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Background: The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is used for diagnosis in inflammatory processes, including during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affecting our population. To determine the values of ESR in the evolution of patients with COVID-19 undergoing treatment at the CLAS Health Center in Nuevo Lurín. Methods: Our research applied a quantitative-observational, descriptive, and longitudinal approach. The sample consisted of 26 male and 19 female patients treated at the study site between February and June 2021, none of whom were in critical condition. To collect all the necessary information, the Capillary or Wintrobe method was used to determine the values of ESR in the evolution of the COVID-19 patients, obtaining different values for the 45 patients seen at the study site. The normal ESR value was 0 - 15mm/h for males and 0 - 20mm/h for females.  Results: The initial ESR test in patients positive for COVID-19 showed that only two cases (0.04%) had slightly elevated ESR ranges, while in the rest of the values (95.56%) remained within the normal range. Conclusions:  From the results of the capillary velocity of sedimentation method, it can be concluded that patients with COVID-19 in Peru showed no signs of inflammation within their bodies due to the virus.

Background: Actual and potential drug–drug interactions of psychotropic drugs in patients of the COVID-19 Medicine Service of the Villa El Salvador Emergency Hospital during the months of February to July, 2021. Methods: The study is deductive, retroprospective, quantitative, applied, cross-sectional observational. The instrument used was a collection card for 86 pharmacotherapeutic follow-ups where psychotropic drugs for anxiety, depression and insomnia were registered. Results: In the actual and potential drug interactions of psychotropic drugs, according to the degree of severity dimension, it was identified that the important indicator represented the highest frequency of 89% of the interactions; according to the type of interaction dimension, it was identified that the pharmacodynamic indicator presented a higher frequency with 53%; according to the clinical evidence dimension, it was identified that the fair indicator had a higher frequency with 73% interactions; in the manifestation dimension, it was identified that the potential indicator presented a higher frequency with 92.2% interactions. In its moment of appearance dimension, it was identified that the quick indicator had a higher prevalence with 5.5% of real interactions. In its causality algorithm dimension, the probable indicator was identified as having the highest frequency with 7.25% of actual interactions. With respect to sex, the male presented 49.9% of potential interactions and in the real interactions, the female sex presented a higher incidence with 4.3% interactions. The average age of the potential interactions was 48.83 years, and the average age of the real interactions was 45.67 years. Sertraline presented 53.2% of potential interactions and in relation to real drug interactions the one that presented the highest frequency was mirtazapine with 3.5% interactions. Conclusion: We conclude that the increase in the prescription of psychotropic drugs is related to a higher probability of interactions.

Background: Self-medication is a non-responsible act and leads to the inappropriate use of medications, causing low effectiveness and insecurity in treatments. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between self-medication and anxiety symptoms in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in users attending a pharmacy in Los Olivos, Lima in 2021. Methods: The research method was deductive, basic and with a quantitative approach; the design used was non-experimental, descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional, and prospective. Spearman's Rho analysis was performed to validate the hypothesis. Results: 384 users were evaluated, finding 93.5% aged 18-59 years, of whom 53.4% were female, 42.7% had completed high school, 57.8% were single and 51.6% presented physical symptoms, predominantly muscular tension accompanied by pain, 60.7% presented behavioral symptoms, highlighting unusual sadness in the face of COVID-19 and 70.1% presented cognitive symptoms with greater frequency of concern about contracting COVID-19. In addition, the greater the symptoms of anxiety, the higher the self-medication increased from 9.0% to 21.1%. A similar case was evidenced in self-medication on their own initiative where the increase was from 7.5% to 33.3%; likewise, self-medication without medical prescription increased from 15.8% to 47.7%, and the consumption of anxiolytics or antidepressants increased from 0.8% to 26.3% caused by the symptoms of anxiety. Conclusion: It was determined that there is a moderate relationship between self-medication and anxiety symptoms in the context of COVID-19, in users who go to a drugstore in Los Olivos, Lima in 2021.

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