Frequency of psychotropic drugs use by patients with schizophrenia in eight years follow-up

Objective: To measure the frequency of various psychotropic drugs used by patients with schizophrenia in 8 years follow up

Methodology: It was a descriptive observational study. This study was conducted at Department of Psychiatry Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from 2004 to 2012. A sample of 52 patients diagnosed as schizophrenics was included through consecutive sampling. These patients were part of a project known as Severe Mental Illness [SMI]. They were regularly assessed once in a month and were provided antipsychotic, antidepressants and mood stabilizers

Results: The study included 52 [n = 52] patients. Males were 33 [62%] and females were 19 [37%]. Age of patients ranged from 15-60 with the mean age of 28.82 +/- 10.67. Mean age of males was 31.08 +/- 9.66 and of females was 25.84 +/- 11.43. Number of visits missed during the study was 2%. Fifty two% of patients were stable on 4mg of risperidone per day. Fifty percent of the patients were stable on 5 to 10mg of olanzapine per day. Depot preparation was required by 38% and less than 50% of the patients required carbamazepine as mood stabilizers from 200 to 400mg per day. Twenty three percent of the patients required 20gm of fluoxetine per day

Conclusion: During 8 years follow up the most frequent anti psychotic drugs used by patient to remain stable were risperidone 4mg per day followed by olanzapine 5 to 10 mg per day

Medical students bearing mental stress due to their academic schedule

Medical education is inherently stressful and demanding. Overwhelming burden of information leaves a minimal opportunity to relax and recreate and sometimes leads to serious sleep deprivation. Environmental and social circumstances play a major role in the onset of stress-related diseases. Developing countries share the heavy burden of social and economic challenges. A number of factors-including academic pressure, workload, financial concerns, sleep deprivation, exposure to patients' suffering and deaths, student abuse and a -hidden curriculum of cynicism have been hypothesized to contribute to this decline in students' mental health. This study determines the rate of anxiety and depression, and the associated social and environmental factors in undergraduate medical students. This study was divided into two measures theoretical problems and academic factors. Randomly data was collected by means of structured close ended questionnaire of 121 students from Fatima Jinnah Dental College[23 boys, 98 girls]. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20.0 Factors causing stress in undergraduate medical students was a vast syllabus which makes it difficult for their time management, there was a direct and positive relationship for lack of time for assignments and fear of catching up after a leave.