ABSTRACT
Background: Functional status can be conceptualized as an individual’s ability to manage activities related to personal self-care and self-maintenance. Functional status assessment is fundamental aspect of geriatric examination especially in the context of over the counter (OTC) medications. This assessment helps clinicians and policymakers to design and implement interventions that help elderly to live safely and independently. The primary objective was to assess the prevalence of limitation in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) among elderly population. The secondary objective was to identify the use of OTC medications according to the therapeutic indications among them. Methods: A total of 200 community dwelling elderly persons residing in Sushrutanagar of North Bengal were interviewed using valid and reliable functional assessment scales namely Katz ADL and Lawton and Brody IADL. Statistical procedures for the analyses included descriptive ADL and IADL activity limitation was 15 % (30/200) and 85 % (170/200), respectively. Results: The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that advancing age (70 years and above), poor self-rated health and ailments namely musculoskeletal problems, cardiovascular diseases and cataract significantly predict functional limitation. 70% of the subjects consumed analgesics and 60% the antacids as OTC medications. Conclusion: With advancing age, various co-morbidities starts creeping up and the study subjects used the OTC medications to counteract the associated functional limitations as evident from this study. Cataract surgeries patients should be identified and operated upon so as to improve visual functioning and thus their functional ability. Further, factors affecting the use of OTC drugs in elderly subjects need further research.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this review was to discuss the major recent advances in the field of ophthalmology, particularly as it pertains to glaucoma. We reviewed literature using MEDLINE and PubMed databases with the following search terms: “glaucoma,” “melatonin,” “trabecular outflow pathway,” “adenosine,” “rho kinase,” “norepinephrine,” and “matrix metalloproteinases.” We also reviewed pertinent references from articles found in this search. We looked at various studies concerning the clinical trials of glaucoma therapeutics, and therapeutic potential of putative ocular drug delivery systems in glaucoma. Challenges of assuring safety and efficacy of the newer medicines and techniques are pertinent in this regard. However, more research is needed to better elucidate the mechanism of various investigational drug products and drug delivery devices in glaucoma.
ABSTRACT
Background: Assessment of the antimicrobial sensitivity pattern in urinary isolates of the children suffering from urinary tract infection (UTI) and evaluation of the recent trends of multi-drug resistance in the isolates. The aim was to find out the antibiotics sensitivity of the organisms isolated from the urine samples of pediatric age-group with emphasis on their resistance pattern. Methods: A clinico-epidemiological study comprising of 304 specimens of urine were collected among all the children with UTI below 12 years of age, attending pediatric outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in eastern India wet mount microscopy and semi quantitative culture were done to diagnose UTI. Organisms isolated were identified by standard biochemical tests, and antibiogram studies were done by standard Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test statistical analysis, Microsoft excel and SPSS were used for analysis of data. Results: Aminoglycosides had wider sensitivity pattern toward most of the uropathogens whereas tetracyclines and co-amoxyclav in particular were resistant for most of the organisms. Among all the organisms, Pseudomonas and Enterococcus species showed higher resistance pattern toward the conventional antimicrobials. Conclusions: The changing trends in the anti-biograms of several Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms in UTI demands reconsideration with respect to rational drug use in the pediatric age group.