Current Drug Safety - Volume 15, Issue 2, 2020

Background: Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that ingeminates itself with the repeated proliferation of keratinocytes. It globally strikes a 2-5 % population on an average. Management of psoriasis remains a daunting task with various challenges influencing treatment, such as patient conformity and adherence to therapy, delicate patient profiles, psychological aspects, and skin as a barrier to topical delivery. The first p Read More

Background: Disposal of pharmaceutical waste among patients is a global challenge especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. Improper medication disposal can lead to health problems and environmental contaminations. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess disposal practices of unused medications among patients in public health centers of Dessie town, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods: A descriptive cros Read More

Background: Medications induced QT prolongation could cause ventricular arrhythmia, torsade de pointes, and death. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of QTc interval prolongation as a result of levofloxacin treatment in patients admitted to cardiology wards. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the coronary care units and general wards of the Imam Ali Heart Hospital in Ker Read More

Background: The adoption of guideline recommendations of pharmacotherapy to improve the clinical course of Heart Failure (HF) remains below par. Our objective is to evaluate the impact of clinical audit on adherence to the Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) in patients admitted with acute heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (EF). Methods: A prospective interventional study was conducted over a period of Read More

Background: Efficiency and accuracy for signal detection and evaluation activities are integral components of routine Pharmacovigilance (PV) practices. However, an Individual Case Safety Report (ICSR) may consist of a variety of confounders such as Concomitant Medications (CM), Past Medical History (PMH), and concurrent medical conditions that influence a safety officer’s evaluation of a potential Adverse Event (AE). L Read More

Background: Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants like antipsychotics, opioids, benzodiazepines and zolpidem are frequently used by patients of a wide range of ages. Uncertainty remains about their effect in very old adults (>80 years old) and their potential for pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions in this population. Objective: To assess if the use of CNS depressants is associated with a higher Read More

Background: The success of a reporting system of adverse drug reaction (ADR) depends on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the health care professionals. However, due to a lack of knowledge and poor contribution by healthcare workers, ADR remains underreported. To improve safety, proper identification and ADR reporting is necessary. Objective: This study was carried out to determine knowledge, attitude, and Read More

Rationale and Objective: Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is one of the most widely prescribed medicines and commonly used in gastric related disorders and there is a huge need to analyze the irrational use of PPI in a country like India. The present study was designed to describe the rational drug use and cost comparison analysis of PPI in a rural tertiary care hospital. Methodology: A prospective observational study was performed Read More

Background: Lamotrigine is a phenyltriazine medication that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as monotherapy and as an adjunctive agent for the treatment of seizure disorder. It was later approved by the FDA for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Lamotrigine is generally well tolerated by patients, but some serious symptoms can occur during treatment. These severe side Read More

Background: Dabigatran is a novel oral anticoagulant molecule which is a direct thrombin (Factor IIa) inhibitor and is used for prevention of stroke and systemic embolism. It is easy to administer as compared to warfarin therapy as it does not require routine laboratory monitoring and has fewer drug interactions. Objective: To present a rare case of oral ulcers secondary to dabigatran in a patient with deep vein thrombosis. Read More

Background: Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that may affect different joints. Sarcoidosis is a Th-1 cell-related chronic granulomatous disease characterized by non-caseating granuloma formation. The coexistence of both the diseases is a rare entity. Ustekinumab, an IL12 / 23 inhibitor, has shown efficacy and safety in the treatment of PsA. Objective: This study presents a case with ustekinumab-ind Read More