Drug-related problems in prescribing for coronary artery diseases in Vietnam: cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence, patterns and determinants of drug-related problems (DRPs) in prescribing for coronary artery diseases (CADs) in Vietnam. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional study on outpatients with CADs at a general hospital in Can Tho, Vietnam. DRPs were classified according to Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe definitions. We determined the prevalence and patterns of DRPs. Logistic regression was used to identify the determinants of DRPs. RESULTS: Among 683 patients (mean age 63.4; 64.3% female), the prevalence of DRPs was 61.1%. DRPs comprised inappropriate indication (3.5%), inappropriate dosage (22.2%), wrong frequency of use (24.2%), wrong time of taking medications (4.1%), taking medications at the wrong time around meals (19.2%) and drug interactions (19.3%). Patients who took ≥ 5 drugs were more likely to have DRPs (adjusted odds ratio = 1.96; 95% confidence interval = 1.31-2.93). Patients without health insurance were more likely to have inappropriate indication (ORa = 2.93; 95%CI = 1.28-6.70). Taking medications at inappropriate times around meals was common among men (ORa = 1.82; 95%CI = 1.23-2.69) and among those with health insurance (ORa = 1.66; 95%CI = 1.05-2.63). Patients < 65 years old were more likely to be prescribed inappropriate doses (ORa = 1.67; 95%CI = 1.15-2.45). Prescriptions with ≥ 5 drugs were more likely to be taken at inappropriate frequency (ORa = 1.87; 95%CI = 1.09-3.21) and to cause drug interactions (ORa = 6.48; 95%CI = 2.59-16.24). CONCLUSIONS: DRPs are common among patients with CADs in Vietnam. The number of DRPs increases with the number of drugs in prescriptions. Further studies should identify other potential determinants of DRPs and effective interventions to improve prescribing practice in Vietnam.

PROBLÈMES LIÉS AUX MÉDICAMENTS DANS LES PRESCRIPTIONS POUR LES MALADIES CORONARIENNES AU VIETNAM: ÉTUDE TRANSVERSALE: OBJECTIFS: Déterminer la prévalence, les caractéristiques et les déterminants des problèmes liés aux médicaments (PLM) lors des prescriptions pour des maladies coronariennes au Vietnam. MÉTHODES: Etude transversale rétrospective sur les patients ambulatoires atteints de coronaropathies dans un hôpital général à Can Tho, au Vietnam. Les PLM ont été classés selon les définitions du Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe. Nous avons déterminé la prévalence et les modèles de PLM. La régression logistique a été utilisée pour identifier les déterminants des PLM. RÉSULTATS: Parmi 683 patients (âge moyen 63,4 ans; femme 64,3%), la prévalence de PLM était de 61,1%. Les PLM comprenaient une indication inappropriée (3,5%), une posologie inappropriée (22,2%), une fréquence d'utilisation inappropriée (24,2%), prendre les médicaments à des mauvais moments (4,1%), prendre les médicaments au mauvais moment autour des repas (19,2%) et les interactions médicamenteuses (19,3%). Les patients ayant pris 5 médicaments ou plus étaient plus susceptibles d'avoir un PLM (odds ratio ajusté = 1,96; intervalle de confiance à 95%: 1,31-2,93). Les patients sans assurance santé étaient plus susceptibles d'avoir une indication inappropriée (ORa = 2,93; IC95%: 1,28-6,70). La prise de médicaments à des moments inappropriés autour des repas était courante chez les hommes (ORa = 1,82; IC 95% = 1,23-2,69) et chez ceux ayant une assurance santé (ORa = 1,66; IC95%: 1,05-2,63). Les patients de moins de 65 ans étaient plus susceptibles de prendre des doses inappropriées (ORa = 1,67; IC95% = 1,15-2,45). Les prescriptions de 5 médicaments ou plus étaient plus susceptibles d'être prises à une fréquence inappropriée (ORa = 1,87; IC95%: 1,09-3,21) et à provoquer des interactions médicamenteuses (ORa = 6,48; IC95%: 2,59-16,24). CONCLUSIONS: Les PLM sont fréquents chez les patients atteints de coronaropathies au Vietnam. Le nombre de PLM augmente avec le nombre de médicaments dans les prescriptions. Des études supplémentaires devraient identifier d'autres déterminants potentiels des PLM et des interventions efficaces pour améliorer les pratiques des prescriptions au Vietnam.

Colloidal Dynamics of Freshly Formed Iron Oxides under the Influence of Silicic Acid.

Silicic acid and soluble Fe are among the most abundant components in acid mine drainage. During the oxidation of Fe(II), the interaction between silicic acid and freshly formed Fe oxides might change the colloidal dynamics, altering surface charge properties. However, the effects of silicic acid on colloidal Fe oxides formed from acid mine drainage are not fully understood. In this work, we examined the colloidal dynamics of freshly formed Fe oxides in synthetic acid mine drainage (prepared from FeSO solution) under the effect of silicic acid as a function of changes in pH and ionic strength. The results demonstrate that through adsorption, silicic acid progressively slows oxidation and enhances the dispersion of freshly formed Fe oxides by shifting the surface charge toward more negative values. This effect was most prominent between pH 5 and 9. The current results demonstrate that silicic acid enhances the dispersion and transport of freshly formed Fe oxides and suggest that aggregation-based techniques for the treatment of Fe-rich drainage may require further consideration of this effect.

Dimethyl sulfoxide as an excitatory modulator and its possible role in cancer pain management.

Intractable and untreatable pain from cancer remains a challenge for both patients and clinicians. The pain may be related to the disease itself or the consequences of treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Cancer pain is intense and has a major impact on patients' quality of life and survival. A significant number of patients receiving analgesic therapy with opioids report persisting pain of a higher intensity than the pain in those who were not on this class of drugs. The pathophysiology of pain in cancer patients is complex and remains poorly understood. Several research groups have studied and demonstrated that cancer and cancer-related symptoms may have an underlying problem of membrane hyper-excitability due to over-presentation of sodium channels and glutamate build-up or over-stimulation of glutamate/N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)/α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) system in cancer cells and the body. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a naturally derived, inexpensive, non-toxic solvent and pharmaceutical agent that has been demonstrated to have numerous health enhancing and therapeutic benefits. In the present article, we provide the scientific evidence and substantiate possible application of DMSO as a well-tolerated excitatory modulator in the management of cancer pain.

Effects of nitrogen fertilization on the phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

Many herbs and spices have been shown to contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds with potent antioxidant properties. In the present study, we explore how nutrient availability, specifically nitrogen fertilization, affects the production of polyphenolic compounds in three cultivars (Dark Opal, Genovese, and Sweet Thai) of the culinary herb, basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.). Nitrogen fertilization was found to have a significant effect on total phenolic levels in Dark Opal ( p < 0.001) and Genovese ( p < 0.001) basil with statistically higher phenolic contents observed when nutrient availability was limited at the lowest (0.1 mM) applied nitrogen treatment. Similarly, basil treated at the lowest nitrogen fertilization level generally contained significantly higher rosmarinic ( p = 0.001) and caffeic ( p = 0.001) acid concentrations than basil treated at other nitrogen levels. Nitrogen fertilization also affected antioxidant activity ( p = 0.002) with basil treated at the highest applied nitrogen level, 5.0 mM, exhibiting lower antioxidant activity than all other nitrogen treatments. The anthocyanin content of Dark Opal basil was not affected by applied nitrogen level, but anthocyanin concentrations were significantly impacted by growing season ( p = 0.001). Basil cultivar was also determined to have a statistically significant effect on total phenolic levels, rosmarinic and caffeic acid concentrations, and antioxidant activities.

Factor Va residues 311-325 represent an activated protein C binding region.

Activated protein C (APC) inactivates factor Va (fVa) by proteolytically cleaving fVa heavy chain at Arg(506), Arg(306), and Arg(679). Factor Xa (fXa) protects fVa from inactivation by APC. To test the hypothesis that fXa and APC share overlapping fVa binding sites, 15 amino acid-overlapping peptides representing the heavy chain (residues 1-709) of fVa were screened for inhibition of fVa inactivation by APC. As reported, VP311-325, a peptide comprising residues 311-325 in fVa, dose-dependently and potently inhibited fVa-dependent prothrombin activation by fXa in the absence of APC. This peptide also inhibited the inactivation of fVa by APC, suggesting that this region of fVa interacts with APC. The peptide inhibited the APC-dependent cleavage of both Arg(506) and Arg(306) because inhibition was observed with plasma-derived fVa and recombinant R506Q and RR306/679QQ fVa. VP311-325 altered the fluorescence emission of dansyl-active site-labeled APC(i) but not a dansyl-active site-labeled thrombin control, showing that the peptide binds to APC(i). This peptide also inhibited the resonance energy transfer between membrane-bound fluorescein-labeled fVa (donor) and rhodamine-active site-labeled S360C-APC (acceptor). These data suggest that peptide VP311-325 represents both an APC and fXa binding region in fVa.