A Cross-Sectional Study on Single-Day Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Tertiary Care Hospitals of South India.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the most potent antacids used in clinical practice with greater safety and efficacy. Limited data are available on the usage of PPIs in Indian health-care settings. Our aim was to understand the usage pattern and potential drug interactions with concurrently administered medications employing a single-day cross-sectional study design. Methods: A prospective observational cross-sectional study conducted on a single day, at two tertiary care teaching hospitals in South India. Inpatients of above 18 years of age were included. Case profiles were reviewed and data were collected in predesigned forms and analyzed. Drug interactions were identified using Micromedex and Medscape drug-interaction databases. Results: A total of 797 case profiles screened from both the centers; 714 were prescribed with PPIs. In intensive care units (ICUs), the use of PPIs was highest with 95% of cases getting these drugs. A PPI was seen in about 93% of patients, who had more than or equal to 4 drugs in their prescriptions. Pantoprazole was the mostly prescribed PPI in around 90% of the cases. Around 33% of the PPIs usage was through IV (intravenous) route, and 75% of that use was seen in wards. Around 134 drug interactions were identified, of which 10 were of major severity. Conclusions: Around 90% of inpatients were prescribed with PPIs. Pantoprazole is the most commonly prescribed PPI (90%). The IV administration was seen more in wards than ICUs, and 10 major drug interactions were observed in this single-day study. Careful monitoring is needed to avoid serious drug interactions involving PPIs, and training programs should sensitize the clinicians on the evidence-based use of PPIs.

Preparation, validation and user-testing of pictogram-based patient information leaflets for hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Patient information leaflets are universally-accepted resources to educate the patients/users about their medications, disease and lifestyle modification. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to prepare, validate and perform user-testing of pictogram-based patient information leaflets (P-PILs) among hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: The P-PILs are prepared by referring to the primary, secondary and tertiary resources. The content and pictograms of the leaflet have been validated by an expert committee consisting of three nephrologists and two academic pharmacists. The Baker Able Leaflet Design has been applied to develop the layout and design of the P-PILs. RESULTS: Quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design without control group was conducted on 81 HD patients for user-testing of P-PILs. The mean Baker Able Leaflet Design assessment score for English version of the leaflet was 28, and 26 for Kannada version. The overall user-testing knowledge assessment mean scores were observed to have significantly improved from 44.25 to 69.62 with p value <0.001. CONCLUSION: The overall user opinion of content and legibility of the leaflets was good. Pictogram-based patient information leaflets can be considered an effective educational tool for HD patients.

Pattern of Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors induced adverse drug reactions in South Indian teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) occur frequently with cardiovascular drugs leading to change in therapy, increasing morbidity, and mortality. AIM: The study was conducted to evaluate the incidence of ADRs due to angiotensin-converting enzyme Inhibitors in cardiology department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out for a period of 6 months. The data were assessed for the pattern of the ADRs with respect to patient demographics, nature of the reaction, outcome of the reactions, causality, severity, and preventability. RESULTS: Among 692 patients, 51 (7.36%) had developed 60 ADRs, and majority of cases (56.66%) were in the age group of >61 years and most of them were developed in female (80%). The common ADRs observed were cough, hypotension, hyperkalemia, and acute renal failure. In 21.66% cases the dose of the suspected drug was altered and in 78.33% cases the drug was withdrawn. Considering the outcome, 93.33% of cases recovered from ADRs, whereas in 6.66% cases were continuing. Causality assessment showed that majority of ADRs was probable and were found to be moderately severe. CONCLUSION: Our study concludes geriatrics and female patients have higher incidence of ADRs. So early identification and management of ADRs are essential for this population.

Predictors of warfarin-induced bleeding in a South Indian cardiology unit.

OBJECTIVES: Warfarin-induced bleedingresults in increased morbidity and mortality and higher cost of healthcare. The objective of the study is to identify the predictors of warfarin-induced bleeding in the Cardiology Unit of a teaching hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out for a period of six months in a tertiary care teaching hospital. A total of 235 patients were enrolled in the study, to identify the predictors of warfarin-induced bleeding. Only prescriptions with warfarin were selected for the study. The chi square test was used to find the association between demography and risk factors. RESULTS: Out of 235 patients, 61 (25.95%) had developed warfarin-induced bleeding and the majority were in the age group of 41 - 61 years (60.65%), and it was also found to be higher in women (62.29%). The length of stay was > 14 days (65.57%) and the number of drugs prescribed was in the range of 6 - 12 (52.45%). Aspirin (40.98%), Heparin (36.06%), Clopidogrel (22.95%), and Streptokinase (14.75%) were the most common drugs involved, and other comorbid conditions like diabetes (37.70%), hypertension (32.78%), smoking (57.37%), and alcohol (32.78%) were found to be major predictors of warfarin-induced bleeding in this study. The severity of warfarin-induced most of the bleeding reactions were moderate (44.26%) and the most common site of bleeding was gastrointestinal system (34.42%). CONCLUSION: Predictors of warfarin-induced bleeding were found to be female gender, length of stay, number of medications, drugs like aspirin, heparin, and clopidogrel, and other comorbidities like smoking, alcohol, and hypertension.