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Objectives: To evaluate drug prescribing practices at Medical Unit, ICU and Nephrology Unit, using WHO prescribing indicators, in order to promote rational drug use. Study Design: A retrospective cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Bolan Medical Complex Hospital Quetta, Pakistan, from July to December 2015. Methodology: Drug prescribing trends in 218 prescriptions were scrutinized thoroughly. Data was collected by well-trained pharmacy personals by using prescriptions and prescription registration books of patients. Descriptive statistics were calculated on SPSS version 16.0. Results: The average number of drugs prescribed per prescription were 4.11 whereas, WHO recommends that it should be 2.00 or less. Alternatively, percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name and from an essential drug list were 14.73% and 78.35% while, in accordance with WHO it must be 100% and 70% correspondingly. On the other hand, percentage of encounters having antibiotics or injections prescribed were 18.33% and 32.79% but according to WHO it should be20% or less and 10%respectively. Nevertheless, proper diagnosis was stated in 89.44% of prescriptions and 72.11% prescriptions had complete relevance between treatment and diagnosis. Along with, appropriate drug dosage and their administration was instituted in 65.16% of prescriptions and 73.21% of prescriptions had accurate duration of therapy. Conclusion: The prescribing patterns in Bolan Medical Complex Hospital Quetta reflect the practice of polypharmacy, which is more of an irrational type in contrast to WHO recommendations. Thus, there is an urge to bring about some interventions to improve the pharmacotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of current research was to highlight the abilities of patients to understand and follow prescription. Study design: Cross sectional study. Setting: District Head Quarter (DHQ) hospital Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. Duration: Data was collected between April to June, 2015. Methods: Study was conducted by well-trained pharmacists regarding prescription understanding and following. A well structured questionnaire was designed to gather information from 150 patients that comprised of questions based on all factors to be evaluated for prescription understanding and following. Results: The findings of this critique reveal that, 30% of patients understood instructions given on prescription where as, 12% of patients were able to comprehend physicians writing and 23% were those who even didn't understand prescription abbreviations. Similarly, correct method of drug administration, compliance with frequency of dose and dosage form and accurate dose intake were acknowledged by 66%, 65%, 73% and 80% patients, respectively while, 28% patients were able to make clear understanding with precautions written on prescription. However, 20% of patients reported that medicines have disturbed their routine life, 29% recognized their dependency on prescribed medications, 22% consulted with a third person for prescription interpretation, 36% reduced their dose to half due to side effects, 35% stated that prescribed brands were available to them and 65% missed their doses due to high cost of brands. Moreover, 76% patients showed consciousness regarding value of therapy and only 31% patients acknowledged that prescribed brands were economical. Conclusion: There is a lot of room for improvement in factors related to prescription understanding and following. Enhanced literacy rate, generic prescribing practices and cost-effectiveness should be considered for prescription consideration. Most important from Pakistan's point of view, role of pharmacist should be implemented in every health sector of country to mimic most of prescription related problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objectives of the study was to determine different microorganisms responsible for causing urinary tract infections UTI in children and to evaluate sensitivity and resistance pattern of different antibiotics used in UTIs. Setting: Study was conducted in Children Hospital Complex (CHCM), Multan, Pakistan. Methods: Total 125 children having UTI were taken to determine the antibiotic sensitivity and resistance pattern against microorganisms causing urinary tract infections in children. The urine samples were collected in urine bottles and smears were made within 2 hours of sample collection. Urine sample was inoculated on agar media and then incubated for 24 hours. A smear was prepared on a slide form culture of microorganisms and gram testing was conducted. The microorganisms were then characterized by use of API (Analytical Profile Index) MICROBACT TM 24E of Oxoid England. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing of various antibiotics was performed by disc diffusion method. Results and Conclusions: The percentage of Gram +ve bacteria causing urinary tract infections in children was 28%, Gram -ve 62.4% and Yeast 9.6%. The most prevailing species are S. aureus, S. epidermidis and E.coli. Results showed that female children are more prone to UTI than male children. Norfloxacin is effective in S. Aureus UTI while cefaclor is effective in S.epidermidis UTI. Amikacin, Norfloxacin and Cefuroxime are effective in UTI caused by E.coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As in most developing countries, incidence of cancer is also increasing in Pakistan. It is important that information on the frequency and epidemiology of malignant tumors be updated, as it is the basis of future health planning for the population at risk. This retrospective study was carried out to find the prevalence of various cancers in the population of Sargodha district (central Punjab, Pakistan) and to compare the regional and international studies, so as to plan and develop the oncology setup of Sargodha Medical College on a rationalized basis of disease prevalence. Data from July 2010 to June 2013 was retrieved from the department of statistics of the hospital and variables of interest were collected and analyzed using SPSS 10.0. It was observed that the most frequent cancer in our patients was breast cancer (n=172) while carcinoma of lungs was the most frequent carcinoma in male population (n=24). However our observations were a bit different from the international studies published on the subject, the probable reason being the availability of treatment facility and easier access in the nearby districts of Faisalabad and Lahore where many patients still go directly. More over the illiterate and poorer faction of the society does not come to the hospitals for management of the disease but rather go to the quakes and faith healers to relieve them of their sufferings. It is concluded that the department of clinical oncology should arrange cancer awareness programs for the general population to avoid delays in getting consultation, as at present they report to the hospital when the disease is quite advance and surgery is often not possible. Our study also revealed a somewhat different pattern of malignancies in our community raising a need for further studies to evaluate the reasons for this changed pattern in relation to various etiological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]