Introduction of a teaching module on intravenous drug administration and communication skills in pharmacology

Background: Pharmacology practicals mainly focus on increasing the knowledge component but teaching on psychomotor and soft skills is largely lacking. Teaching correct method of intravenous drug administration and the communication skills about drug therapy in Pharmacology practical classes can help in minimizing the errors in drug administration and improving the patient compliance and adherence to the therapy. Objectives of this study were teaching module on intravenous drug administration and communication skills to undergraduate students in Pharmacology and to evaluate the perceptions of students and teachers towards the new teaching module.Methods: Correct methods of intravenous drug administration were demonstrated in practical classes. Role play was done to teach about communication skills regarding right method of using an inhaler and also about prescribing the correct dosage regimens. Perceptions of students and teaching staff members were collected on the teaching module.Results: Almost all of the students (>96 %) were of the opinion that learning correct drug administration methods and communication skills was relevant to the future practice and 95% students felt that after the role play sessions, they were better equipped in communicating with the patients about the medication use and were in favour of teaching these to all the medical students.Conclusions: Our study concludes that the teaching module on intravenous drug administration and communication skills was well accepted by both the teaching staff and the students and was found feasible and relevant to be introduced in the curriculum by both of them.

A novel approach in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: Janus kinase inhibitors.

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are a new class of drugs that inhibit JAK enzymes, which are the main signal transducers for the majority of cytokines, growth factors, and interferons. These drugs work from inside the cell and are unique in a way that their action interrupts the signaling involved in the infl ammation. They include drugs like ruxolitinib, tofacitinib, both of which have been US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved, and many others which are currently under trials. Tofacitinib was approved by USFDA in November 2012 for oral use in patients suffering with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and do not respond to methotrexate.

Antiplatelet therapy: present status and its future directions.

Anti-platelets drugs play an important role in the prevention or treatment of cardiovascular diseases e.g. coronary artery disease, stroke, etc., which cause high mortality and morbidity in the present day world. These drugs either inhibit the platelet activation, aggregation or other signaling pathways, thereby inhibiting the clot formation. The anti-platelet drugs currently used are aspirin, ADP receptor inhibitors (ticlopidine and clopidogrel)and glycoprotein (GP)IIb/IIIa inhibitors (abciximab, tirofi ban and eptifi batide). Aspirin was and still continues to be the main anti-platelet therapy. A combination regimen of aspirin and clopidogrel is commonly used for the prevention of platelet activation, thrombosis and stroke. However, many of the current anti-platelet drugs face limitations due to narrow therapeutic window and limited effi cacy. The four possible targets for novel anti-platelet action are: Inhibition of agonist generation, receptor inhibition, G protein inhibition and inhibition of enzymatic cascades. Newer P2Y12 antagonists e.g. prasugrel, ticagrelor, cangrelor, etc., have better effi cacy and low bleeding risk. The thrombin receptor (PAR1 and 4) inhibitors are said to decrease the hemorrhagic complications. Drugs which inhibit TXA2 Synthase or TXA2 receptor are also promising in their anti-platelet action. Another novel group is of collagen receptor antagonists such as GPVI antagonists, GPIb receptor antagonists, etc. The other targets being explored are von Willebrand Factor antagonists, platelet Gq antagonists, etc. However, there still lies a bundle of unresolved issues regarding the effi cacy and safety, optimal dosage, administration requirements, combination therapy, clinical evaluation, cost-effectiveness, and the resistance phenomena of these drugs.

Revacept: Collagen GP VI receptor inhibitor, a new & a formidable target for antiplatelet action.

Antiplatelet drugs play an important role in the prevention as well as treatment of cardiovascular diseases like coronary artery disease and stroke. Many of the currently available antiplatelet drugs face limitations due to safety and efficacy issues. A new antiplatelet drug, revacept i.e. a collagen receptor antagonist, has been shown to reduce platelet adhesion by blocking GP VI-dependent pathways without increasing the risk of bleeding complications and without affecting the general hemostasis.

Herbal products: a survey of students’ perception and knowledge about their medicinal use.

Background: As herbal therapies are increasingly being used around the world because they are perceived to be free of side effects, it is important that prescribers should be made aware of their possible harm or herb-drug interactions. In this context present study was undertaken among dental students to assess their knowledge and attitude towards the use of herbal products as medicines. Methods: A detailed questionnaire having both open and close-ended questions to assess students’ perception, awareness and usage of herbal medication was given to 90 second year students in a teaching dental hospital. Data was expressed as counts and percentages. Results: A total response rate of 93.3% was observed. 60.77% of respondents had used herbal medication for various ailments. Highest frequency of the use was recorded for ginger (37.5%) followed by neem (16.66%), turmeric (15%) and tulsi (13.33%). Elders at home (86%) was cited the most common source of herbal product information. Students were familiar with the use of clove, aloe vera, turmeric and neem but St. John's wort and Gingko biloba are ones that were generally not known to them. 67.64% indicated unawareness about safety concerns and herb-drug interactions. Most (68.65%) agreed that they did not tell their physician about taking herbal products. 58.73% preferred herbal products over allopathic medicine. Conclusions: There is a need to impart knowledge to the students about the usage of herbal products as these are frequently used to treat various health problems. Students should be sensitized about their safety concerns and potential drug interactions.