[Drug-drug interactions in diabetic patients at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology]. / Liekové interakcie u diabetikov na oddelení klinickej farmakológie.

Drug-drug interactions in diabetic patients could be serious, even life threatening. Possible manifestation of hypo/hyperglycemia as a consequence of drug-drug interactions are often wrong interpreted as a nonadherence to the diabetic diet or polymorbidity of the patient. Drug-drug interactions are not taken into account. The risk of drug-drug interactions is exponentially increasing with the number of taken drugs. In the group of diabetic patients is good to prevent the combinations of drugs, which can lead to drug-drug interactions and use alternative therapy with lower potential of drug-drug interactions. In this paper we present the possibilities of clinical pharmacist from the Department of clinical pharmacology to prevent and solve the drug-drug interactions in diabetic patients.

[Consultation activity of two Slovak centres for pharmacotherapy during pregnancy and lactation]. / Konzultacná cinnost' dvoch slovenských centier pri farmakoterapii v gravidite a laktácii.

BACKGROUND: In our paper we present analysis based on number and structure of consultations concerning drug used in pregnancy and lactation in the Drug Information Centre in Bratislava and at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology in Nitra during period 2000 to 2003. METHODS AND RESULTS: In both centres the questions related to pregnancy and lactation represented the significant part of total sum of the requested information. Vast majority of consulted drugs belonged to C category concerning FDA pregnancy drug risk classification. In these drugs animal studies have revealed a risk, but studies in pregnant women were not available and thus the drugs had limited applicability from view point of safety. Decisions of consultants regarding drug use were based on the availability of information sources. A serious problem is the evaluation of retrospective drug risks in cases of drugs administered before pregnancy was confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of drug risk in fertile age, especially in early pregnancy, long-term drug administration during pregnancy and lactation becomes indispensable within professional field of clinical pharmacy and pharmacology in developing local teratogen surveillance system.

[The contribution of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to the treatment of hypertensive patients in teaching hospital in Nitra]. / Prínos 24-hodinového ambulantného monitoringu krvného tlaku k liecbe pacientov s hypertenziou vo Fakultnej nemocnici v Nitre.

BACKGROUND: Twenty-four hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in patients with arterial hypertension is a recognized method for diagnostic of hypertension and for monitoring of the effects of antihypertensive treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the contribution of ABPM in clinical practise. METHODS AND RESULTS: Records of ABPM in hypertensive patients were evaluated retrospectively. Total of 37 patients aged 27-69 years with the newly diagnosed hypertension in the period of 1996-2001 were included in the study. The indications to ABPM, percent of dippers and no dippers diagnosed on the basis of diurnal index and the modification in antihypertensive treatment in no dippers were analysed. 1) ABPM was used for monitoring of the effect of antihypertensive therapy in 78%, for diagnosing borderline hypertension in 19% and of white coat hypertension in 3% cases; 2) 22 patients (59%) were diagnosed as no dippers; 3) Antihypertensive therapy was modified in 7 patients no dippers (20%). CONCLUSIONS: The contribution of ABPM is obvious, however at current conditions its broader application could increase the diagnostic and therapeutical quality of clinical decision making in hypertensive patients.

Drug use--problem in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The consumption of drugs during pregnancy considered as a specific medical problem. Drug consumption and drug compliance in pregnancy were analysed in our study. METHODS: Structured questionnaire and data from mothers were used as principal sources for analysis. Consumption of drugs and compliance with therapy were evaluated in 331 pregnant women, 60% city and 40% rural population, of Region Nitra, Slovakia, after their child birth. RESULTS: Drug's use was confirmed in 75% of pregnant women. The consumption was significantly higher in the first and second pregnancy when compared to the females by in their third or further pregnancies. Medical prescription was the reason of drug use in 89% pregnant women. The number of prescribed drugs similarly as the total consumption was higher in the first and second pregnancies. We noted medical prescribing drug compliance in 70% pregnant women. 16% of pregnant women used anagetic drugs, out of whom 57% on the basis of medical prescription. CONCLUSION: Adverse drug reactions (gastrointestinal problems and)headache were reported by 15% of pregnant women. In the observed group 6% of women gave birth premature infants (once gemini, once trimini). Two newborns overcomed sepsis. One baby suffered from cheilognatopalatoschisis and two newborns from vitium cordis congenitum. We do not suppose any correlation between child abnormalities and drug consumption during pregnacy. (Tab. 1, Ref. 9.).