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Background and objective Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic debilitating metabolic disease caused by insulin deficiency. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a potentially fatal complication characterized by acute hyperglycemia and metabolic acidosis. In light of the high prevalence of DM in Saudi Arabia, we sought to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Saudi general population about DKA. Methods An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed through popular social media platforms among diabetics in the Saudi population. The survey questions involved demographic data; diabetes status including the time of diagnosis, current medications, and the latest HbA1c level; and an assessment of the knowledge about DKA through queries related to diagnostic criteria, definition, risk factors, symptoms, and preventive measures. Results Our study involved 400 participants, and 42.5% of them were able to correctly identify DKA as an emergency requiring immediate medical attention. Regarding the awareness of DKA's symptoms among the participants, 33.8% correctly identified excessive thirst as a key indicator, followed closely by frequent urination (31.8%), and the characteristic fruity breath odor (31.3%). As for the awareness of the participants of the causes of DKA, 33.8% correctly linked forgetting insulin injections to DKA development. Encouragingly, 39.8% of participants identified regular blood sugar monitoring as the most effective way to prevent DKA. Conclusions Most patients in our study demonstrated limited knowledge of DKA. However, a significant portion of them was able to identify it as an emergency. To prevent such events, raising awareness about DM and its complications may serve as the first step toward better outcomes in diabetic patients. We believe our findings can be used to devise quality-improving interventions in this field.
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Introduction Migraine, a prevalent condition in Saudi Arabia, is linked to various risk factors, including night shifts. Existing literature, mainly outdated, suggests conflicting findings on the relationship between sleep, night shifts, and migraines. Our study aims to investigate the specific association between shift work and migraine attacks among healthcare workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), addressing a notable research gap. Methodology This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected by using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results Our study on 342 healthcare workers in the KSA revealed the majority of participants were females (70.5%, n = 241), aged between 25 and 29 years (38.9%, n = 133), with doctors being the predominant profession (51.5%, n = 176). Participants had an average of 5.9 years of healthcare experience. Work shifts included rotating (43.3%, n = 148), day (48%, n = 164), evening (3.8%, n = 13), and night shifts (5%, n = 17). Notably, 89.2% (n = 305) experienced headaches with varying characteristics and triggers. Management strategies included over-the-counter painkillers (56.1%, n = 192) and rest (50.5%, n = 173). Gender was significantly associated with migraines (p = 0.020), while night shift frequency and years in health care showed no significant associations. Higher weekly working hours relate significantly to migraines (p = 0.034). Conclusion Our study highlights a significant association between migraines and gender, with females being more prone. Night shift frequency and years in health care showed no significant associations, while higher weekly working hours were linked to migraines.
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INTRODUCTION: The study assessed coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) postoperative outcomes and associated factors in Saudi male and female patients. This was a retrospective cohort of patients who underwent CABG at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from January 2015 to December 2022. Results: We included 392 patients, of whom 63 (16.1%) were female. Female undergoing CABG were significantly older (p=0.0001), had a significantly higher incidence of diabetes (p=0.0001), obesity (p=0.001), hypertension (p=0.001), and congestive heart failure (p=0.005), with a smaller body surface area (BSA) (p=0.0001) than male. Though renal dysfunction, previous cerebrovascular accident/transient ischemic attack (CVA/TIA), and myocardial infarction (MI), incidences were similar in both genders. Females were at significantly higher risk of mortality (p=0.0001), longer hospital stay (p=0.0001), and prolonged ventilation (p=0.0001). Preoperative renal dysfunction was the only statistically significant predictor of postoperative complications (p=0.0001). Female gender and preoperative renal dysfunction, were significant independent predictors of postoperative mortality and prolonged ventilation (p=0.005). CONCLUSION: This study's findings indicated that females have worse CABG outcomes and a higher risk of morbidities and complications. Uniquely our study showed a higher incidence of prolonged ventilation in females postoperatively.
