Assessment of patients’ knowledge to their dispensed medications at Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea

@#Limited information on drug use indicates that medicines are not optimally used. Inadequate knowledge of medication uses may lead to overuse of medicines or patient non-compliance with a medicine regimen, and result in serious outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the patients’ knowledge on dispensed medications in pharmacy at Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH). This was a descriptive cross-sectional study utilizing a self-administered questionnaire adapted from the WHO “Guide to Good Prescribing Practical Manual”. The questionnaire sought to elicit major classes of medicines prescribed, knowledge of patients on indications, how to use the medicines, precautions and possible adverse events. A total of 130 patients from PMGH participated in this study. Although majority of patients (94.6%) knew the instructions on the use of the dispensed medicines in terms of route of administration, dosage and frequency of usage; only 74.6% of them knew the duration of medicines use. Further, 19.2% of participants did not know the indications for which their medicines were prescribed. Knowledge on adverse effects was also significantly low i.e 34.7%. Lack of understanding of warnings and precautions was rated at 42.3%. These figures may contribute to poor patient compliance and cause possible harm to the patients. The results demonstrated lack of adequate information given to patients on their prescribed medicines. It is recommended that prescribers be re-trained on the importance of giving adequate information on medications given to patients, particularly to patients with low educational background.

Clinical Features of Drug-induced Liver Injury According to Etiology

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an increasingly common cause of acute hepatitis. We examined clinical features and types of liver injury of 65 affected patients who underwent liver biopsy according DILI etiology. The major causes of DILI were the use of herbal medications (43.2%), prescribed medications (21.6%), and traditional therapeutic preparations and dietary supplements (35%). DILI from herbal medications, traditional therapeutic preparations, and dietary supplements was associated with higher elevations in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels than was DILI from prescription medications. The types of liver injury based on the R ratio were hepatocellular (67.7%), mixed (10.8%), and cholestatic (21.5%). Herbal medications and traditional therapeutic preparations were more commonly associated with hepatocellular liver injury than were prescription medications (P = 0.002). Herbal medications and traditional therapeutic preparations induce more hepatocellular DILI and increased elevations in AST and ALT than prescribed medications.

Encuesta sobre abuso de alcohol y medicamentos en adolescentes de cuatro escuelas del conurbano bonaerense / Survey on alcohol and medicine abuse among adolescents at four schools in Greater Buenos Aires

Introducción. El consumo de alcohol y medicamentos no prescritos en los adolescentes es un problema creciente en los servicios de toxicología. La "jarra loca" es una mezcla de bebidas alcohólicas y medicamentos que utilizan los jóvenes como modalidad de abuso. En los últimos años, además de psicofármacos, los jóvenes mezclan hipoglucemiantes, lo cual puede generar secuelas neurológicas o producir la muerte, dependiendo de la dosis ingerida y el tiempo de duración de la hipoglucemia. Objetivo. Estimar la prevalencia de consumo de alcohol y medicamentos en adolescentes de 12 a 18 años de edad que concurren a cuatro escuelas del partido de Tres de Febrero, de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Material y métodos. Estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal. Se realizó una encuesta autoadministrada sobre consumo de alcohol y medicamentos en adolescentes de 12 a 18 años, de cuatro escuelas de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Se realizaron talleres para intercambio de conocimientos y experiencias con los alumnos y se entregó material gráfico informativo. Resultados. Se realizaron 977 encuestas. El 49% de los alumnos encuestados refirió consumir bebidas alcohólicas al salir con sus amigos. El 8% (n= 78) de los alumnos refirieron consumir "jarra loca" y el 49% refirieron que sus amigos lo hacían. Veintiún alumnos requirieron atención médica, al menos, en una oportunidad luego de haber tomado bebidas alcohólicas y 17 de estos habían consumido "jarra loca". El 55% de los alumnos desconocían el uso de las pastillas que mezclan en la "jarra loca". El 48% de los padres desaprueba el consumo de alcohol. Conclusión. El 49% refirió tomar bebidas alcohólicas. En nuestro trabajo, el 8% de los alumnos encuestados consumieron o probaron alguna vez "jarra loca", aunque el 49% afirmaron que sus amigos sí lo hacían.

Introduction.The use of alcohol and prescription drugs acquired without a prescription among adolescents has become an increasing problem at departments of toxicology. The "jarra loca" is a mix of alcoholic beverages and medicines abused by teens. In the past years, in addition to psychotropic drugs, adolescents have also added hypoglycemic drugs to the mix, which may cause neurological sequelae or even death, depending on the dose used and the duration of hypoglycemia. Objective.To estimate the prevalence of alcohol and medicine use among 12 to 18 year-old adolescents attending four schools in the district of Tres de Febrero, province of Buenos Aires. Material and Metfcods.Observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study. A survey on alcohol and medicine use was self-administered by 12 to 18 year-old adolescents from four schools in the province of Buenos Aires. During workshops, knowledge and experience were exchanged with students and infographic material was provided. Results.Nine hundred and seventy-seven surveys were completed. Of all surveyed students, 49% indicated that they have alcoholic beverages while out with their friends; 8% (n= 78) admitted drinking the "jarra loca" while 49% stated that their friends did. Twenty-one students required medical care at least once following alcohol consumption, and seventeen of them had drunk the "jarra loca." Fifty-five percent of students did not know what medicines are mixed in the "jarra loca" Forty-eight percent of parents discourage alcohol consumption. Conclusion.Forty-nine percent of students indicated that they have alcoholic beverages. In our study, 8% of surveyed students had consumed or tried the "jarra loca" once, although 49% referred that they friends did.