Pharmaceutical counselling about different types of tablet-splitting methods based on the results of weighing tests and mechanical development of splitting devices.

The division of tablets and adequate methods of splitting them are a complex problem in all sectors of health care. Although tablet-splitting is often required, this procedure can be difficult for patients. Four tablets were investigated with different external features (shape, score-line, film-coat and size). The influencing effect of these features and the splitting methods was investigated according to the precision and "weight loss" of splitting techniques. All four types of tablets were halved by four methods: by hand, with a kitchen knife, with an original manufactured splitting device and with a modified tablet splitter based on a self-developed mechanical model. The mechanical parameters (harness and friability) of the products were measured during the study. The "weight loss" and precision of splitting methods were determined and compared by statistical analysis. On the basis of the results, the external features (geometry), the mechanical parameters of tablets and the mechanical structure of splitting devices can influence the "weight loss" and precision of tablet-splitting. Accordingly, a new decision-making scheme was developed for the selection of splitting methods. In addition, the skills of patients and the specialties of therapy should be considered so that pharmaceutical counselling can be more effective regarding tablet-splitting.

Evaluation of asthma knowledge and quality of life in Hungarian asthmatics.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to develop an educational instrument, to assess its impact as an intervention instrument and to examine quality of life (QoL). METHODS: 119 asthmatics were randomized (64 in the intervention and 55 in the reference group). The education instrument was developed based on the EuroPharm-Forum Guidelines and its impact assessed by a self-developed questionnaire. Patients' QoL, asthma knowledge was assessed twice, once before and after the education seminar, education was only provided for the intervention group. QoL was measured with the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and a visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: We found significant differences in answers to the asthma questions, by 40% improvement, but no changes in the control group. In inhaler-use technique, we could not find significant changes neither in the intervention nor in the control group. There were no significant differences between the results of the two visits neither with the VAS nor with the SGRQ on the QoL data. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that asthmatics experience lower QoL. As the subjects were regularly controlled asthmatics they had better general knowledge and inhaler-use technique was expected. The results suggest that it is necessary to regularly refresh asthma knowledge, to assess patients' self-management plans to achieve long-term effectiveness of asthma management.

[Quality of life in asthmatics]. / Az asthmás betegek életminóségének vizsgálata.

UNLABELLED: Despite the availability of effective treatments asthma is increasing in both prevalence and severity specially in the well developed countries. As a consequence of this a large part of population is affected and the disease has a significant burden to the society. Evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness can be determined by measuring the quality of life. OBJECTIVE: As asthma has a major impact on the patients everyday life, we examined the quality of life of adult asthmatics with a disease specific questionniare (St. George's Respiratory questionniare SGRQ) and a visual analogue scale (VAS). We wanted to find out if the quality of life scores are significant with the results of clinical tests. METHODS: We examined 321 adult asthmatic patients. Patients were randomly selected. The influence of three factors age, sex, and FEV1 on quality of life was investigated. The data was analysed with user SPSS system. RESULTS: The results of the visuala analog scale were the following in female asthmatics 61.38%, in males 63.86%, the VAS results were the following according to the disease severity: mild intermittant 76%, mild 69%, moderate 60%, sever 49%. From the St. George questionniare three component scores were calculated: symptom (304.15 +/- 11.01), activity (580.71 +/- 19.57), impact (842.18 +/- 31.53) and the total score (1727.05 +/- 57.24). When we examined the different scores according to the age we found significant differences with the activity, impact and total score, but could not find significant differences with the symptom scores. The relationship between spirometry and quality of life is not as strong (coefficient of correlation: 0.37) but the majority of patients have high SGRQ scores even those patients whose FEV1 lies within the normal range. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with asthma it is common that one might see improvement in the FEV1 and yet not see an improvement in patients feelings or functioning. It was interesting to see that in spite of their bad conditions patients do accept the chronic nature of asthma, a degree of impairment and regard that as normal, limits in their everyday life, as they adjust their activity so that they can avoid the asthma attacks.