ABSTRACT
To evaluate the effect of Memantine on cognitive functions and level of dependency of patients with Alzheimer dementia. This descriptive study was conducted at department of Psychiatry, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from February to June 2012. Sample consisted of 55 patients; both male and female and were included through consecutive sampling. Patients were assessed at baseline and at three months follow up for Cognitive functions and level of dependency with the use of Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE] and Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly [CAPE] as psychometric tools. Fifty five patients with Dementia were included in the study. Forty three patients completed their follow up visits. Mean score of the patients who completed follow up on MMSE at baseline was 17.47 +/- 6.04, while mean dependency grade of CAPE at baseline was 3.67 +/- 1.44. Mean score on MMSE at follow up was 19.67 +/- 5.88 while mean dependency grade of CAPE was 2.67 +/- 1.39. Significant difference was found between the scores on base line and follow up with the p=0.00. We concluded from our study that Memantine has useful role in the improvement of the cognitive functions and behavioral dependency of the demented patients as there were significant improvements seen in both cognitive functions and level of dependency of the patients with Alzheimer dementia after 3 months follow up assessment
ABSTRACT
The study was aimed at determining the frequency, common type and causes of substance use among the professional institute of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan as well as comparing substance users based on gender and their residence [day scholars versus hostellers]. Three professional institutes i.e., Khyber Medical College [KMC] Peshawar, University of Engineering and technology [UET] Peshawar and Ghulam Ishaq Khan University [GIK] Topi were selected from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for the study. From these three institutes, 300 willing participants both men and women were selected. Alcohol, Smoking, Substance Involvement Screening Test was administered on the sample. Chi-square was used to analyze the data. Hundreds students each were taken from KMC, UET and GIK. The age range of the sample was 19-25 years with a mean of 21.76 +/- 1.16 years. There were 204 [68%] students using various substances. Out of these, 138 were males and 66 females. The common substance used by the students was tobacco products [n=124, 41.4%] followed by sedatives [n= 44, 14.7%] and alcohol [n=20, 6.7%]. Out of 152 students residing in hostels, 91 were using substances compared to 63 out of 148 day scholars. The study revealed that Tobacco was the most common substance used in the study population. Males and students living in hostels were more substance consumer as compared to females and day scholars, respectively
ABSTRACT
To obtain information about the number of patients attended by general practitioners in different stages of schizophrenia; relevant knowledge, diagnostic skills and ongoing practice concerning management of patients suffering from severe mental illness. For this cross sectional survey conducted from May to September 2010, a semi-structured questionnaire, obtained and modified from that of Simon AE et al was distributed among general practitioners working in Bannu district. The participants were requested to fill the questionnaire anonymously and return it to research worker. Out of 100, 72 general practitioners responded to the request of filling the questionnaire. Among them 60 [85%] were males. Only 17% replied that they could spare more than half an hour for the assessment of schizophrenic patients. Sixty four percent reported delusions and hallucinations as the most frequent symptoms of schizophrenia. Seventy percent relied on personal history for diagnosis of schizophrenia. Sixty percent practitioners considered pharmacotherapy as the first line therapy. More than half of them wanted to continue treatment for six to twelve months in first psychotic episode. Seventy percent preferred to refer the patients to specialist care for complete handover. No one of the working practitioners participated in continuing medical education CME on schizophrenia during the past few months of their professional life. The knowledge of general practitioners about signs and symptoms of schizophrenia is reasonable but they lack interventional skills. They need easily accessible specialized services for referral and regular training programmes to update their knowledge