Background: Cardiovascular disorders are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among older patients. Drug utilization studies are useful in assessment of prescribing behaviour and rational use of drugs. To study the drug utilization pattern of cardiovascular drugs and to evaluate the prescribing practices by WHO-INRUD prescribing indicators in geriatric patients of cardiovascular illnesses admitted in tertiary care hospital. Methods: A hospital based observational cross-sectional study was carried out in Medicine wards and Intensive Care Unit of MGM Hospital, Navi Mumbai from April 2024 to March 2026. A total of 250 patients ≥65 years with cardiovascular illnesses were involved. The data were acquired from patient files, medication administration records and laboratory reports. The descriptive statistics were used to analyse drug consumption patterns and WHO-INRUD prescribing indicators. Results: Of 250 patients, 62.4% were males and 37.6% females. The mean age was 70.88±4.00 years. The most prevalent cardiovascular disease was hypertension (87.6%), followed by ischemic heart disease (27.2%) and heart failure (11.2%). The most common pharmacological class used was calcium channel blockers (24.8%), followed by antiplatelet medicines (24.1%). 30.02% medications were prescribed generically and 51.69% drugs were prescribed from national list of essential medicines. Antibiotic and injectable prescriptions were written for 20.03% and 29.17% of encounters, respectively. Conclusions: Hypertension was the most frequent cardiovascular illness among geriatric people. Moderate generic prescribing and compliance with NLEM suggest the necessity of regular prescription audits for promoting rational drug use.
Background: Stress, anxiety, and depression are some of the most prevalent mental health conditions in the world and have been found to significantly increase the burden of disease, especially among medical professionals who work in demanding settings like emergency rooms. Due to their long workdays, lack of sleep, and frequent exposure to stressful, life-threatening situations, emergency healthcare workers are particularly vulnerable to psychological distress and burnout. Despite how serious this problem is, not much research has been done on Indian emergency medical personnel. Using the DASS-21 questionnaire, this study sought to determine the prevalence and severity of stress, anxiety, and depression among medical staff in the emergency medicine department of a tertiary care facility in Navi Mumbai. Materials and Methods: In the Emergency Medicine Department of a tertiary hospital in Navi Mumbai, 30 medical professionals—including physicians, nurses, and paramedics—participated in a cross-sectional, observational study. Those on long-term leave or with a history of psychiatric diagnoses were not allowed to participate, but those with at least six months of experience were. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and a sociodemographic and occupational profile sheet were used to gather data. Normal, mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe levels were assigned to the self-administered, scored responses. SPSS version 27 was used for the statistical analysis, and p < 0.05 was deemed significant. Results: The majority of the 30 participants were under 30 years old, with 53.33% being female. 53.33% had normal stress, 60% had normal anxiety, and 56.67% had normal depression, according to DASS-21 scores. Significant percentages, however, showed clinically relevant distress: 33.33% had moderate to extremely severe anxiety, 36.66% had moderate to extremely severe stress, and 30% had moderate to extremely severe depression. In all three domains, female participants reported scores that were noticeably higher. Compared to their older counterparts, younger professionals (≤25 years) displayed more depressive symptoms. Compared to nurses, paramedics, and students, assistant professors, senior residents, and junior residents reported higher levels of anxiety and depression. Higher stress, anxiety, and depression scores were linked to sedative use, lack of regular exercise, and sleep deprivation (less than 7 hours per night). Conclusion: This study emphasizes the significant psychological toll that emergency medical personnel bear, which is influenced by lifestyle, occupational, and demographic factors. Particularly at risk were women, younger workers, and physicians in positions of greater responsibility. Distress was also influenced by modifiable risk factors, such as insufficient sleep and inactivity. These results highlight the critical need for institutional interventions like structured wellness programs, access to mental health services, and controlled working hours. In addition to being vital for the wellbeing of the providers, addressing mental health in this workforce is also critical for patient safety and care quality.
Introduction: Thalassemia major is a chronic hereditary condition requiring lifelong blood transfusions and continuous medical care, placing a substantial burden on parents who act as primary caregivers. Caregiver burden often leads to physical, emotional, and social strain, while resilience helps caregivers adapt effectively to these challenges. Parent empowerment programmes have emerged as potential interventions to enhance coping abilities, reduce burden, and improve resilience among caregivers. However, limited evidence exists regarding their effectiveness among parents of children with thalassemia major. Materials and Methods: A quantitative pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design was adopted. The study was conducted in thalassemia day care centres in Raigad and Thane districts, Maharashtra. A total of 244 parents (122 mothers and 122 fathers) of children with thalassemia major were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Zarit Burden Interview Scale, and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale. Following the pretest, a structured parent empowerment programme of 2 hours was administered. Posttests were conducted at one month and four months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed a significant reduction in caregiver burden among both mothers and fathers following the intervention (p<0.05). The mean burden scores decreased progressively from pretest to posttest 2. Similarly, resilience scores showed a significant increase after the programme (p<0.05). The intervention was effective in shifting caregivers from moderate–severe burden to mild–moderate levels. However, no significant correlation was found between caregiver burden and resilience. Recommendation: The study recommends implementation of parent empowerment programmes in thalassemia care settings to support caregivers. Multicentric studies are suggested for broader generalization. Establishment of nurse-led counselling services and strengthening healthcare policies to reduce financial burden are also recommended.
Background: Body Mass Index (BMI) is widely used to assess obesity, yet it fails to distinguish between fat mass and lean body mass (LBM). Recent studies have shown that LBM, which represents metabolically active tissues, may have a different association with cardiovascular parameters compared to BMI. Objective: To evaluate the influence of LBM and BMI on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and rate pressure product (RPP) in young healthy adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 healthy volunteers (50 males, 50 females), aged 18–25 years. Anthropometric parameters (height, weight, BMI, and LBM) were recorded along with cardiovascular indices (SBP, DBP, HR, MAP, and RPP). LBM was calculated using validated regression equations specific for males and females. Results: BMI and LBM showed significant positive correlations with SBP and DBP. Participants with higher BMI demonstrated higher MAP and RPP, whereas LBM showed stronger correlation with SBP and HR than with BMI. Conclusion: Both BMI and LBM influence cardiovascular function, but LBM appears to be a better determinant of hemodynamic response and myocardial workload. Considering LBM alongside BMI provides a more accurate reflection of cardiovascular risk in young adults. Key words: Lean Body Mass, Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure, Rate Pressure Product, Cardiovascular Risk
