Impact of counselling on the attendance and academic performance of second year medical students in the subject Pharmacology

Background: Absenteeism is becoming a major problem among medical students which has become a focus of concern nationally and globally.Methods: Students are assessed at the beginning of the counselling. The academic performance and attendance rates of students are recorded and tabulated systematically. The data was evaluated for the group of students having low academic performance and attendance over the study period. Statistics applied to determine significant impact of counselling on attendance and academic performance of students over the study period.Results: Study showed positive and significant impact of counselling on attendance and academic performance of the students. The study also revealed positive correlation between attendance and academic performance.Conclusions: The significant impact of counselling was found on student attendance and academic performance. The counselling sessions also proved to improve the student teacher relationship in terms of better two-way communication and also helped in receiving feedback on implementation of new ways of teaching

Effect of nimodipine and flunarizine on neuromuscular function in mice

Background: Changes in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ control a number of cellular and physiological processes, hormone secretion, and cell fate and gene expression. The objective of this study was to study the effect of L-type of calcium channel blocker nimodipine and T-type of calcium channel blocker funarizine on neuromuscular function in mice without pre-treatment by any other drug.Methods: The study was carried out following permission from the Institutional animal ethics committee. Healthy Swiss albino mice of either sex were selected by the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria and the grouping is done. Group A is control treated with normal saline; group B and C received two titrated doses of nimodipine while group D and E received two titrated doses of flunarizine. The animals were then observed for neuromuscular function and the Statistical analysis was done by using unpaired‘t’ test.Results: L-type calcium channel blocker nimodipine has dose dependent effect on locomotor activity on traction wire and while the T- type calcium channel blocker flunarizine has no effect on locomotor activity.Conclusions: Nimodipine has significant dose dependent depressant action on neuromuscular function while flunarizine has no effect on the above mentioned parameter

Prescribing pattern of antibiotics in pedodontics OPD of tertiary care dental hospital in Dhule district

Background: Antibiotics are prescribed in dental practice for prophylactic and therapeutic reasons. Prophylactic antibiotics are prescribed to prevent diseases caused by members of the oral flora introduced to distant sites in a host at risk or introduced to a local compromised site in a host at risk. Although a number of studies on antibiotic use have been carried out, controversies still exist in areas such as prophylaxis, interactions and their use after both minor and intermediate oral surgical procedures. These controversies lead to inappropriate and unnecessary antibiotic use in humans. The objective of this study was to study prescribing frequency of antimicrobial agents and to study prescribing frequency of particular brand of antibiotic agent.Methods: A descriptive study was conducted in outpatient department of pedodontics of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Three hundred prescriptions were randomly collected over a period of 30 days. The data was then analysed to find out the prescribing pattern.Results: In the present study, 67% of the total prescriptions had at least one antibiotic and amoxicillin is the most frequently prescribed antibiotic while co-amoxyclav is the most frequently prescribed fixed dose combination. Amongst fixed dose combination of amoxycillin and clavulanic acid, megamox CV (55%) is the most frequently prescribed brand followed by moxclav kid (34%). For amoxycillin, novamox (60%) is the most frequently prescribed brand followed by moxkid (31%) and megamox (8%).Conclusions: Most reports on antibiotic use in dentistry show amoxicillin or other penicillin-based drugs to be the most commonly used. This trend is based on the established efficacy of penicillin based drugs on bacteria involved in odontogenic infections. Increasingly resistant strains are being reported in odontogenic infections, hence the need for constant antibiotic pharmacovigilance

Analysis of prescribing pattern of antimicrobial agents and its rationality in tertiary care rural setup of Central India

Background: Antimicrobial agents are most commonly prescribed drug and share major cost of the treatment. Excessive and inappropriate use of antimicrobial has become a global problem, resulting not only in substantial economic burden on healthcare system but also in contributing to the selective pressure favoring the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Antimicrobial agents which one uses for prophylactic, empiric and therapeutic purposes, depends upon the local epidemiology of infectious diseases, microbiology and resistance pattern as well as local clinical experience. Rational use of antibiotics is one of the most important way of preventing development of resistant strains to these drugs. However, for this, the health care providers should be aware of the available antibiotic prescription guidelines and should strictly adhere to it. Also, they should be updated of emerging resistant strains. Though the strict guidelines are available for the use of antibiotics, there are differences in level of knowledge and approach to antibiotic prescription among professional health care providers.Methods: The present cross sectional study was carried out in A.V.B.R. Teaching Hospital by collecting data from admitted patient’s case paper, tabulated in seven groups of diseases and different groups of antimicrobial agents prescribed.Results: Penicillin and quinolone group of antimicrobials show maximum use whereas sensitivity found more in cephalosporins and quinolone group of antimicrobials.Conclusions: It was found that Cephalosporins (3rd Gen.) are the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents followed by aminoglycosides (Gentamicin) and Fluroquinolones (Ciprofloxacin)

Assessment of knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics amongst medical undergraduates of a tertiary care teaching hospital of Chhattisgarh, India: a questionnaire based study

Background: Knowledge of pharmacology forms the basis of rational pharmacotherapy practice. Teaching the medical students about systematic application of pharmacology in patients’ care forms an essential component. It facilitates the medical students to develop a methodical approach in solving patients’ clinical problems.Methods: A questionnaire-based study was conducted, at Government Medical College Rajnandgaon involving second year MBBS students. Total 100 students participated in the study.Results: Hundred percent of the students responded that pharmacology was presently taught to them, seventy nine percent of them agreed with the fact that pharmacology was preferred to pass the MBBS, eighty eight percent of them responded that in pharmacokinetics was the least preferred topic, ninety seven of them were not aware of the essential drug list. Their suggestions regarding the change in teaching methodology was recorded.Conclusions: This study concludes that efforts are needed to develop a curriculum that encompasses important aspects of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics along with incorporation of the useful suggestions by the undergraduate students