ABSTRACT
Omeprazole, a Proton pump inhibitor, is widely prescribed in patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux. Patients continue to use omeprazole for long period of time even without the supervision of the doctor. The authors report a 50-year-old male patient with a 5-year history of omeprazole use, who complained of chest discomfort. ECG on admission showed atrial fibrillation. Laboratory findings showed hypomagnesaemia, hypocalcaemia, and hypokalemia. The case report emphasizes the importance of patient education regarding the use and adverse drug reactions of the prescribed medications.
ABSTRACT
Background: Diabetes mellitus type 2 is fast becoming a cause of concern for governments world over and people at large as it has immense socio-economic impact. A diabetic patient usually goes through phases of being overweight, obese, and insulin-resistant before being classified as a patient of type 2 diabetes. Fasting, though practiced for centuries, is a novel approach for delaying progression and possibly reversing diabetes mellitus. Aim and Objectives: The aim of the study is to look for the effect of intermittent fasting on various health parameters in obese type 2 diabetics. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care facility in Amritsar. Twelve obese volunteers in the age group of 20–60 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus not controlled with metformin alone were included in the study. All the participants were told to follow intermittent fasting protocol of 16:8 for a period of 4 weeks. At the beginning of the study, weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, fasting blood sugar, and serum insulin, were recorded in each participant. At the end of the 4 weeks period, all the measurements were repeated and compared with baseline values using the student t-test. Results: There was a highly significant decrease in the anthropometric indices and fasting blood sugar as compared to baseline values at the end of the 4-week period without any change in fasting serum insulin levels. Conclusion: There is a favorable effect of intermittent fasting on anthropometric indices and fasting blood sugar levels without any improvement in fasting serum insulin.
ABSTRACT
Background: Indiscriminate use of drugs and cosmetics among a pregnant woman is always a challenge in the antenatal care for health-care providers especially in developing countries. There is a potential risk to the growing fetus due to irrational use of drugs and cosmetics during pregnancy awareness, and adequate knowledge of their use can prevent many drug-induced complications during pregnancy. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the awareness among pregnant women regarding the use and safety of drugs and cosmetics. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in various antenatal clinics of the state of Punjab. 500 pregnant women were enrolled in the study and the questionnaire was prepared in the local language to assess the knowledge and beliefs of pregnant women. Data analysis was done using Chi-square test. Results: A very few pregnant women had knowledge that drugs have any effect on the fetus and less than half believe that drugs should be taken only by consultation by the doctor. Majority pregnant women believe that sufficient time and attention are not given by a doctor during an appointment. Only 2% of women had the idea of antenatal sessions. More than half of the pregnant women considered alternative remedies to be more safe in pregnancy while a very few had the idea that cosmetics are safe in pregnancy. Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that the majority of participants in the study have poor knowledge regarding benefits and adverse effects of the use of drugs and cosmetics during pregnancy.
ABSTRACT
Background: The prevalence of obesity has substantially increased over the past few decades. Central obesity, in particular, has a major role in the development of various metabolic disturbances including deranged lipid profile which leads to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Timely assessment of any changes in lipid profile can help the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in obese men. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of abnormal waist-hip ratio (WHR) with the lipid profile in healthy men. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the tertiary care center of Amritsar. Two groups of 50 men each of the age group of 20–40 years were enrolled in the study. Group I included men with normal WHR while Group II included men with increased WHR. Lipid profile including cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) was measured by standard methods. Statistical analysis was done by Student’s t-test and correlation was established using correlation coefficient. Results: Evaluation of lipid profile showed that serum cholesterol, TGs, LDL, and VLDL were higher in Group II than in Group I while HDL was lower in Group II than in Group I. Central obesity (WHR) has direct association with deranged lipid profile. Conclusion: It can be concluded that visceral or central obesity has direct correlation with the fasting lipid profile in men of the Northwest region of Punjab and WHR is a more reliable predictor of risk.