@article {92, title = {Impact of Treatment on Asthma Control in Quetta Pakistan}, journal = {Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine}, volume = {9}, year = {2023}, month = {March 2023}, pages = {1-5}, type = {Original Article }, chapter = {1}, abstract = {

Background: Poorly controlled asthma may lead to decreased lung function, increase the risk of complications and more episodes of exacerbations, increased healthcare utilization, including more frequent hospitalizations and emergency room visits. Regular monitoring of asthma symptoms and lung function can help identify any potential issues in asthma control and ensure optimal management. Objectives: The study aims to assess the asthma control by the usage of asthma controller medications especially, corticosteroids, bronchodilators and leukotriene modifiers, among patients receiving treatment through well-validated questionnaire. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study with a sample of 361 was conducted in different public hospitals outpatient departments and clinics of Quetta Pakistan by using a convenience sampling technique. The Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) was used to measure the asthma control of the asthmatic patients. The descriptive and inferential statistics have been done by using SPSS version 20 with a p value \<0.05. Results: The study found that an average score of asthma control was 3.1{\textpm}1.10 thereby indicating uncontrolled asthma with also 62.3\% of study participants had uncontrolled asthma, no patient had controlled asthma. An increased number of medications including the use of corticosteroids and leukotriene modifiers posed an impact on asthma control of the study population. Conclusion: The study concluded that corticosteroids and leukotriene modifiers can be effective in asthma control and it is suggested for the future studies that route of administration and treatment guidelines must also be determined along with the asthma control to gain a complete picture of impact of treatment and management on any health outcomes.

}, keywords = {Asthma Control, Asthma Control Questionnaire, Pakistan, Quetta, Treatment}, doi = {10.5530/jppcm.2023.1.1}, author = {Sadia Sehar and Noman-ul-Haq and Maria Tahir and Sohail Riaz and Aqeel Nasim and Muhammad Saood and Riffat Yasmin} } @article {82, title = {Drug Utilization Pattern in Elderly Hospitalized Patients in Tertiary Care Hospitals of Quetta, Pakistan}, journal = {Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine}, volume = {8}, year = {2022}, month = {August 2022}, pages = {26-33}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {26}, abstract = {

Background: Changes in Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in different age groups, especially in elderly age group, have extensively been documented and studied and concurrent chronic diseases may underlie polypharmacy in elderly. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess drug utilization pattern in elderly hospitalized patients in tertiary care hospitals of Quetta. Methods: Specifically, designed questionnaire based, cross sectional study was conducted in Bolan Medical Complex Hospital and Sandeman Provincial Hospital Quetta with total of 397 participants. Non-Probability convenience sampling technique was used in this study. Cronbach alpha test was applied to check reliability of questionnaire, Cronbach alpha value was 0.886 that is acceptable range. Results: Majority of the participants were from age group 60 to 70 years (n=301, 75.8\%), fever and cough were present in majority of hospitalized patients (n=180,11.7\%). Majority (n=232, 58.4\%) of participants were having uncontrolled disease with yearly health service utilization of more than 3 times (n=234, 58.9), medication recommended to majority (146, 36.8\%) of participants were 4. Ceftriaxone was mostly prescribed in cough (n=162,90\%), hypertension (n=114, 67.1\%), fever (n=154, 85.6\%) of cases, while in gastritis omeprazole was mostly prescribed (n=84, 73.7\%). Most of the hospitalized patients were complaint to ceftriaxone, omeprazole, dimenhydrinate and diclofenac sodium. Conclusion: Ceftriaxone was most prescribed drugs among elderly patients that were admitted in different specialty departments. Most of the elderly patients had uncontrolled disease status. This study concluded that the compliance to medication was 82.1\% of elderly patients.

}, keywords = {Compliance, Drug Utilization, Drug utilization pattern, Elderly hospitalized patients, Quetta.}, doi = {10.5530/jppcm.2022.2.7}, author = {Tayyab Ali and Noman ul Haq and Ghulam Razaque and Muhammad Saood and Aqeel Nasim and Yasmin Shah and Maria Tahir and Ramina Khan} } @article {17, title = {Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Pakistan: Undiagnosed Threat to Pregnant Women}, journal = {Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine}, volume = {5}, year = {2019}, month = {December 2019}, pages = {80}, type = {Letter to Editor}, chapter = {80}, abstract = {

Dear Editor,

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a rare disorder and due to non-uniformity in its diagnostic criteria and changes over time in the recommended glucose values,[1] it is a major and a severe problem during pregnancy. But the time has reached to draw peoples{\textquoteright} attention towards this major medical complication of pregnancy. Women with risk factors such as age greater than 25 years; being overweight i.e., BMI \> 27kg/m2 before pregnancy and BMI \> 30kg/m2 during pregnancy; family history of diabetes; the previous history of pregnancy-induced hypertension and weight of the previous baby of >=4.5kg have a greater incidence of hyperglycemia during their pregnancy period.[2]

}, keywords = {Nil}, doi = {10.5530/jppcm.2019.4.20}, author = {Maria Tahir and Noman ul Haq and Arooj Abid and Abeera Zafar} }