Non-Communicable Diseases among Women of Reproductive Age Visiting the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Introduction: Non-communicable diseases are a significant cause of mortality worldwide, posing a substantial risk to women's health, as stated by the World Health Organization. In Nepal, a survey revealed that 10.5% of the population suffers from hypertension. The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of non-communicable diseases among women of reproductive age visiting the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology among women of reproductive age presented from 6 November 2023 to 6 January 2024. The data was retrieved from the medical record during 1 November 2023 to 1 December 2023. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee. Convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. Results: The prevalence of non-communicable diseases was 608 (39.02%) (36.60-41.45, Confidence Interval). The mean age was 29.26±3.46 years. The most common non-communicable disease reported was hypertension 204 (33.55%) followed by chronic respiratory diseases 200 (32.89%) and diabetes mellitus 154 (25.34%). Conclusions: The prevalence of non-communicable diseases among women of reproductive age group was higher as compared to other studies done in similar setting. The study underscores the urgency for stakeholders to implement health education, early detection, and preventive strategies, emphasizing the necessity of targeted interventions and broader public health initiatives to address non-communicable diseases. Keywords: chronic disease; non-communicable disease; prevalence; risk factors.

Coping up with Stress as a Medical Student.

Psychological stress is one of the most common problems faced by medical students in their day to day life. There are a variety of manifestations of stress and these manifestations can directly or indirectly hamper the performance of a medical student. Knowing proper measures to manage stress as well as time can help medical students live their life in a more practical way. Practising mindfulness, mental health awareness and seeking help from experts can be beneficial in coping with stress as a medical student. Keywords: burnout; expectations; medical student; psychological stress.

Acute Kidney Injury among Patients Visiting the Nephrology Unit in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Introduction: Acute kidney injury is an abrupt decline in renal function often associated with a decrease in urine output. It is the leading cause of in-hospital mortality worldwide with prolonged hospital stays, the requirement of mechanical ventilation and short-term dialysis. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of acute kidney injury among patients visiting the Nephrology unit in a tertiary care centre. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done among patients presented to the Nephrology Unit of the Department of Internal Medicine in a tertiary centre from 9 February 2022 to 21 October 2022. Ethical approval was taken from Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: UCMS/IRC/047/22). Data was collected from hospital records and the outcome was recorded in terms of in-hospital mortality and the requirement for renal replacement therapy. Convenience sampling was done. Point estimate and 95% Confidence Interval were calculated. Results: Among 1848 patients, 113 (6.12%) (5.03-7.21, 95% Confidence Interval) had acute kidney injury. About 38 (32.75%) required inotropes whereas 10 (8.85%) required mechanical ventilation. In-hospital all-cause mortality was seen in 14 (12.39%) of the study population and 20 (17.70%) of the study population required renal replacement therapy. The most common cause of acute kidney injury was infection pneumonia followed by acute gastrointestinal infections were the most common infective aetiology. Conclusions: The prevalence of acute kidney injury was found to be lower than the studies done in similar settings. It is common in patients admitted with infection. It is responsible for in-hospital mortality. Keywords: acute kidney injury; mortality; renal replacement therapy.