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Biomedical subjects

J Andrews

Publications and source records attributed to J Andrews.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1978

An investigation into the ability of elderly patients continuing to take prescribed drugs after discharge from hospital and recommendations concerning improving the situation.

An investigation was made by an Occupational Therapist into the problems encountered by 50 elderly patients in the self-administration of drugs prior to discharge home. The questions asked the patients are enumerated and recommendations are made concerning how improvements can take place so that many more of the elderly will take the prescribed drugs in the right doses at the right time on discharge home.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

Cefoxitin: a hospital study.

Cefoxitin is a new cephamycin antibiotic that has recently become available for clinical trial. We report here the results of an uncontrolled trial of cefoxitin treatment in 31 hospital patients with various acute infections, 20 of whom were cured. Serum, urine, and bile concentrations of cefoxitin greatly exceeded the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) required for clinically important Gram-negative organisms. We conclude that cefoxitin will have a place in the management of serious infections, particularly in the abdominal cavity and renal tracts.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1977

The difficulties of old people taking drugs.

There is considerable interest in the problems of the elderly taking drugs correctly and appropriately. A recent survey (Parkin et al. 1976) showed that these problems that have long been known in geriatric practice have now been noted by general physicians. This review was undertaken when an occupational therapist in a geriatric unit team noted that, although patients and their relatives were taught methods of dressing, toileting, shaving, bathing, eating, walking, transferring to a chair, wheelchair mobility and communication by the occupational therapist, physiotherapist and speech therapist, no advice or teaching was given concerning the accurate taking of the drugs prescribed. The results of a detailed investigation are reported elsewhere (Atkinson, Gibson & Andrews 1978). Repeatedly, patients ready for discharge were handed a batch of drugs by a nurse at the last possible moment, even while sitting by their luggage awaiting the ambulance. Following this, special attention was paid to problems such as intellectual impairment, loss of memory and confusion, poor sight, inability to handle containers, failure to take drugs and lack of patient-education. During ward rounds, particularly when a geriatric health visitor was present, attention was drawn to special topics such as the number of patients who inadvertently kill themselves and the numbers needing readmission due to failure to take drugs, overdosage or underdosage or mixing of drugs (Wade 1972). Ferguson Anderson's comment (1974) that 7.15% of hospital admissions are due to drug reactions was also noted.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1977

Mecillinam serum levels following intravenous injection: a comparison with pivmecillinam.

Serum mecillinam concentrations have been obtained in 6 volunteers after intravenous injection of 200 mg mecillinam and two 200 mg tablets containing pivmecillinam hydrochloride. Initial concentrations were between 6 and 9 mg/1 and peak concentrations of about 2-0 mg/1 occurred at 1 to 1-5 h after the tablets. Analysis of the intravenous data shows the concentration/time curve to be biphasic and similar to that previously reported for penicillin G. The biexponential curves describing the data have been calculated using nonlin. Comparison of the areas under the serum mecillinam concentration/time curves suggests a bioavailability of 65 to 70% for the tablets. However, the two preparations contain therapeutically equivalent amounts of antibiotic, as two 200 mg tablets of pivmecillinam contain 30% more mecillinam than the 200 mg injection.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

An investigation into the medical state of patients over sixty-five years of age admitted to the Regional Eye Unit for surgery.

Patients over 65 years of age admitted to an ophthalmic ward were routinely screened in a standard way practiced in Geriatric Assessment Units. The previous drug therapy of all patients was particularly noted. A classification of the patients with undetected pathology was made and an attempt to categorise the percentage of those who required follow-up in the geriatric department and those who purely needed clinical information passed on to their family doctor, apart from the remainder who needed no medical advice. We postulate that this clinical assessment and subsequent treatment was of practical benefit to a large number of patients and therefore an attempt should be made to introduce this type of service more widely.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

Rapid intravenous injection of tobramycin: suggested dosage schedule and concentrations in serum.

A single, rapid intravenous injection of tobramycin in doses of 1.5 mg/kg or 80 mg administered to subjects with normal renal function produced a wide range of concentrations in serum. Serum concentrations peaked at greater than 20mug/ml in one third of the subjects, but these peaks were transitory. At 6 hr the serum levels were less than 2 mug/ml in all but one subject and were less than 0.1 mug/ml in 50% of the subjects. A dosage interval of 6 hr with a total dosage of 6 mg/kg per day is recommended. The variation in individual dose responses emphasizes the need for monitoring of levels of tobramycin in serum during treatment. Serum concentrations of 4-6 mug/ml 1 hr after injection can be considered indicative of adequate therapy. Levels in serum 6 hr after administration should also be monitored, particularly in the elderly. No immediate or delayed toxic effects were observed after intravenous injection of tobramycin.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

The prevalence of ampicillin, cephalosporin and sulphonamide resistance amongst urinary tract pathogens.

A total of 2,031 clinical isolates of Gram negative bacilli was obtained from hospitals in 4 centres and these cultures were tested for resistance to ampicillin, cephazolin and sulphonamide. Ampicillin and sulphonamide resistance in outpatients ranged from 15 to 28 per cent of E. coli strains and 4 to 11 per cent of Proteus mirabilis strains. Resistance to cephazolin in outpatients ranged from 0 to 3 per cent of E. coli and 0 to 6 per cent of Proteus mirabilis. Resistance patterns for E. coli, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella strains isolated from inpatients were much higher and varied widely. These patterns are presented and the reasons for these variations discussed.

Ampicillin↗