Smoking prevalence, knowledge and attitudes among medical students in Karachi, Pakistan

A survey of smoking prevalence and attitudes was made among medical students randomly selected from classes at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. Of 271 respondents, 14.4% were current smokers [22.0% male and 3.8% females] and 3.3% ex-smokers. A majority of students recognized the dangers associated with active as well as passive smoking although only 55% of current smokers planned to quit in the near future. Most smokers [96%] believed that they as well as other health professionals needed training on smoking cessation and 95% of all students believed that doctors should play a role model in smoking cessation by not smoking themselves. Specific training and counselling should be a part of the required curriculum at medical schools

Protein-energy malnutrition coupled with dental caries in rural area school children

The study was aimed to determine prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition [PEM] coupled with dental caries in rural area school children at Faisalabad. Normal and malnourished children, further categorized into different degrees of malnutrition, were sorted out as per Jellife's classification. The number of carious teeth in each case were noticed by naked eye. Majority [76.70%] of the children among which more [27.73%] female children were found malnourished. Percentage of female malnourished children against their male counterparts increased towards escalated degrees of malnutrition. Further, majority [52.56%] of the children carried carious teeth; and amongst the malnourished children more [50.40%] appeared with dental caries. The results revealed poor state of health of rural school children at Faisalabad with female children being badly affected. There appeared good% age of malnourished school children in the area suffering from dental caries

Effect of cimetidine, ranitidine and tiotidine on histamine stimulated gastric acid secretion in intact rats under local conditions

Antisecretory effects of cimetidine, ranitidine and tiotidine were studied on histamine-stimulated gastric Secretion in pylorus ligated intact rats at the dose levels. The data obtained showed that the efficacy of these drugs in reducing the volume of gastric juice was in the order of ranitidine> tiotidine> cimetidine. However, their acid reducing capacities were observed to be in the order of ranitidine> cimetidine> tiotidine in the checked doses. Thus, the data suggests that ranitidine is the most effective antiulcer drug of all the three tested H2-bloking agents

Treatment of impetigo with cephalexin cream

Clinical studies were conducted to test the efficiency of cephalexin cream as topical antibiotic. 3% cephalexin in o/w emulsion base was prepared. Sixteen patients with impetigo were chosen to use the cephalexin cream. The lesions of eleven patients have shown complete healing. The results indicate that the cephalexin could be used topically as antibiotic cream in the treatment of bacterial skin infections

Incidence of gall stone disease, a hospital based study

Three hundred patients with gall stone disease admitted in Surgical Unit-1 Nishtar Hospital, Multan during a period of 6 years [January 1986 to December 1991], have been studied. Twenty-five were male [8.3%] while 275 were female patients [91.7%]. The male to female ratio was 1: 11. Peak incidence was between 30-50 years of age. Ninety patients presented with pain right hypochondrium [30%] and 54 with flatulent dyspepsia [18%]. Twenty-seven patients presented with acute cholecystitis [9%]. Thirteen patients presented with obstructive jaundice [4.3%]. Most of the patients had chronic cholecystitis [37%]. Fifteen patients had carcinoma of the gall bladder [5%]. Eighty-two% of the stones on analysis proved to be cholesterol stones while only 18% were pigment stones. Ultrasound was found accurate in 86% while Oral Cholecystography was accurate in 73% of the patients

Risk of diabetes mellitus in offspring of diabetic parents

Diabetes Mellitus is believed to be genetically transmitted in families and, hence, termed as a hereditary disease. The sufferings of the disease with succeeding periods of time is a grave experience. The present study was, therefore, aimed at determining potential for the disease in families [offspring] with single/both parents diabetic [confirmed in the laboratory] so as to make them cautious of the disease inflictions before hand. The results reveal that greater the potential for diabetes from the parents, more of their offspring were found to have been affected. That is more offspring in both parents diabetic families appeared to be diabetic or inclined to become diabetic [abnormal] in future, than those in single parent diabeticjnan-diabetic parents families. Furthermore, normal offspring is diabetic parents[s] families also showed a positive trend to become abltnormal / diabetic sometimes in future. The results are alarming and, therefore, offspring with family history of diabetes must be cautioned at an earlier age so that they may adopt prophylactic measures against the disease