Objective: To investigate the drug utilization pattern and the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) using updated AGS Beers Criteria 2012 among the elderly patients who attended the geriatric outpatient departments as well as admitted indoor patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital at Guwahati, Assam, India. Methods:A hospital-based prospective, observational and cross sectional study, involving patients aged 65 years and above was planned and conducted over a period of 6-months from January 2016 to June 2016. Patients were visited daily, interviewed and case records were collected. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel Sheets.Results: A total of 150 patients aged 65 years and above were analyzed. 97 patients (65%) were males and 53 (35%) were females. Majority of the patients (61 numbers, 41%) belonged to the age group of 65-70 years, and least were in the age group of 86-90 years (13 numbers, 9%). Prescription of five or more medications (polypharmacy) was observed in 117 (78%) patients. Majority of the patients presented with diseases of cardiovascular system (25.7%). Using the World Health Organization drug use indicators, the average number of drugs per prescription was found to be 5.6. The percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was 86%. The percentage of encounters in which antibiotics were prescribed was 61%. Injection was prescribed was 65% cases and the percentage of drugs prescribed from the National List of Essential Medicines of India was 96%. 43 patients received PIMs from Beers list; majority were belonging to Category 1. Spironolactone was most commonly prescribed PIM. Conclusion:Irrational prescribing practices and polypharmacy were detected in our study. Prescribers should be educated about the rational use of drugs and Beers Criteria for elderly.

Objective: The aim of the study was to study the prescription pattern of prophylactic antiemetics in breast cancer patients. Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out. Over a period of 3 months, all chemotherapy order sheets of breast cancer patients were collected and evaluated for prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). We compared each antiemetic drug used for CINV prophylaxis with international antiemetic guidelines, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Results: A total of 103 breast cancer patients were included in the study, for which 141 chemotherapy physician prescriptions included antiemetic drugs. Approximately 51.06% of anticancer agents had high emetic risk, 2.13% had moderate emetic risk, and 43.26% and 3.55% of anticancer agents had low and minimal emetic risk, respectively. Most frequently prescribed anticancer drug was paclitaxel 49 (34.75%). About 43.97% of the antiemetic regimen were found following NCCN guidelines. Conclusion: The development of institutional policy for assessment and guidance of the chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting prophylaxis may improve the consistency between antiemetic prescribing and guidelines.

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Objectives: The aims of this study were to collect sociodemographic, clinical data regarding practice of self-medication and to assess quality of life in healthcare workers involved taking care of COVID-19 patients. Methods: The study population consisted of 104 healthcare workers from Gauhati Medical College and Hospital directly involved in management and control of COVID-19 Pandemic. It was a cross-sectional observational study using non-probability sampling. Data were collected in a questionnaire developed by the investigators which included age, sex, and occupation, COVID-19 such as symptoms, medicines used, contraction and confirmation of COVID-19 positive, and self-medication when COVID positive, symptomatic relief, and adverse effects and usefulness of self-medication. The data for mental health were obtained in a questionnaire based on the Professional Quality of Life Scale (Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue Version 5) with responses rated on a five-point Likert scale. Results: The study consisted of 104 participants. Males were n=42 (40%) and females were n=62 (60%). Doctors n=20 (19%), Laboratory Technicians n=22 (21%), Nurses n=44 (42%), Pharmacists n=13 (13%), Ward boys n=3 (3%), and Ward girls n=2 (2%) took part. Eighty-four (97.7%) respondents took paracetamol, 39 (45.3%) took cough syrup, 30 (34.9%) used nasal decongestants, 25 (29.1%) utilized throat gargle, 24 (27.9%) used azithromycin, 22 (25.6%) used cefixime, 13 (15.1%) took amoxyclav, 27 (31.4%) took ORS, 3 (3.5%) took Doxycycline, 4 (4.8%) used Ivermectin, 1 (1.2%) took Dexamethasone, and 1 (1.2%) used Multivitamin. About 68% (n=51) of COVID Positive respondents self-medicated with Azithromycin, 24% (n=18) with Ivermectin, 41.3% (n=31) with Doxycycline, 20% (n=15) with Dexamethasone, and 4% (n=3) with Levocetrizine and Paracetamol. The Mental Health Assessment Scores were obtained as the sum total of scores of answers to the 30 questions provided per respondent. About 7% (n=7) respondents with total score between 60 and 69, 12% (n=13) from 70 to 79, 29% (n=30) from 80 to 89, 22% (n=23) from 90 to 99, 16% (n=17) from 100 to 109, 13% (n=13) from 110 to 119, and 1% (n=1) between 120 and 129. This indicates that some participants had mild burnout, most had moderate burnout, and a few had severe burnout. Conclusion: Self-medication practices common among healthcare workers, increased during the COVID-19 Pandemic which must be appropriately managed to stay away from the ill effects. Providing adequate mental health resources and education to the affected health workers will motivate them increasing their productivity during the pandemic.