Drug Inspector as an antibiotic Steward: challenges and recommendations to implement national action plan of Pakistan on antimicrobial resistance.

BACKGROUND: Despite significant measures, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Pakistan, struggle to curtail non-prescription antibiotic sales, enforce regulations, and implement National Action Plan (NAP) against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). NAP Pakistan entails drug inspectors (DIs) to ensure prescription-based sales of antibiotics. This study seeks to understand the perspective of DIs regarding antimicrobial sales without prescription, underlying factors, and policy implementation status. METHODS: A qualitative study employing a semi-structured interview guide using in-depth interviews with purposively selected 17 DIs was conducted. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and data were analyzed following a thematic analysis framework utilizing MAXQDA 2022 software. RESULTS: Five main themes emerged after data analysis: (1) drug inspector - the regulator of the antimicrobial armamentarium, (2) the policy context, (3) awareness regarding AMR, (4) barriers to combatting AMR, and (5) the way forward: strategies and recommendations. CONCLUSION: A weak regulatory framework, low level of awareness, quackery, vested interests, and socio-economic factors augment inappropriate antibiotic utilization. Opting for better policies and strengthening the DI fraternity as outlined in NAP Pakistan is recommended. Recognizing drug inspectors as effective surveilling units and mobilizing field force against irrational antibiotic utilization is the need of the hour and requires policy reformation.

A Typical Aortic Intramural Hematoma With an Atypical Neurological Presentation.

Aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) is characterized by blood spilling through the intimal layer of the aortic wall without any tear within the aortic wall. The condition has been troublesome to analyze until of late. A 55-year-old gentleman with hypertension presented with epigastric pain radiating to the back, he later developed back pain as well as bilateral lower limb numbness and was found to have IMH when a CT angiogram was conducted. Due to the severity of the illness, the patient expired on the 10th day of the admission. It is important for physicians to be aware of atypical presentations of this life-threatening aortic disease.

Low and Slow: A Pattern Recognition for Overdose with Beta and Calcium Channel Blockers.

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'Empty Toe' Phenomenon: A Unique Trauma Case.

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COVID-19: Questionable Seasonality.

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From Gut to Heart: Extensively Drug-resistant Salmonella typhi with Multi System Involvement.

Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) salmonella typhi is a gram-negative bacillus, transmitted by feco-oral route. Its systemic manifestations are protean. Untreated enteric fever carries high morbidity and mortality. Life-threatening complications are mainly extra-intestinal, and include involvement of central nervous system, lungs, liver, and genitourinary system. We report a case of a young girl presenting to a hospital in Karachi with a 1-week history of fever, rigors, abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, and anorexia. She developed toxic myocarditis, pulmonary edema, septic shock, and coagulopathy. Multi-drug-resistant (MDR) salmonella typhi was isolated from blood cultures. Her symptoms resolved after intravenous antibiotics and she completely recovered. Key Words: Myocarditis, Salmonella typhi, Coagulopathy.

Cryptococcal Meningoencephalitis in an Immunocompetent Patient.

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is an uncommon opportunistic infection in immunocompetent hosts; and causes significant mortality and long-term morbidity. Cryptococci primarily cause disease in immunocompromised hosts, but rarely can lead to severe disease in immunocompetent individuals. A 64-year man, with no known immunosuppressive illnesses, presented in the Emergency Department with gait disturbances and lethargy for one year, which got worsened recently. After further deliberation on elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), a CT brain was performed, which showed hydrocephalus; and thus lumbar puncture (LP) was done. Fungal cultures grew cryptococcus neoformans. The patient was treated with anti-fungal medications. It is highly essential for emergency physicians and other clinicians to think of atypical neurological manifestations of meningitis in immunocompetent individuals. Key Words: Cryptococcus, Immunocompetent, Antifungal treatment, Meningitis.

Evidence-Based Emergency Medicine is Easy: Why Not Giving it a Try?

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Video Laryngoscopy in Emergency Airway Management - a Paradigm Shift from 'I' to 'We'; a Letter to Editor.

Emergency medicine has evolved as a speciality but airway management is still a challenge. Traditionally, direct laryngoscopy (DL) is used for intubation with maneuvers to directly visualize the vocal cords. Most tracheal intubations in the emergency department (ED) are done on an emergent basis and enhancing the technicalities of intubation can be life-saving. Video laryngoscopy (VL) is available in the emrgenyc department and can help reduce the intubation failure rate; hence, it has been recommended for maintaining airways in obese patients.

Back to Ivermectin: Is History Repeating Itself?

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Acute Urinary Retention: Should We Call it a Manifestation of Appendicitis?

Acute urinary retention (AUR) is a fairly common presentation in the elderly; but interesting to be noted in a healthy young individual as a manifestation of acute appendicitis. We present a case of a 32-year gentleman with decreased urine output with mild tenderness at the supra-pubic region; which was later on, shifted to the right iliac fossa. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed acute appendicitis. Emergency physicians are challenged to recognize the uncommon presentation of acute appendicitis and need to be reminded of this common complaint as a rare presentation of it. This case also stresses on the repeated abdominal examinations to seek diagnostic clarity. Key Words: Appendicitis, Acute urinary retention, Repeat abdominal examination.

Streptococcal Pharyngitis: Delving Deeper than the Throat.

Acute rhabdomyolysis and elevated transaminases during streptococcal pharyngitis are rare presentations. The proposed pathophysiological mechanisms include direct bacterial invasion and toxin generation. Physicians should be aware of the association between these infections and the above-mentioned complications to facilitate optimal treatment of these patients. We present the case of a 18-years-old gentleman with ß-haemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis complicated by rhabdomyolysis and elevated liver function tests. Such high levels of creatine phosphokinase of 111856 IU/L and elevated liver function tests with aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of 1862 U/L and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of 1003 U/L in streptococcal pharyngitis is rare to find in the literature. He was treated with aggressive intravenous hydration, antibiotics and hemodialysis. Key Words: Rhabdomyolysis, ß-haemolytic Streptococci, Creatine phosphokinase, Liver function tests.

Optimising Ventilator Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Hypoxemia is the most common cause for hospitalization in COVID-19 patients. Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most common complication in COVID-19 patients. Close monitoring of respiratory decompensation is essential. Supplemental oxygen, high flow nasal canula, non-invasive ventilation and endotracheal intubation are the most commonly suggested methods to improve oxygenation. Early intubation with pre-oxygenation, modified rapid sequence intubation and intubation using a video laryngoscope has been advised as a strategy including lung protective ventilation, prone position ventilation, adequate sedation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Strict personal precautions and challenges related to airway management has been currently studied. The authors summarize here the issues of mechanical ventilation and some strategies to resolve them. Key Words: Mechanical ventilation, COVID-19, Hypoxemia.