Biomedical subjects

M Lassanova

Publications and source records attributed to M Lassanova.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Perception of potentially inappropriate medication in elderly patients by Slovak physicians.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to determine the risk perception of potentially inappropriate drug treatment of elderly patients by Slovak physicians. In Slovakia, a list of such drugs is not available. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 600 patients aged > or =65 years hospitalized at the Department of Internal Medicine in a Slovak general hospital between 1 December 2003 and 31 March 2005. The use of potentially inappropriate drugs at the time of hospital admission and discharge was compared. Potentially inappropriate drug use was defined by Beers 2003 criteria. In addition, 206 physicians were asked to mark the drugs that they considered potentially inappropriate for elderly patients out of a list provided in a questionnaire analysis. RESULTS: Out of 600 patients 20.2% and 20% were treated with at least one potentially inappropriate drug at the time of hospital admission and discharge, respectively. Hospitalization had no significant influence on the number of potentially inappropriate medicines used. The most frequently prescribed potentially inappropriate drugs were digoxin >0.125 mg/day and ticlopidine. Out of 206 responding physicians only 4.9% considered ticlopidine as potentially inappropriate for elderly patient. On the other hand, more than 20% of respondents were aware of the potential inappropriateness of amitriptyline, diazepam and chlordiazepoxide. Mentioned drugs were observed in less than 2% of study population (n = 600). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the questionnaire analysis in physicians as well as the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication demonstrate that Slovak clinicians are aware of the risk of certain treatments in elderly patients.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Experience with problem oriented teaching in pharmacology.

Pharmacology is one of the core subjects for further graduation in both preclinical and clinical area. Medical education is being performed either in the "classical" way (lecture based learning--LBL) or in a more advanced form, such as problem based learning (PBL). According to the Medline database, the interest in PBL is still increasing. At our department, the PBL has been introduced using the knowledge obtained at the the Mac Master University and University of Groningen. PBL in pharmacology requires well-qualified staff with clinical experience. A common character of PBL is the use of selected clinical cases as models and starting points to study certain topics with a student centred approach. In an interview we made on a sample of 88 students of our medical faculty in the last study year, 65.5% of them found the amount of information concerning pharmacotherapy not sufficient for their future clinical practice and 83.3% did not feel able to use the knowledge obtained. More than 90% of students did not see enough opportunities for pharmacotherapy training during clinical subject courses. These results are in support of our orientation of teaching towards the PBL. This type of teaching forces students to be active, trains their skills in communication and selection of knowledge, which is believed to enhance the long-term knowledge retention. By using the hybrid PBL-LBL model at our department we respect the principal proposal of medical education and attempt to improve skills in decision making in training of future medical doctors. (Tab. 3, Fig. 2, Ref. 13.)

Education, Medical↗

PubMed2005

The Slovak Drug Information (Druginfo) Centre during the period 1997-2004.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the profile of users, the number and character of questions which were received during the period May 1997-December 2004. BACKGROUND: The drug information centre (Druginfo) has been established in Slovak Republic at the Department of Pharmacology in May 1997. Since 2002 Druginfo is a member of International Register of Drug Information Services of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia. Druginfo provides voluntarily free of charge drug information for healthcare professionals. METHOD: Druginfo receives questions addressed via phone, fax and e-mail. The questions were replied by consulting pharmacologists on duty. The data for this study were obtained from records which include list the received questions and the basic information about the questioners. RESULTS: The Druginfo received 495 questions during the period May 1997-December 2004. Questions were mostly from hospital physicians, followed by outpatient physicians and employees of the Faculty of Medicine. The most frequent specializations of the asking physicians were internal medicine, gynaecology-obstetrics, clinical pharmacology and general medicine. The most common topic was basic information about drugs, followed by questions concerning the use of drugs in pregnancy and lactation. According to the ATC classification the questions were most often related to antiinfective drugs, cardiovascular drugs and psychiatric drugs. CONCLUSION: The existence of Druginfo in Slovak Republic represents a possibility of an open access to independent drug information. (Fig. 3, Ref. 11.)

Drug Information Services↗

PubMed2004

Cost-effectiveness analysis of switching from intravenous to oral administration of antibiotics in elderly patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the introduced work was to evaluate pharmacoeconomic advantages of timely switching from intravenous to oral administration of antibiotics (ATB). METHODS: The evaluated group was selected out of 2870 patients, who were hospitalised at the Clinic of Geriatric Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University in Bratislava from January 1st 1999 to December 31st 2001. In our retrospective study we analysed 96 patients with community-acquired pneumonia successfully treated by ATB. In 43 of them ATB were given intravenously and in 53 the therapy was switched, i.e. the intravenous administration was used at the beginning and oral administration when the condition improved. We applied a cost-effectiveness analysis to the pharmacoeconomic evaluation. The cost-effectiveness coefficient was calculated as the ratio of ATB price (Slovak Crowns) to the effectiveness criterion (number of asymptomatic days in month). RESULTS: According to the cost-effectiveness coefficient, the switch therapy was significantly less expensive in all evaluated ATB (except for pefloxacin) in comparison with intravenous administration: ampicillin-sulbactam 93.9 vs 168.1; cefuroxime 90.0 vs 123.3; amoxicillin-clavulanate 74.0 vs 116.3; ciprofloxacin 31.7 vs 54.1. CONCLUSIONS: A timely switching from intravenous to oral administration of ATB in a suitable patient is an effective way to save financial resources. (Tab. 5, Ref: 21.)

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2002

Reduction of rise in blood pressure and cortisol release during stress by Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) in healthy volunteers.

The standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761) was found not only to improve memory and aging associated cognitive deficits but also to exert beneficial effects on mood. An antistress action of the extract has been suggested but not directly proven. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effects of EGb 761 on salivary cortisol and blood pressure responses during stress in healthy young volunteers (n = 70) in a double blind placebo controlled design. A stress model involving a combination of static exercise (handgrip) and mental stimuli was used. Single treatment with EGb 761 (120 mg) reduced stress-induced rise in blood pressure without affecting the heart rate. Salivary cortisol responses showed differences with respect to the gender and the time of day of the stress exposure, with the activation only in male subjects in the afternoon. This activation was absent if they were treated with EGb 761. The performance in a short memory test with higher scores achieved by women remained unaffected by EGb 761 treatment. Thus, this study provides evidence that EGb 761 has an inhibitory action on blood pressure and it may influence cortisol release in response to some stress stimuli.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Drug information center.

One of the most important prerequisities concerning the process of selecting drugs for rational pharmacotherapy is the availability of independent information about them. The first self-existent Drug Information Center (DIC) in Slovakia was established in May 1997 at the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava. The organization of DIC and its activities are similar to other analogous centers in other countries. DIC provides free drugs information to all medical professionals. The majority of inquiries are from hospital physicians followed by general practitioners and staff of the University. The most frequent questions involve basic information about drugs, pharmacotherapy during pregnancy and lactation, adverse drug reactions, registration of new drugs, drug action etc.

Drug Information Services↗