Dr. Deependra P R A S A D Sarraf | BPKIHS (original) (raw)
Papers by Dr. Deependra P R A S A D Sarraf
Background Self-medication is a growing health problem. It may lead to wastage of resources, emer... more Background Self-medication is a growing health problem. It may lead to wastage of resources, emergence of antimicrobial resistance, adverse drug reactions and prolonged suffering. Little has been reported on the extent of self-medication practiced in medical students in Nepal. Objective To study the pattern, reason and perception of self-medication among undergraduate students. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among all undergraduate students at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal between April and May, 2015. After obtaining ethical clearance, pre-validated questionnaire was used to collect data. The date were analyzed and presented as frequency and percentage using SPSS version 11.5. Result Total of 520 students participated in the study with a mean age of 21.2±1.7 years. Prevalence of self-medication was found to be 48.3%. Most common cause for self-medication was common cold (53.3%). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (78.9%) were the most commonl...
Birat Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected medical education and has forced educa... more Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected medical education and has forced educators to switch to online teaching-learning activities worldwide. Online teaching-learning activities has ensured the safe delivery of the lectures to the students. Objective: To assess the perception of students towards online lectures and to analyze the perceived barriers to online learning in our context during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Methodology: A cross-sectional online descriptive study was conducted among undergraduate students at a tertiary teaching college in Eastern Nepal during September-November 2020. The link of the Google form consisting of the semi-structured questionnaire was sent to the students through email. Descriptive statistics frequency and percentage were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2010. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Committee (IRC/2069/20). Results: A total of 211 students participated in the study. Mean age of the students was 20....
A retrospective study was conducted to find out drug utilization pattern of antimicrobial agents ... more A retrospective study was conducted to find out drug utilization pattern of antimicrobial agents (AMA) and its sensitivity pattern in the intensive care units (ICU). This study was done at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal by analyzing the case sheet records of the patients admitted to the ICUs over a period of three months (April to June, 2014). Piperacilin (16.6%) was the most commonly prescribed AMA followed by Amikacin (15.5%), Vancomycin (14.4%), Ceftriaxone (13.3%) and Ampicillin (12.2%). 17.7% patients were prescribed more than two antibiotics.None of the drugs were prescribed by the generic names. Of the various pathogenic organisms isolated, Staphylococcus aureus constituted for 31.8% followed by Escheria coli (20.5%), Pseudomonas (18.2%) and others. S. aureus was found to be most sensitive toCarbenicilin, Imipenem, Vancomycin and Amoxyclav and least sensitive to Cefotaxime and Ceftriaxone. E. coli was found to be most sensitive to Gentamicin, Imipene...
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiology characterized b... more Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiology characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with a derangement in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion and action. Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular protein complex that reflects the iron stores of the body. Studies have shown that the increased body iron stores are associated with the development of glucose intolerance often leading to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The objective of the study was to find out association of serum ferritin level with T2DM and assess the correlation between serum ferritin and HbA1c. Methods: A hospital based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 43 diabetic patients and 42 age and sex matched healthy controls. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG), Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum ferritin were estimated in cobas c311 autoanalyser using standard protocol. Results: Me...
Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal
Introduction: The medication related osteonecrosis of jaw (MRONJ) is caused by bisphosphonates, a... more Introduction: The medication related osteonecrosis of jaw (MRONJ) is caused by bisphosphonates, antiresoptive or antiangiogenic drugs. It is the basic requirement for dental students to know the drugs that causing MRONJ and its management. The study was conducted to assess awareness and knowledge of MRONJ among dental students and to compare the mean knowledge score. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental students at College of Dental Surgery, B. P. Koirala institute of Health Sciences. A semi-structured questionnaires consisting of sociodemographic data and questions regarding awareness and knowledge of MRONJ. Descriptive statistics like mean, standard deviation, percentage and frequency were calculated. Students “t” test was used for statistical association between the variables at P-value of 0.05 using SPSS. Results: Out of 191, 63 (32.98%) students were aware that drugs other than bisphosphonates can also cause osteonecrosis of jaw while only 16.23% students...
Background: Benefits of lithium maintenance therapy in bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) are rest... more Background: Benefits of lithium maintenance therapy in bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) are restricted by adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and low therapeutic index. The same dose of lithium has sub-therapeutic, therapeutic and supra-therapeutic serum level in different patients. The objective of this study was to describe the pattern of ADR and serum concentration of maintenance dose of lithium in patients with BPAD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients diagnosed with BPAD and taking lithium monotherapy 900 mg daily at least for 6 months at outpatient department of psychiatry, B. P. Koirala institute of health sciences. Sociodemographic profile and relevant laboratory investigations were recorded on a self-designed proforma. Chi square test, ANOVA test and student’s t test were used for analysing the data at p value <0.05. Results: Out of 123, 64 (52.0%) were female. Serum concentration ranged from 0.31 to 1.51 mmol/l with mean of 0.803 mmol/l and was in ther...
Background: Community pharmacist’s (CPs) knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pharmacovigila... more Background: Community pharmacist’s (CPs) knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pharmacovigilance and adverse drug reactions (ADR) play a vital role in preventing harmful effects of medicine. The objective was to assess the KAP of pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting among CP.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 132 CP in Dharan between February-March 2019 by using a self-administered 25-item semi-structured questionnaire. The KAP score was categorized as good (score 13-25) and poor (score 0-12). The descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft excel 2010.Results: Out of 132 pharmacies, only 77 responded giving a response rate of 58.3%. There were 45 (58.4%) male. Majority of the participants (45, 58.4%) had completed diploma in pharmacy course. Only 23 (29.9%) respondents gave the correct responses regarding the definition of pharmacovigilance and 23.4% were aware of the national pharmacovigilance centre. 50.9% agreed that reporting of ADRs is a part o...
Background: Adverse drug reaction (ADR), medication error (ME) and drug-drug interaction (DDI) ar... more Background: Adverse drug reaction (ADR), medication error (ME) and drug-drug interaction (DDI) are the major medication related problems that affect the pharmacotherapy success. Aim: To know the pattern of ADR, ME and DDI and to assess their causality, severity and preventability among the hospitalized patients in different Intensive Care Units (ICU). Methods: Cross-sectional and Prospective Cohort study was carried out in ICU, coronary care unit (CCU) and Neuro Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Manipal Teaching Hospital in Western Nepal. Data were collected during physician’s ward round, nursing round using the patients profile form, ADR form, ME form and DDI form. Naranjo Algorithm, modified Hartwig & Siegel and modified Shumock & Thornton Scales were used for assessment of causality, severity and preventability of ADR respectively. The medications were analyzed for possible DDI using standard drug interaction database micromidex 2.0 (Thomson Reuters). Descriptive statistics were used...
Introduction: Basic life support (BLS) refers to preserving an airway and promoting breathing and... more Introduction: Basic life support (BLS) refers to preserving an airway and promoting breathing and circulation without the use of any tools. It saves lives if given timely. The lack of training and knowledge of BLS might lead to tragic consequences. Objective: To assess the knowledge regarding BLS among dental surgeons. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among dentists in Haryana, during April-May 2020 using a semi-structured proforma. It consisted of sociodemographic data and 11 close-ended items on BLS. Score 1 was given for each correct answer. A google form was prepared via docs.google.com/forms and the link was sent to the participants via social media platforms like WhatsApp and Viber. The filled questionnaires were extracted from the Google Forms and exported to Microsoft Excel 2016. Descriptive statistics like mean, frequency and percentage were calculated to present the study findings using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (ve...
Background Honey is regarded as the oldest wound dressing. It accelerates wound healing in burn, ... more Background Honey is regarded as the oldest wound dressing. It accelerates wound healing in burn, infected and open wounds. Its effect on wound healing process in extraction socket is not fully established till today. Objective To evaluate the effect of honey on the healing process of socket after tooth extraction in New Zealand White rabbits. Method Extraction of first premolar tooth on both sides of lower jaw in six rabbits was done under general anesthesia produced by ketamine and Xylazine followed by local application of honey on one socket (honey group) and normal saline (control group) in the opposite socket. On 7th day, biopsy was taken from the extraction site and histopathological examination was done. Student's t-test was used for comparison between the groups and the differences were considered to be statistically significant at P-value less than 0.05. Result There was a significant difference between control group and honey group in terms of fibroblast proliferation (...
Med Phoenix, 2021
Introduction: Pharmacovigilance helps in the detection and prevention of adverse effects of drugs... more Introduction: Pharmacovigilance helps in the detection and prevention of adverse effects of drugs. For the effectiveness of this program, health care professionals should report adverse drug reactions (ADRs) considering it as their moral and professional obligation. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the doctors towards ADRs and pharmacovigilance in National Medical College Teaching Hospital (NMCTH), a tertiary care teaching hospital situated in the Narayani zone. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of four parts; first part included a demographic profile of participants, the second part consisted of ten questions for the assessment of the knowledge about pharmacovigilance, third part comprised of six questions on attitude and fourth part consisted of five questions on practice. The results were depicted in the form of percentages for each KAPs questio...
Health Renaissance, 2016
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the world. Although gradu... more Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the world. Although gradually declining in most developed countries, the prevalence of tobacco use has increased among developing countries. Nicotine is an addictive chemical that is inhaled from the tobacco present in the cigarettes. It acts on neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors within the ventral tegmental area of the brain, causing dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens which reinforces nicotine-seeking behavior. Reward through the dopaminergic system is a common thread among many drugs of addiction. According to the National Anti-Tobacco Communication Campaign Strategy for Nepal smoking prevalence in Nepal is higher (38.4%) than the smoking prevalence in the world (29%). Smoking attributable annual deaths in Nepal is estimated at nearly 14,000 (9,000 male deaths and 5,000 female deaths) for population aged 35 and over. First-line pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation are varenicline, sustained-r...
Birat Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected medical education and has forced educa... more Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected medical education and has forced educators to switch to online teaching-learning activities worldwide. Online teaching-learning activities has ensured the safe delivery of the lectures to the students. Objective: To assess the perception of students towards online lectures and to analyze the perceived barriers to online learning in our context during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Methodology: A cross-sectional online descriptive study was conducted among undergraduate students at a tertiary teaching college in Eastern Nepal during September-November 2020. The link of the Google form consisting of the semi-structured questionnaire was sent to the students through email. Descriptive statistics frequency and percentage were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2010. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Committee (IRC/2069/20). Results: A total of 211 students participated in the study. Mean age of the students was 20....
Background: Incorrect drug dose calculations by nursing students can cause drug errors and harm p... more Background: Incorrect drug dose calculations by nursing students can cause drug errors and harm patients. Their ability to calculate the correct dosage of drugs consistently need to be evaluated regularly. The objective of the study was to evaluate the drug dose calculation ability of nursing students.Methods: A pre-post interventional study was conducted among 99 undergraduate nursing students studying in 2nd, 3rd and 4th year. Pre-test was conducted using a 20-item self-administered questionnaire on drug dose calculation test followed by a 30 minute lecture on the methods of drug dose calculation. Post-test was conducted using the same questionnaire after a washout period of six weeks. Mean score, standard deviation, frequency and percentage were calculated. Student t test, one way ANOVA and McNemar Test were used for statistical analysis using SPSS version 11.5 at P-value of 0.05.Results: Pre-test and post-test mean score were 10.59 ± 3.00 and 15.36 ± 2.46 respectively. There was...
Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics
Background: Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of antibiotic prescription amo... more Background: Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of antibiotic prescription among doctors may help in developing guidelines to improve antibiotics use and decrease resistance. Aims and objectives: Our aim was to evaluate KAP regarding antibiotic use and its resistance among doctors. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional, questionnaire based study was conducted among the doctors of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal between January-March 2016 and their KAP regarding antibiotic use and resistance was assessed by using a five point Likert scale. The data were analyzed by calculating percentage and frequency. Results: Almost half of the doctors (50.2%) used to prescribe antibiotics more than once daily. Nearly two thirds of the doctors (65.3%) received antibiotic education at a formal lecture on ward rounds. Most of the doctors (87.4%) agreed that antimicrobials are overused. One hundred thirty four doctors (42.3%) agreed that patients' demands for antibiotics contribute to its overuse. Nearly two third doctors (70.7%) believed that locally developed antimicrobial guidelines would be more useful. Most of the respondents (89.9%) wanted more ongoing education on antibiotic use and its resistance. Conclusions: Our study reveals that antibiotics are overused and patients' demand contributes to this. Locally developed antimicrobial guidelines would be more useful. More CME on antibiotic use and its resistance should be conducted to enhance the awareness among doctors.
Nepal Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: Assessment of drug utilisation pattern (DUP) based on World Health Organisation (WH... more Introduction: Assessment of drug utilisation pattern (DUP) based on World Health Organisation (WHO) drug prescribing indicators would enhance the standards of patient care at all levels of the healthcare. It helps to improve the quality of life in developing countries like Nepal. Objective: To assess DUP in patients admitted in ear, nose and throat inpatient department at a tertiary hospital in Eastern Nepal using the WHO prescribing indicators. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 96 patients in ENT department of a tertiary care teaching hospital from February-April 2019. Pre-designed proforma was used to collect the relevant data from the medical case sheets and drug charts. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2010. Results: Out of 96 patients, 52 (54.17%) were female. Most of the patients (46, 47.18%) were prescribed four drugs. Combination of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol (77, 19.74%) was the commonest prescribed dr...
Birat Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: Irrational or inappropriate prescribing practice is common in developing countries ... more Introduction: Irrational or inappropriate prescribing practice is common in developing countries that can lead to ineffective treatment, prolonged hospitalization, harm to the patient, increased treatment cost and development of drug-resistant organisms. The prescription of antibiotics and other drugs in endodontics is limited to patients with progressive and diffuse swelling and with systemic infection. However, antibiotics continue to be over-prescribed by more than 66% dentists without a rational justification.Therefore, the periodic assessment of drug utilization pattern is important to know the existing pattern of drug use, decrease adverse effects and provide feedback to the prescribers. Objective: To evaluate the drug utilization pattern in endodontics using the World Health Organization prescribing indicators. Methodology: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted among the patients visiting the outpatient department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics. After o...
Journal of Chitwan Medical College
Background: Early recognition of oral cancer is essential for higher cure rate and better progno... more Background: Early recognition of oral cancer is essential for higher cure rate and better prognosis. Nurses can play a significant role in the early diagnosis of cancers. The study aimed to assess the awareness of oral cancer among nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Bachelor of Nursing Students at College of Nursing, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the sociodemographic data and awareness of cancer. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0. Results: Out of 116, 89 (76.7%) students were of age 21-25 years. One hundred and twelve students (96.6%) were aware that various form of tobacco increases risk of oral cancer; however, only 55 (47.4%) students knew alcohol drinking as a risk factor. Only 29 (25.0%) students were aware of loose-fitting denture as a risk factor for oral cancer. Ninety-six (82.8%) students knew white or red pa...
International Journal of Scientific Reports
Oral cancer survival remains poor despite advancement in treatment modalities. In oral cancer and... more Oral cancer survival remains poor despite advancement in treatment modalities. In oral cancer and oral premalignant lesions, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is widely expressed and tends to be enhanced especially in high-risk oral lesions. Numerous researches suggests that the inflammation pathway of cyclooxygenase/prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) leads to the development and progression of a number of cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). With an emphasis on research data, this article discusses the relationship between inflammation and cancer, summarizes the use of anti-inflammatory agents COX-2 inhibitors for cancer chemoprevention and treatment, and explains the mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of anti-inflammatory agents (COX-2 inhibitors).
Birat Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: Assessment of drug utilization pattern using the World Health Organization (WHO) pr... more Introduction: Assessment of drug utilization pattern using the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribing indicators is important to promote rational drug therapy.It needs to be evaluated periodically to obtain information about drug utilization pattern, to detect early signals of irrational use of drugs and to provide feedback to prescribers. Objective: The objective of the present study was to assess the drug prescribing patterns in the Otorhinolaryngology OPD based on the WHO prescribing indicators. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 148 outpatients at Otorhinolaryngology and HNS department of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences for six month duration. Patients aged 18 years and above and prescribed at least one drug were enrolled. Medical case sheets of the every fifth patients visiting the OPD were reviewed to collect the relevant data on a self-designed proforma. Descriptive statistics and WHO prescribing indicators were calculated using SPSS versi...
Background Self-medication is a growing health problem. It may lead to wastage of resources, emer... more Background Self-medication is a growing health problem. It may lead to wastage of resources, emergence of antimicrobial resistance, adverse drug reactions and prolonged suffering. Little has been reported on the extent of self-medication practiced in medical students in Nepal. Objective To study the pattern, reason and perception of self-medication among undergraduate students. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among all undergraduate students at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal between April and May, 2015. After obtaining ethical clearance, pre-validated questionnaire was used to collect data. The date were analyzed and presented as frequency and percentage using SPSS version 11.5. Result Total of 520 students participated in the study with a mean age of 21.2±1.7 years. Prevalence of self-medication was found to be 48.3%. Most common cause for self-medication was common cold (53.3%). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (78.9%) were the most commonl...
Birat Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected medical education and has forced educa... more Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected medical education and has forced educators to switch to online teaching-learning activities worldwide. Online teaching-learning activities has ensured the safe delivery of the lectures to the students. Objective: To assess the perception of students towards online lectures and to analyze the perceived barriers to online learning in our context during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Methodology: A cross-sectional online descriptive study was conducted among undergraduate students at a tertiary teaching college in Eastern Nepal during September-November 2020. The link of the Google form consisting of the semi-structured questionnaire was sent to the students through email. Descriptive statistics frequency and percentage were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2010. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Committee (IRC/2069/20). Results: A total of 211 students participated in the study. Mean age of the students was 20....
A retrospective study was conducted to find out drug utilization pattern of antimicrobial agents ... more A retrospective study was conducted to find out drug utilization pattern of antimicrobial agents (AMA) and its sensitivity pattern in the intensive care units (ICU). This study was done at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal by analyzing the case sheet records of the patients admitted to the ICUs over a period of three months (April to June, 2014). Piperacilin (16.6%) was the most commonly prescribed AMA followed by Amikacin (15.5%), Vancomycin (14.4%), Ceftriaxone (13.3%) and Ampicillin (12.2%). 17.7% patients were prescribed more than two antibiotics.None of the drugs were prescribed by the generic names. Of the various pathogenic organisms isolated, Staphylococcus aureus constituted for 31.8% followed by Escheria coli (20.5%), Pseudomonas (18.2%) and others. S. aureus was found to be most sensitive toCarbenicilin, Imipenem, Vancomycin and Amoxyclav and least sensitive to Cefotaxime and Ceftriaxone. E. coli was found to be most sensitive to Gentamicin, Imipene...
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiology characterized b... more Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiology characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with a derangement in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion and action. Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular protein complex that reflects the iron stores of the body. Studies have shown that the increased body iron stores are associated with the development of glucose intolerance often leading to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The objective of the study was to find out association of serum ferritin level with T2DM and assess the correlation between serum ferritin and HbA1c. Methods: A hospital based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 43 diabetic patients and 42 age and sex matched healthy controls. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG), Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum ferritin were estimated in cobas c311 autoanalyser using standard protocol. Results: Me...
Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal
Introduction: The medication related osteonecrosis of jaw (MRONJ) is caused by bisphosphonates, a... more Introduction: The medication related osteonecrosis of jaw (MRONJ) is caused by bisphosphonates, antiresoptive or antiangiogenic drugs. It is the basic requirement for dental students to know the drugs that causing MRONJ and its management. The study was conducted to assess awareness and knowledge of MRONJ among dental students and to compare the mean knowledge score. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental students at College of Dental Surgery, B. P. Koirala institute of Health Sciences. A semi-structured questionnaires consisting of sociodemographic data and questions regarding awareness and knowledge of MRONJ. Descriptive statistics like mean, standard deviation, percentage and frequency were calculated. Students “t” test was used for statistical association between the variables at P-value of 0.05 using SPSS. Results: Out of 191, 63 (32.98%) students were aware that drugs other than bisphosphonates can also cause osteonecrosis of jaw while only 16.23% students...
Background: Benefits of lithium maintenance therapy in bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) are rest... more Background: Benefits of lithium maintenance therapy in bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) are restricted by adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and low therapeutic index. The same dose of lithium has sub-therapeutic, therapeutic and supra-therapeutic serum level in different patients. The objective of this study was to describe the pattern of ADR and serum concentration of maintenance dose of lithium in patients with BPAD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients diagnosed with BPAD and taking lithium monotherapy 900 mg daily at least for 6 months at outpatient department of psychiatry, B. P. Koirala institute of health sciences. Sociodemographic profile and relevant laboratory investigations were recorded on a self-designed proforma. Chi square test, ANOVA test and student’s t test were used for analysing the data at p value <0.05. Results: Out of 123, 64 (52.0%) were female. Serum concentration ranged from 0.31 to 1.51 mmol/l with mean of 0.803 mmol/l and was in ther...
Background: Community pharmacist’s (CPs) knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pharmacovigila... more Background: Community pharmacist’s (CPs) knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pharmacovigilance and adverse drug reactions (ADR) play a vital role in preventing harmful effects of medicine. The objective was to assess the KAP of pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting among CP.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 132 CP in Dharan between February-March 2019 by using a self-administered 25-item semi-structured questionnaire. The KAP score was categorized as good (score 13-25) and poor (score 0-12). The descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft excel 2010.Results: Out of 132 pharmacies, only 77 responded giving a response rate of 58.3%. There were 45 (58.4%) male. Majority of the participants (45, 58.4%) had completed diploma in pharmacy course. Only 23 (29.9%) respondents gave the correct responses regarding the definition of pharmacovigilance and 23.4% were aware of the national pharmacovigilance centre. 50.9% agreed that reporting of ADRs is a part o...
Background: Adverse drug reaction (ADR), medication error (ME) and drug-drug interaction (DDI) ar... more Background: Adverse drug reaction (ADR), medication error (ME) and drug-drug interaction (DDI) are the major medication related problems that affect the pharmacotherapy success. Aim: To know the pattern of ADR, ME and DDI and to assess their causality, severity and preventability among the hospitalized patients in different Intensive Care Units (ICU). Methods: Cross-sectional and Prospective Cohort study was carried out in ICU, coronary care unit (CCU) and Neuro Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Manipal Teaching Hospital in Western Nepal. Data were collected during physician’s ward round, nursing round using the patients profile form, ADR form, ME form and DDI form. Naranjo Algorithm, modified Hartwig & Siegel and modified Shumock & Thornton Scales were used for assessment of causality, severity and preventability of ADR respectively. The medications were analyzed for possible DDI using standard drug interaction database micromidex 2.0 (Thomson Reuters). Descriptive statistics were used...
Introduction: Basic life support (BLS) refers to preserving an airway and promoting breathing and... more Introduction: Basic life support (BLS) refers to preserving an airway and promoting breathing and circulation without the use of any tools. It saves lives if given timely. The lack of training and knowledge of BLS might lead to tragic consequences. Objective: To assess the knowledge regarding BLS among dental surgeons. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among dentists in Haryana, during April-May 2020 using a semi-structured proforma. It consisted of sociodemographic data and 11 close-ended items on BLS. Score 1 was given for each correct answer. A google form was prepared via docs.google.com/forms and the link was sent to the participants via social media platforms like WhatsApp and Viber. The filled questionnaires were extracted from the Google Forms and exported to Microsoft Excel 2016. Descriptive statistics like mean, frequency and percentage were calculated to present the study findings using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (ve...
Background Honey is regarded as the oldest wound dressing. It accelerates wound healing in burn, ... more Background Honey is regarded as the oldest wound dressing. It accelerates wound healing in burn, infected and open wounds. Its effect on wound healing process in extraction socket is not fully established till today. Objective To evaluate the effect of honey on the healing process of socket after tooth extraction in New Zealand White rabbits. Method Extraction of first premolar tooth on both sides of lower jaw in six rabbits was done under general anesthesia produced by ketamine and Xylazine followed by local application of honey on one socket (honey group) and normal saline (control group) in the opposite socket. On 7th day, biopsy was taken from the extraction site and histopathological examination was done. Student's t-test was used for comparison between the groups and the differences were considered to be statistically significant at P-value less than 0.05. Result There was a significant difference between control group and honey group in terms of fibroblast proliferation (...
Med Phoenix, 2021
Introduction: Pharmacovigilance helps in the detection and prevention of adverse effects of drugs... more Introduction: Pharmacovigilance helps in the detection and prevention of adverse effects of drugs. For the effectiveness of this program, health care professionals should report adverse drug reactions (ADRs) considering it as their moral and professional obligation. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the doctors towards ADRs and pharmacovigilance in National Medical College Teaching Hospital (NMCTH), a tertiary care teaching hospital situated in the Narayani zone. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of four parts; first part included a demographic profile of participants, the second part consisted of ten questions for the assessment of the knowledge about pharmacovigilance, third part comprised of six questions on attitude and fourth part consisted of five questions on practice. The results were depicted in the form of percentages for each KAPs questio...
Health Renaissance, 2016
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the world. Although gradu... more Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the world. Although gradually declining in most developed countries, the prevalence of tobacco use has increased among developing countries. Nicotine is an addictive chemical that is inhaled from the tobacco present in the cigarettes. It acts on neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors within the ventral tegmental area of the brain, causing dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens which reinforces nicotine-seeking behavior. Reward through the dopaminergic system is a common thread among many drugs of addiction. According to the National Anti-Tobacco Communication Campaign Strategy for Nepal smoking prevalence in Nepal is higher (38.4%) than the smoking prevalence in the world (29%). Smoking attributable annual deaths in Nepal is estimated at nearly 14,000 (9,000 male deaths and 5,000 female deaths) for population aged 35 and over. First-line pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation are varenicline, sustained-r...
Birat Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected medical education and has forced educa... more Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected medical education and has forced educators to switch to online teaching-learning activities worldwide. Online teaching-learning activities has ensured the safe delivery of the lectures to the students. Objective: To assess the perception of students towards online lectures and to analyze the perceived barriers to online learning in our context during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Methodology: A cross-sectional online descriptive study was conducted among undergraduate students at a tertiary teaching college in Eastern Nepal during September-November 2020. The link of the Google form consisting of the semi-structured questionnaire was sent to the students through email. Descriptive statistics frequency and percentage were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2010. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Committee (IRC/2069/20). Results: A total of 211 students participated in the study. Mean age of the students was 20....
Background: Incorrect drug dose calculations by nursing students can cause drug errors and harm p... more Background: Incorrect drug dose calculations by nursing students can cause drug errors and harm patients. Their ability to calculate the correct dosage of drugs consistently need to be evaluated regularly. The objective of the study was to evaluate the drug dose calculation ability of nursing students.Methods: A pre-post interventional study was conducted among 99 undergraduate nursing students studying in 2nd, 3rd and 4th year. Pre-test was conducted using a 20-item self-administered questionnaire on drug dose calculation test followed by a 30 minute lecture on the methods of drug dose calculation. Post-test was conducted using the same questionnaire after a washout period of six weeks. Mean score, standard deviation, frequency and percentage were calculated. Student t test, one way ANOVA and McNemar Test were used for statistical analysis using SPSS version 11.5 at P-value of 0.05.Results: Pre-test and post-test mean score were 10.59 ± 3.00 and 15.36 ± 2.46 respectively. There was...
Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics
Background: Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of antibiotic prescription amo... more Background: Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of antibiotic prescription among doctors may help in developing guidelines to improve antibiotics use and decrease resistance. Aims and objectives: Our aim was to evaluate KAP regarding antibiotic use and its resistance among doctors. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional, questionnaire based study was conducted among the doctors of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal between January-March 2016 and their KAP regarding antibiotic use and resistance was assessed by using a five point Likert scale. The data were analyzed by calculating percentage and frequency. Results: Almost half of the doctors (50.2%) used to prescribe antibiotics more than once daily. Nearly two thirds of the doctors (65.3%) received antibiotic education at a formal lecture on ward rounds. Most of the doctors (87.4%) agreed that antimicrobials are overused. One hundred thirty four doctors (42.3%) agreed that patients' demands for antibiotics contribute to its overuse. Nearly two third doctors (70.7%) believed that locally developed antimicrobial guidelines would be more useful. Most of the respondents (89.9%) wanted more ongoing education on antibiotic use and its resistance. Conclusions: Our study reveals that antibiotics are overused and patients' demand contributes to this. Locally developed antimicrobial guidelines would be more useful. More CME on antibiotic use and its resistance should be conducted to enhance the awareness among doctors.
Nepal Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: Assessment of drug utilisation pattern (DUP) based on World Health Organisation (WH... more Introduction: Assessment of drug utilisation pattern (DUP) based on World Health Organisation (WHO) drug prescribing indicators would enhance the standards of patient care at all levels of the healthcare. It helps to improve the quality of life in developing countries like Nepal. Objective: To assess DUP in patients admitted in ear, nose and throat inpatient department at a tertiary hospital in Eastern Nepal using the WHO prescribing indicators. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 96 patients in ENT department of a tertiary care teaching hospital from February-April 2019. Pre-designed proforma was used to collect the relevant data from the medical case sheets and drug charts. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2010. Results: Out of 96 patients, 52 (54.17%) were female. Most of the patients (46, 47.18%) were prescribed four drugs. Combination of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol (77, 19.74%) was the commonest prescribed dr...
Birat Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: Irrational or inappropriate prescribing practice is common in developing countries ... more Introduction: Irrational or inappropriate prescribing practice is common in developing countries that can lead to ineffective treatment, prolonged hospitalization, harm to the patient, increased treatment cost and development of drug-resistant organisms. The prescription of antibiotics and other drugs in endodontics is limited to patients with progressive and diffuse swelling and with systemic infection. However, antibiotics continue to be over-prescribed by more than 66% dentists without a rational justification.Therefore, the periodic assessment of drug utilization pattern is important to know the existing pattern of drug use, decrease adverse effects and provide feedback to the prescribers. Objective: To evaluate the drug utilization pattern in endodontics using the World Health Organization prescribing indicators. Methodology: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted among the patients visiting the outpatient department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics. After o...
Journal of Chitwan Medical College
Background: Early recognition of oral cancer is essential for higher cure rate and better progno... more Background: Early recognition of oral cancer is essential for higher cure rate and better prognosis. Nurses can play a significant role in the early diagnosis of cancers. The study aimed to assess the awareness of oral cancer among nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Bachelor of Nursing Students at College of Nursing, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the sociodemographic data and awareness of cancer. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0. Results: Out of 116, 89 (76.7%) students were of age 21-25 years. One hundred and twelve students (96.6%) were aware that various form of tobacco increases risk of oral cancer; however, only 55 (47.4%) students knew alcohol drinking as a risk factor. Only 29 (25.0%) students were aware of loose-fitting denture as a risk factor for oral cancer. Ninety-six (82.8%) students knew white or red pa...
International Journal of Scientific Reports
Oral cancer survival remains poor despite advancement in treatment modalities. In oral cancer and... more Oral cancer survival remains poor despite advancement in treatment modalities. In oral cancer and oral premalignant lesions, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is widely expressed and tends to be enhanced especially in high-risk oral lesions. Numerous researches suggests that the inflammation pathway of cyclooxygenase/prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) leads to the development and progression of a number of cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). With an emphasis on research data, this article discusses the relationship between inflammation and cancer, summarizes the use of anti-inflammatory agents COX-2 inhibitors for cancer chemoprevention and treatment, and explains the mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of anti-inflammatory agents (COX-2 inhibitors).
Birat Journal of Health Sciences
Introduction: Assessment of drug utilization pattern using the World Health Organization (WHO) pr... more Introduction: Assessment of drug utilization pattern using the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribing indicators is important to promote rational drug therapy.It needs to be evaluated periodically to obtain information about drug utilization pattern, to detect early signals of irrational use of drugs and to provide feedback to prescribers. Objective: The objective of the present study was to assess the drug prescribing patterns in the Otorhinolaryngology OPD based on the WHO prescribing indicators. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 148 outpatients at Otorhinolaryngology and HNS department of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences for six month duration. Patients aged 18 years and above and prescribed at least one drug were enrolled. Medical case sheets of the every fifth patients visiting the OPD were reviewed to collect the relevant data on a self-designed proforma. Descriptive statistics and WHO prescribing indicators were calculated using SPSS versi...