7 research outputs found
Assessment of community pharmacists´ counselling skills on headache management by using the simulated patient approach: a pilot study
Background: Headache, or cephalalgia, is one of
the 20 most disabling diseases in the world and
affects a large portion of the world´s population.
People generally use over-the-counter medications
to treat headaches and other minor symptoms. A
pharmacist should help patients choose the most
effective, safe, and convenient
pharmacotherapeutic option.
Objective: To assess the counselling skills of
community pharmacists for headache management
by using the simulated patient approach.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted
from March 2010 to July 2010. Data were obtained
from a convenience sample consisting of one
pharmacist from each of the 24 participating
community pharmacies. In order to evaluate the
pharmacists´ counselling skills, a simulated patient
role played a standardized headache case
requesting self-medication. The interactions of the
simulated patient with the pharmacists were
audiovisually recorded using a hidden micro
camera, and these recordings were analysed using
a validated questionnaire.
Results: Of the 24 evaluated pharmacists, 19
(79.1%) were women. Information was
spontaneously provided by 15 (62.5%) pharmacists.
At least one question was asked by the pharmacist
to assess the signs and symptoms. Most
pharmacists (n=17, 70.8%) recommended sodium
dipyrone, either alone or in combination with other
drugs. The most discussed items in the simulation
visits were contraindications (n=17, 70.8%),
indications (n=10, 41.6%), and drug administration
times (n=8, 33.3%). None of the pharmacists
recommended any non-pharmacological therapeutic alternatives. The overall impressions of the
pharmacists professional counselling skills ranged
from poor to fair.
Conclusion: This study showed that the
pharmacists counselling skills and the guidance
provided by the pharmacists to the simulated patient
were insufficient for the satisfactory management of
headache.Antecedentes: El dolor de cabeza o cefalea es una
de las 20 enfermedades más incapacitantes en el
mundo y afecta a una gran parte de la población
mundial. La gente utiliza generalmente
medicamentos OTC para tratar los dolores de
cabeza y otros síntomas menores. Un farmacéutico
debería ayudar a los pacientes a elegir la opción
farmacoterapéutica más efectiva, segura y
conveniente.
Objetivo: Evaluar las habilidades de los
farmacéuticos comunitarios para el manejo del
dolor de cabeza utilizando un abordaje de paciente
simulado.
Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal entre
marzo 2010 y julio 2010. Se obtuvieron datos de
una muestra de conveniencia consistente en un
farmacéutico de cada 24 farmacias comunitarias
participantes. Para evaluar las habilidades de
asesoramiento de los farmacéuticos, un paciente
simulado recreó un caso estandarizado de dolor de
cabeza solicitando auto-medicación. Las
interacciones del paciente simulado con el
farmacéutico fueron audiovisualmente grabadas
utilizando una micro-cámara oculta, y estas
grabaciones fueron analizadas utilizando un
cuestionario validado.
Resultados: De los 24 farmacéuticos evaluados, 19
(79,1%) eran mujeres. 15 farmacéuticos (62,5%)
proporcionaron información espontáneamente. El farmacéutico pregunto al menos una pregunta para
evaluar los síntomas. La mayoría de los
farmacéuticos (n=17, 70,8%) recomendó dipirona
sódica, sóla o en combinación con otros
medicamentos. Los ítems más discutidos en las
visitas simuladas fueron las contraindicaciones
(n=17, 70,8%), la indicación (n=10, 41,6%), y la
frecuencia de administración (n=8, 33,3%).
Ninguno de los farmacéuticos recomendó alguna
alternativa terapéutica no farmacológica. La
impresión general de las habilidades de
asesoramiento profesional delos farmacéuticos
osciló entre pobre y moderada.
Conclusión: Este estudio mostró que las
habilidades de asesoramiento de los farmacéuticos
y los consejos proporcionados al paciente simulado
fueron insuficientes para el manejo satisfactorio del
dolor de cabeza
N-Acetyl Cysteine Attenuated the Deleterious Effects of Advanced Glycation End-Products on the Kidney of Non-Diabetic Rats
Aim: To assess the renal effects of chronic exposure to advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in the absence of diabetes and the potential impact of concomitant treatment with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Methods: Wistar rats received intraperitoneally 20 mg/kg/day of albumin modified (AlbAGE) or not (AlbC) by advanced glycation for 12 weeks and oral NAC (600mg/L; AlbAGE+NAC and AlbC+NAC, respectively). Biochemical, urinary and renal morphological analyses; carboxymethyl-lysine (CML, an AGE), CD68 (macrophage infiltration), and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE, marker of oxidative stress) immunostaining; intrarenal mRNA expression of genes belonging to pathways related to AGEs (Ager, Ddost, Nfkb1), renin-angiotensin system (Agt, Ren, Ace), fibrosis (Tgfb1, Col4a1), oxidative stress (Nox4, Txnip), and apoptosis (Bax, Bcl2); and reactive oxidative species (ROS) content were performed. Results: AlbAGE significantly increased urine protein-to-creatinine ratio; glomerular area; renal CML content and macrophage infiltration; expression of Ager, Nfkb1, Agt, Ren, Tgfb1, Col4a1, Txnip, Bax/Bcl2 ratio; and 4-HNE and ROS contents. Some of these effects were attenuated by NAC concomitant treatment. Conclusion: Because AGEs are highly consumed in modern diets and implicated in the progression of different kidney diseases, NAC could be a therapeutic intervention to decrease renal damage, considering that long-term restriction of dietary AGEs is difficult to achieve in practice