RESUMO
Background: Information regarding prescribing potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in elderly has not been well documented. Methods: The study was a cross sectional study done by analysing the case records of elderly patients admitted to general medicine and general surgery wards. The data was collected in a proforma which included patient’s name age, sex, diagnosis, investigations, and prescription. Beer’s explicit criteria 2012 were used to identify the PIMs in prescriptions. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to know the potential factors associated with prescribing PIMs. Results: The results showed that 44 out of 132 patients received atleast one PIM. The average number of drugs prescribed per patient was 7.5 (range 2-15). Out of 931 drugs prescribed 63 were found to be potentially inappropriate. Polypharmacy was a major factor associated with prescribing PIMs. Conclusions: Prescribing potentially inappropriate medications is common in elderly in-patients, polypharmacy being a major factor associated with prescribing PIMs.
RESUMO
Background & objectives: It is mandatory for all new drugs to be tested for their potential genotoxicity in addition to general toxicity testing. Some old drugs have not been tested adequately for their genotoxic effects as these were in use before the regulations were enforced. The present study therefore aims to explore the genotoxic potential of some commonly used opioids like codeine, dextromethorphan and dextropropoxyphene in swiss albino mice. Methods: Therapeutic equivalent doses of codeine, dextromethorphan and dextropropoxyphene were given orally. Single dose for acute study and multiple doses (repeated every 24 h for 7 times) in additional groups of mice (n=5 in each) for subacute study. Cyclophosphamide served as positive control while normal saline as negative control. About 0.5 ml of blood was collected by retroorbital sinus for comet assay and later the mice were sacrifi ced to aspirate the femoral bone marrow for micronucleus test. Percentage of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCE) and comet tail length were calculated in micronucleus assay and comet assay respectively, which served as markers of genotoxicity. Results: Signifi cant Signififi (P<0.001) increase in comet tail length and % MnPCE was observed in both acute and subacute studies of cyclophosphamide group, whereas codeine, dextromethorphan and dextropropoxyphene treated groups did not show any signifi cant changes. Interpretation & conclusion: The results indicated that codeine, dextromethorphan and dextropropoxyphene were devoid of genotoxicity in mice.