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Background: Diclofenac and Tramadol are well established analgesics for post-operative pain management, yet some adverse effects are associated with their use which govern their tolerability. The objective of the study was to evaluate the comparative efficacy of the two drugs and to assess the causality and severity of documented Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs).Methods: An open labelled, prospective, interventional, simple randomized clinical study to compare efficacy and safety of diclofenac and tramadol was conducted by the Department of Pharmacology in collaboration with the Department of Surgery. Post-operative pain intensity was measured on Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Causality and severity assessment of the recorded ADRs was done using WHO-UMC scale and modified Hartwig and Seigel Scale respectively.Results: A total of 211 patients underwent different surgeries. The most common surgery performed was mesh hernioplasty 78 (36.96%). VAS score was used as data to determine the analgesic efficacy of two drugs. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test showed significant reduction in pain on all days for each group individually while Mann Whitney U test compared both the groups and revealed that both the drugs i.e. diclofenac and tramadol were equally efficacious in reducing post-operative pain. Causality assessment showed that all the documented ADRs fall in POSSIBLE category while severity assessment revealed that all the ADRs were MILD in nature.Conclusions: Diclofenac and tramadol proved to be equi-effective in reducing post-operative pain . The study also emphasized that active surveillance of ADRs can lead to timely intervention and provide maximum benefit to the patient.
ABSTRACT
Background: Utilization pattern of antipsychotics has undergone a major shift as the newly introduced atypical antipsychotics have heralded the market. Hence continuous studies on current prescribing trends are needed to provide most updated, effective and rational treatment of psychoses.Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted at Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India. OPD tickets of the department of psychiatry for the year 2016-2017 were evaluated for a total of 310 cases. These prescriptions were used to determine the drug utilization of antipsychotics and for their appropriateness against the WHO recommended core prescribing indicators.Results: A total of 310 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria and a male predominance was seen (male:female= 1.3:1). The most common psychotic disorder diagnosed was schizophrenia (44%). Majority of the patients (76%) received monotherapy and the prescribing trend showed a higher use of atypical antipsychotics (89%) over typical ones (11%). The most commonly prescribed anti-psychotic drugs were olanzapine (31%), followed by risperidone (26%). On analysing prescriptions according to the WHO core prescribing indicators it was observed that average number of antipsychotics prescribed per prescription was 1.32. 24% of drugs were prescribed by generic name and 5.2% were administered via injectable route. Drugs prescribed from National list of Essential Medicine, 2015 constituted 46%.Conclusions: The high inclination towards the use of atypical antipsychotics observed in our study correlates with the global changing trends in the treatment of schizophrenia. WHO prescribing indicators should be adhered to, to impart rational prescribing.
ABSTRACT
Background: Due to the injudicious and indiscriminate use of Anti-Microbial Agents (AMAs) among hospitalized patients especially in ICUs, it is extremely imperative to monitor and refine the prescribing pattern of antibiotics regularly. Hence an effective surveillance team consisting of a physician, a pharmacologist and a microbiologist should develop and implement an antimicrobial stewardship program based on the local antibiogam to increase the therapeutic benefits and curb the menace of Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR). Aims:-To study the prescribing pattern of Anti-Microbial Agents and to evaluate the antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of common bacterial isolates in Medical ICU (MICU) of a tertiary care hospital. Methods: After taking approval from the Institutional ethical committee, this prospective observational study was conducted in the department of Pharmacology and Microbiology over a period of six months. Patient records were reviewed and analyzed to assess the prescribing pattern of antibiotics and Culture-sensitivity reports of various specimen from MICU were collected to determine the antibiotic sensitivity pattern. Results: Ceftriaxone (26%) was the most commonly prescribed drug followed by Metronidazole (16%). Fixed drug combinations such as Piperacillin+Tazobactam (14%), Amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (10%) and Cefoperazone + Sulbactam (8%) were also frequently used. The most predominant organism isolated was Klebseilla species (25%) followed by Acenitobacter species (19.4%). Colistin /Imipenem and Vancomycin/Linezolid depicted100% sensitivity for Gram-Negative (GNIs) and Gram-Positive Isolates (GPIs) respectively. Conclusions: The need of the hour is to preserve the power of the almost exhausted antimicrobial armamentarium against the rampantly emerging multidrug resistant organisms.
ABSTRACT
Background: Long-term administration of antihypertensives require better efficacy and tolerability. Moreover, the agent should regress left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), which is an important predictor of cardiovascular events. Aims: To comparatively evaluate the effects of losartan/hydrochlorothiazide (LST/HCTZ) and amlodipine (AMLO) on LVH, biochemical parameters and adverse effects in hypertension. Material and methods: Two hundred fifty newly diagnosed hypertensive patients were randomly divided into two groups. LST 50 mg/HCTZ 12.5 mg and AMLO 5 mg once-daily, were administered. Biochemical parameters, adverse effects and ECG were recorded initially and after 6 months of therapy. Statistical analysis was done. Results: Both regimens significantly reduced mean SBP and DBP in each of the six follow ups (p < 0.001). LST/HCTZ caused regression of LVH in greater number of cases (26) than AMLO (20) and also showed a significant increase in mean values of serum creatinine, serum uric acid and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and a significant decrease in Serum cholesterol. In AMLO group only serum creatinine was raised. The most common adverse effects in LST/HCTZ was dizziness (4.5%) and in AMLO group pedal edema (22%). Conclusion: Comparatively LST/HCTZ therapy causes regression of LVH in larger number of cases, increases HDL and is better tolerated.