Self medication patterns amongst undergraduate medical students of a private medical college

To determine the pattern and preferences of self-medication practices among the undergraduate medical students of Islamabad Medical and Dental college Islamabad. This cross-sectional study was undertaken at Islamabad Medical and Dental College Islamabad during a three months period [October 2012 to December 2012]. The study population consisted of medical students from first to final year, selected by consecutive sampling method, within the age group of 17-29 years with mean age 21.4 years and SD 2.4. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was administered to them. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and summarized. Percentages were used in the analysis and interpretation of the results. Out of 100 students a total of 88 students [40 [45.5%] female participants and 48 [54.5%] male participants] said that they practiced self-medication. Among these 54.2% attributed their source of information to electronic media 18% to print media and 27.9% to drug promotional activities, 62.9% said that they have sufficient knowledge regarding self medication. The leading percentage that is 51% used analgesics, 44.3% used antibiotics, and 4.5% used psychiatric drugs. Out of those who used psychiatric drugs, 75% used short acting anxiolytics and 25% used long acting antidepressant drugs. There is high prevalence of self medication among under graduate medical students and diversity exists in its pattern

Induced remote ischemic pre-conditioning on ischemia reperfusion injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass

To determine the role of remote ischemic pre-conditioning [rIPC] on myocardium, against ischemia reperfusion injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft [CABG] surgery by measuring CKMB levels. A randomized controlled trial. The Surgical Department of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi, from January to June 2008. One hundred patients with double and triple vessels coronary artery disease were randomized in two groups of 50 each. rIPC protocol consisted of 3 x 5 minutes of forearm ischemia, induced by a blood pressure cuff inflated to 200 mmHg, with an intervening 5 minutes of reperfusion, during which the cuff was deflated. Patients in the control group were not subjected to limb ischemia. The protocol of induced ischemia was completed before placing patients on extracorporeal bypass circuit. At the end of surgery serum CKMB levels were measured and compared at 8, 16, 24 and 48 hours from both the groups. Written informed consent was taken from patients. Study was approved by the hospital ethical committee. Remote ischemic pre-conditioning significantly reduced CKMB levels at 8, 16, 24 and 48 hours after surgery with p-values of 0.026, 0.021, 0.052 and 0.003 respectively. There was mean reduction of 3 iu/l in CKMB levels, in patients who underwent rIPC protocol prior to CABG surgery, compared to control group. This study showed a significant reduction of enzyme marker CKMB in patients subjected to rIPC prior to CABG surgery. This suggests lesser degree of myocardial damage compared to control group in CABG patients

Correlation of bilirubin with liver enzymes in patients of falciparum malaria

Falciparum malaria is responsible for 1-3 million deaths annually worldwide. Liver involvement is common and may manifest as raised serum bilirubin, hepatomegaly and elevated liver enzymes. Unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia is usually seen leading to increased mortality. Alanine aminotransferase [SGPT] is a marker of liver damage. The present study was conducted on Plasmodium falciparum malarial patients to observe the correlation between liver enzymes and bilirubin. To observe the correlation coefficient of bilirubin with liver enzymes [SGPT, SGOT and Alkaline Phosphatase] in patients of falciparum malaria. A Descriptive study. Department of Biochemistry, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, JPMC, Karachi from August 2005 to July 2006. Total 81 patients of different ages and both sexes suffering from acute malaria, were selected by convenient sampling. Nine patients, infected by Hepatitis B and C infections were excluded from the study. Among remaining 72 cases, 48 [70%] were suffering from infection by Plasmodium falciparum and 24 [30%] from infection by Plasmodium vivax infection. The Falciparum infected patients were equally divided into two groups on the basis of duration of illness. Group I having 1- 7days illness and Group II having duration of 8-20 days. Patients suffering from plasmodium vivax infection and illness of 1 - 20 days were placed in Group III. In the group I, SGPT and Alkaline phosphatase showed a statistically significant positive correlation r=0.50 and r=0.054, respectively with bilirubin [P<0.05]. In group II, the SGPT showed a statistically excellent positive correlation [r=0.88; P<0.01], while the SGOT and Alkaline phosphatase also showed a statistically significant positive correlation. In group III both aminotransferases and Alkaline phosphatase showed a statistically significant positive correlation r=0.82, 0.63 and 0.69 respectively. Positive correlation of liver enzymes and bilirubin shows that liver function tests should be performed along with early diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum malarial infections in order to prevent complications and to reduce mortality