PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F M Sullivan

Publications and source records attributed to F M Sullivan.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

A survey of general practitioners' attitudes to benzodiazepine overprescribing.

This survey of doctors' attitudes took place against the background of professional concern over litigation in the field of benzodiazepine prescribing and the prospect of imposed audit of General Practitioner's (GP's) work. One hundred and thirty-three GPs in the Argyll and Clyde Health Board Area responded to a postal questionnaire (44% response rate) asking about their opinions on the reasons for benzodiazepine over-prescribing. Further statements suggested possible interventions to reduce this acknowledged problem. The study group appear representative of the population from which they are drawn. Benzodiazepine over-prescribing appeared to be a meaningful term to the doctors who replied to this survey. In their replies, GPs acknowledged this to be a multifactorial problem with complex social and psychological roots. Those who responded appear to have a positive attitude to reducing the problem and appear willing to use the alternative strategies which would be required.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Reproductive toxicity tests: retrospect and prospect.

1. The design of the classical three segment reproductive test for new drugs is described and the relative merits of the USA/EEC and the Japanese guidelines are discussed. 2. The importance of pharmacokinetic studies in the interpretation of teratology studies and extrapolation to humans is mentioned in relation to caffeine, sodium valproate and cyclophosphamide. 3. Changing ideas on the design of multi-generation studies are reviewed. 4. Recent developments in the fields of behavioural teratology, chemicals in breast milk and transplacental carcinogenesis are described.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1988

Dietitians improve diabetic control in general practice.

Fifteen diabetic patients with problems related to poor dietary adherence, ie, obesity, hyperlipoproteinaemia, high levels of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C), were studied before and after the introduction of a dietary clinic to a general practice: none of these patients attend hospital for care of their diabetes. There was high patient acceptance of the offer of local dietary advice. Definite improvement in weight and hypertriglyceridaemia was shown with some evidence also of reduced HbA1C. Serum cholesterol levels were unchanged.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1987

Effects of administering caffeine to pregnant rats either as a single daily dose or as divided doses four times a day.

From day 6 to day 20 of pregnancy, rats were treated with caffeine in a total daily dose of 10 or 100 mg/kg by gavage, either as a single bolus dose or as four divided doses given at 3-hr intervals throughout the day. Controls were given distilled water at the same times. Maternal body weight and food and water consumption were reduced in the two groups receiving a total of 100 mg caffeine/kg/day and in the group given 2.5 mg/kg four times daily. Dose-related decreases in foetal weight, placental weight and crown-rump length and dose-related retardation of skeletal ossification were observed. Major foetal abnormalities, mainly ectrodactyly, were seen only in the group given 100 mg caffeine/kg in a single daily dose.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1987

Is nifedipine a suitable first-line treatment for essential hypertension in general practice?

Nifedipine has been used in hypertension, mainly as a third-line drug for rapid blood pressure reduction, for over 10 years. More recently it has been shown to be effective and safe in reducing mild to moderate blood pressure when used alone in a slow release formulation. A placebo-controlled study investigating the efficacy and safety of nifedipine in comparison with cyclopenthiazide-potassium has now been carried out by 4 general practitioners in the Glasgow area. Ninety-four patients were entered into the study. After a 4-week placebo run-in phase, patients were randomly allocated to receive either slow-release nifedipine 20 mg b.d., or cyclopenthiazide 0.25 mg with 8.1 mmol potassium daily. The dose was doubled at week 8 for non-responders, and at week 12 the alternative drug was added if there was still no response. The patients were studied for up to 28 weeks. Nifedipine was found to have similar blood pressure lowering efficacy to cyclopenthiazide-potassium, but withdrawals from nifedipine due to side-effects at an early stage were more common.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Assessment of disability caused by rheumatic diseases in general practice.

At present general practitioners lack a tool for defining the level of disability of individual patients and groups of patients with arthritis. An assessment technique (health assessment questionnaire) developed in the United States is described, and its use in general practice evaluated. Sixty two patients agreed to be visited at home to compare their observed abilities when performing the tasks of the health assessment questionnaire. The health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) is easily understood and takes patients only 10-15 minutes to complete. The numerical scores (range 0-3) for disability obtained on the postal questionnaire are close to the observed scores when patients are visited at home.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1987

An ethical committee for general practice in the west for Scotland: proposals received in the first year.

The particular ethical problems of research in general practice and pressure from local general practitioners and hospital ethical committees led to the development of an ethical committee for general practice in the west of Scotland. The workload of this ethical committee in its first year of existence is described.Despite the fact that many of the studies considered by the committee were sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and were often sophisticated, the ethical issues of a general practice setting had not always been fully appreciated. Of the 21 study proposals submitted over the year 13 showed areas of ethical uncertainty. However, all the studies were eventually approved. Most of the problems encountered were easily overcome and might have been avoided if the general practitioners undertaking the research had been able to seek advice from those with experience of research in general practice and in particular of the ethical issues involved. Local ethical committees for general practice, made up largely of general practitioners but with at least one lay member, might provide one such source of advice.

Ethics Committees, Research↗
PubMed1986

Problems in the long-term assessment of risks from drugs used in pregnancy maintenance.

Progestogens and oestrogens used to maintain pregnancy in cases of threatened abortion could have side-effects on the mother or fetus. The difficulties in interpreting epidemiological studies on the effects of sex hormones on pregnancy are discussed in relation to the combination of hormones employed, their purpose, time of usage and dosage.

Drug Administration Schedule↗
PubMed1984

Diabetes and insurance: a survey of patient experience.

A survey of 186 diabetic patients examined their collective experience of life and motor insurance. Some form of life insurance policy had been obtained by 150 patients, with a combined total of 204 policies, 107 of which had been agreed before the diagnosis of diabetes. Most patients had declared diabetes to the insurer but 12 patients had been refused acceptance. Only 15 patients sought alternative quotations. The premium had been loaded by 10-40% for 36 patients because of diabetes, and 48 required a medical report. Of 147 diabetic drivers, 95 (65%) had declared diabetes either to the Licensing authority, or to the motor insurer, but only 62 (42%) had informed both. Fourteen patients had been refused motor insurance cover by individual companies, and 36 patients were aware of having had their premium increased, but only 16 patients had sought alternative quotations. Major differences in attitude with regard to diabetes as a risk factor for insurance are evident, and patients should be advised to approach several companies when seeking insurance cover.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1984

Pharmacokinetics of human insulin zinc suspension (recombinant DNA) in normal man: a comparison with porcine insulin zinc suspension.

A single dose crossover study in 10 fasting, non-diabetic men compared the 24-hour profiles of blood glucose, plasma insulin, and C-peptide following a single subcutaneous injection of either human insulin zinc suspension crystalline (recombinant DNA), or highly purified porcine insulin zinc suspension (mixed), in a standard dose of 0.2 U/kg. Both insulins produced moderate hypoglycaemia within 3 hours which persisted for 24 hours after administration. The rate of fall of blood glucose was similar from 0-3 hours but was significantly lower after the porcine insulin at 4 and 7 hours (p less than 0.05). Mean plasma insulin values were higher after porcine insulin between 2 and 6 hours (p less than 0.05) and a biphasic pattern was observed following injection of both insulins. Plasma C-peptide declined after each insulin was administered, and was significantly lower between 2 and 7 hours after porcine insulin. The duration of the hypoglycaemic action of human crystalline insulin (recombinant DNA), assessed by blood glucose measurements and C-peptide suppression, was equivalent to porcine insulin zinc suspension (mixed) (Monotard MC, Novo) over 24 hours.

Adult↗