO was conducted by the pharmacist to identify the MRP by reviewing complete medication list gathered from patient interview and medical records. All MRPs was classified using the PCNE classification version 9.00 and medication issues, that require patient involvement were categorized as patient-related, while those that necessitate physician intervention were classified as physician-related. The DTO was performed at the baseline, 6-month and at the final month of the study. Identified medication issues were communicated to the site nephrologist and was tracked during next follow up. Whereas MI was conducted physically at Month-3 and via telephone on month-6 and month-9 to address patient related medication issues.ResultsMean age of the study population was 48.5±14 years. While the mean number of prescribed medications was 8.1±2 with 57% of the patients taking more than 5 types of medication. After 12 months of pharmacist intervention using DTO and MI, a mean reduction in MRP was observed for both patient-related and physician-related MRPs across three time series. However, further analysis using repeated measure ANOVA revealed that the reduction in patient-related MRPs was statistically significant [F(1.491, 92.412) = 60.921, p ConclusionPharmaceutical care service through DTO and MI can effectively reduce and prevent drug-related issues to optimize medication therapy among HD patients

Assessment of prevalence, knowledge and health-related practices of dysmenorrhea among Malaysian women in Kuala Lumpur: a cross-sectional survey

AbstractBackground Menstruation is a natural phenomenon considered an important indicator of women’s health, reflecting their endocrine function. Women in low middle income countries face substantial menstrual hygiene management challenges. Data on the knowledge of dysmenorrhea and health-related practices among Malaysian women are scarce. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among Malaysian women in Kuala Lumpur and its association with socio-demographic factors, knowledge level, and general practices.Method A cross-sectional study was carried out among Malaysian women in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 362 unmarried women, nulliparous and aged between 18 and 25 years old, were included in this study. Participants were conveniently recruited through online platforms as well as face to face using a self-administered questionnaire with five sections consisting of demographics, menstrual characteristics, Working ability, Location, Intensity, Days of pain, Dysmenorrhea (WaLIDD) score for diagnosing and assessing the severity of dysmenorrhea as well as an evaluation of respondents’ general knowledge and practices towards dysmenorrhea. The collected data were analysed using the SPSS tool, a descriptive statistic was used to report demographic characteristics. Inferential statistics was used to report the differentiation, association, and correlations of the variables.Results The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was 73.2%. It was found that the majority of the respondents had poor knowledge (60%) and poor practices (61.88%) of dysmenorrhea. The most common preventive practices among the respondents were using dietary supplements, and herbs, taking a rest and exercising. The findings also indicated that dysmenorrhea among the respondents was significantly associated with family history of dysmenorrhea (p = 0.002), monthly income (p = 0.001), and knowledge level (p = 0.001).Conclusion Dysmenorrhea has a high prevalence among women in Malaysia in Kula Lumpur driven by low knowledge and lack of evidence-based practices among these women. Thus, it is critical for Government and healthcare authorities to promote education related to women health among Malaysian women

Cosmetics: What Do Bruneian Female Adults Believe?

Objectives: The study aimed to measure the level of attitudes and the current practices of the female community in Brunei Darussalam regarding the usage of cosmetics. Methods: An online survey was conducted using a non-probabilistic snowball sampling approach via the social media channels WhatsApp and Instagram. The inclusion criteria were female Bruneian citizens or permanent residents, aged between 18 and 65 years old, who can understand English or Malay, and use cosmetic products at least once a day. Results: A total of 445 participants responded to the online survey. Most of the participants agreed that the use of cosmetic products improves one’s physical appearance to the public (391, 87.8%) and also improves self-confidence (405, 91.1%). There were significant differences in monthly cosmetic product expenses and participants’ attitudes about safe cosmetic use (p = 0.001). No significant changes in the individuals’ attitudes based on their age or educational level were observed. Overall, the participants had a good level of cosmetic safety practice. Almost half of the participants use social media to obtain information regarding what cosmetics to use or purchase. Conclusion: There is a medium to high level of attitude and a high level of practice regarding the safe use of cosmetics among Bruneian female adults. Social media was the main source of information for the respondents, followed by friend circle and family members

General health benefits and pharmacological activities of triticum aestivum L.

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum), one of the world’s most consumed cereal grains, is known for its uses in baking and cooking in addition to its medicinal uses. As this plant’s medical benefits are enormous and scattered, this narrative review was aimed at describing the pharmacological activities, phytochemistry, and the nutritional values of Triticum aestivum. It is a good source of dietary fiber, resistant starch, phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols, lignans, and diverse antioxidant compounds such as carotenoids, tocopherols and tocotrienols. These constituents provide Triticum aestivum with a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hypolipemic, antioxidant, laxative, and moisturizing effects. This review summarized the established benefits of wheat in human health, the mode of action, and different clinical, in vitro and in vivo studies for different varieties and cultivars. This review also gives an insight for future research into the better use of this plant as a functional food. More clinical trials, in vivo and in vitro studies are warranted to broaden the knowledge about the effect of Triticum aestivum on nutrition-related diseases prevention, and physical and mental well-being sustenance