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Background: Self-medication is a widely practiced trend in the general Indian population. Among the medical students, self- medication is popular because of awareness about the disease and their treatment. Analgesics are one of the most common drugs used for self-medication. Very few studies are available in Jharkhand regarding this subject. So, the present study aims to delve into the pattern of self-medication practices of analgesics among the 1st and 3rd semester medical students of RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand.Methods: A questionnaire based cross sectional study was done in RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India in March-April 2019 among the undergraduate medical students. The results were expressed as percentage and frequency.Results: Out of total 150 and 142 students in the 1st and 3rd semester respectively, 140 and 130 students practiced self- medication. Advice from seniors was the biggest source of information in both the groups followed by internet and books. Paracetamol was the most common drug (75%; 60%) and headache was the most common indication (55%; 68%). Quick relief of symptoms was the most common reason for self-medication in both the groups (44%; 48%).Conclusions: In both the groups, the students continued the drug even after experiencing side effects (77%; 60%). Most students were of the view that such practice is not acceptable at all times (75%; 72%).
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Background: Self-medication is a very common practice which is gradually spreading all over the world. Analgesics are the most commonly available over the counter (OTC) drugs. They are used for pain relief in many diseases. Use of these analgesics has become a serious ailment because self- medication practices of analgesic drugs are increasing among general population as well as medical students. Being future medical practitioners, self-medication has a special impact in medical students. Various data are available regarding usage of OTC analgesic drugs but still data in Jharkhand are lacking. So, the present study aims to provide an insight into the practice of OTC analgesics among 3rd and 4th year medical students in RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand.Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted among medical students in RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand in November-December 2018. Data were collected through questionnaire filled by the students and results were expressed as percentage frequency.Results: Questionnaire were filled completely by 253 students out of 287 students. 85.8% of males and 90.41% of females were practicing self-medication. Advice from seniors and books were the major source of information about the drugs. Paracetamol was the most common drug used (54.87%) and headache (27.43%) was the most common indication. Mild nature of illness (30.34%) and quick relief (29.10%) were the most common reason of self-medication. About 83.39% of them were using these drugs according to need.50.98% had not felt any side effects. 51.38% students were of the view that self-medication practices are not always acceptable.Conclusions: Medical students use OTC analgesics for various kinds of pain like headache, muscle pain, menstrual pain etc. They generally use different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) among which paracetamol is the most common. But self-medication practices are always associated with some risks. So, the students must be educated properly regarding their rational use and advantages and disadvantages of OTC drugs.
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Background: The aim was to study the current prescribing and drug utilization pattern in Ophthalmology Department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Drug utilization study is a part of pharmaco-epidemiological exercise quantifying the extent, nature and determinants of drug use in a population. Periodic audit of drug usage pattern forms an essential tool to ascertain the role of drug in a society, increase therapeutic efficacy and improve cost effectiveness of the therapy. It is an introspective and critical instrument providing positive impact on health care delivery to the patient. With this background, the present study was carried out to analyze the prescription pattern and drug utilization by measuring the WHO drug use indicators in ophthalmology department of a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: The prescriptions of 961 outpatients were included and analyzed using a predesigned case record form OPD prescription of each patient. Patient and prescription related parameters were analyzed.Results: Prescription analysis showed that the average number of drugs per prescription was 1.85. The drugs were prescribed in the form of eye drops (67.42%), followed by ointments (14.37%), capsules (15.45%), and tablets (2.71%). The dosage form and frequency of drug administration was indicated for all of the drugs prescribed, the duration of treatment for 60.97% of the drugs prescribed. Antimicrobial agents and tear substitute together constituted above 50% of all the drugs. Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name and from NEDL was 31.62% and 37.22%, respectively. Patient抯 knowledge of correct dosage was 70.44%.Conclusions: This study showed that there is scope for improvement in prescribing patterns in areas of writing generic names of drugs, essential drugs, writing legible and complete prescriptions.
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Background: The advancement in the dentin regeneration aiming at the preservation of pulpal vitality has challenged the traditional concept of substituting diseased tooth with inert materials. Clinical studies, demonstrating preservation of pulpal vitality with the use of biomimetic materials in deep carious lesions, are lacking in the literature. Objective: This clinical study aims to assess the treatment outcome of vital pulp therapy using Biodentine in cases of deep carious lesion in a single visit treatment protocol. Methodology: Twelve posterior teeth with deep carious lesion with no signs of irreversible pulpitis were selected for the study. After rubber dam application, excavation of caries was performed until all infected dentin was removed leaving behind affected dentine. Biodentine was applied followed by immediate restoration with bonded composite resin. The patient was recalled at time intervals of 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and up to 1 year for clinical and radiographic evaluation. Outcome was described in terms of success and failure. Success was defined as clinical absence of signs and symptoms, response to sensibility test on every recall visits, no tooth discoloration seen, and radiographical absence of periapical pathosis. Results: All the 12 patients were recalled at the end of 1 year for follow-up. The overall success rate was 83.4%. Two of the twelve cases required root canal treatment to relieve painful pulpitis. On clinical and radiographic examination, no signs of periapical pathosis were noted in the 10 successful cases. Conclusion: In deep carious lesions, vital pulp therapy with Biodentine has proven to maintain the pulpal vitality in permanent teeth with single visit treatment protocol.
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Background: To study the prescribing patterns, rationale of drug usage and use of anatomical, therapeutic, chemical (ATC) and defined daily dosage (DDD) classification for the monitoring of drug utilization in the dermatology department of a tertiary care hospital.Methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted in out-patients department of dermatology at RIMS, Ranchi over a period of two months. Rationale of drug usage was assessed by analysing the prescriptions. Defined daily dosage/1000 patients/day of the commonly used medications was compared to the defined daily dosage by World Health Organization in 2016. Data was analysed by statistical tools. Most of the results were expressed in percentages.Results: The prescriptions were rational in most of the cases. Emphasis was more towards the branded drugs. Polypharmacy was evident in many of the prescriptions. The number of DDD/1000 patients/day in cases of antifungals was more than the WHO DDD and less than the WHO DDD in case of antihistaminics.Conclusions: The number of drugs per prescription must be rationalized so as to avoid polypharmacy. The drugs should be prescribed by their generic names also along with the brand names. Generic medicines should be available in the hospital pharmacy so that a more cost-effective treatment can be assured. CMEs and stewardship programs for health care professionals regarding rational drug usage should be organized.
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Background: The aim of the present study was to assess the therapeutic role of GM-CSF (EMGRAST -M) on augmentation of total leucocyte count and total platelet count in cancer patients after chemotherapy.Methods: The total leucocyte count (TLC) and total platelet count (TPC) of thirty patients on chemotherapy were obtained before and after the administration of GM-CSF. The results were analysed retrospectively for the effect of GM-CSF on these parameters. Statistical analysis was done, and graphs were made by Libre office calc and Student’s T Test was used for comparison of data.Results: The study showed that EMGRAST-M had an impressive effect on both the platelet count and the leucocyte count.Conclusions: GM-CSF has a great therapeutic role in the enhancement of platelet count and leucocyte count in patients of cancer chemotherapy.
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Maculopapular or morbilliform eruptions may be the most common of all cutaneous drug reactions. Antimicrobials, NSAIDS, barbiturates, anticonvulsants, oral hypoglycemics etc. have been commonly implicated in these adverse reactions (ADR). Here, authors are presenting a case of a 38-year-old female with morbilliform eruptions due to aceclofenac for the treatment of joint pain. The patient was treated with antihistaminics, steroids, antimicrobials and local application of GV paint. She was discharged after eleven days with good recovery.