Practice of self-medication with analgesics is thought to be rampant among medical students. This study was undertaken to figure out whether there is a difference in usage of analgesics with theoretical background (third year students) to those without impartation (second year students). It is a questionnaire-based study to assess the extent and pattern of usage of analgesics among third year and second year medical students. 95% of third year students and 87% of second year students self-medicated with analgesics. Analgesics were used commonly less than once a month.  The most frequently used analgesic was paracetamol (28%) in third year students whereas diclofenac (31%) in second year students for common ailments like fever and headache. Awareness of maximum daily dose of analgesic was not optimum (54%). Usage of analgesics as self-medication was high among both the batches. Concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors was high among third year students. Awareness of Maximum Daily Dose needs to be improved.

Background: Drug utilization studies are an important part of rational use of drugs. This study was planned to assess drug utilization pattern in Ophthalmology outpatient department.Methods: After approval from Ethics Committee, 620 prescriptions were analyzed according to WHO drug indicators.Results: 2. 4 drugs were prescribed on an average per prescription. Antibiotics (49%) were the most commonly used drugs. Fluoroquinolones (54%) were frequently used. Topical route was preferred route of drug administration. Prescription of generic drugs was not optimal (13%). Duration of therapy was missing in many prescriptions.Conclusions: Generic prescribing can be improved. Duration of therapy should be mentioned in all prescriptions.

The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene consists of 26 exons, it is located on chromosome 17 and its polymorphism is a major contributing factor to hypertension. The aim is to compare the efficacy of Chlorthalidone and Azilsartan in newly diagnosed hypertension patients in association with ACE gene polymorphism. The study was conducted in the department of pharmacology, Rama medical college, Kanpur. After doing genetic test and basic investigation, 90 newly diagnosed patients with hypertension associated with ACE gene polymorphism were recruited, followed by grouping into two A&B. Group-A(n=45) patients were given Azilsartan 45mg/day and group-B(n=45) patients were given Chlorthalidone 25mg/day for 3 months. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP& DBP) was measured before and after 3 months of treatment in both groups and they were compared. Three genotypes were found in ACE gene polymorphism-associated hypertension cases such as I/I, I/D and D/D, the severity of hypertension is more in the D/D genotype followed by I/D and I/I genotypes. All three genotypes of both group-A & B had shown a significant mean reduction in SBP& DBP after 3 months of treatment (p<0.05) but the mean reduction was high in the I/I genotype followed by the I/D and then D/D genotype.

Background: The aim was to study the prescribing patterns of clinicians working in two different settings i.e. Teaching clinicians (clinicians working in teaching hospital) and Non-teaching clinicians (clinicians involved only in private practice).Methods: A comparative cross sectional study was carried out for a period of 6 months in two settings. The study is confined to teaching clinicians comprising of qualified medical practitioners in ACSR Government Medical College (ACSR GMC) and Non-teaching clinicians of qualified medical practitioners in private health sector (PMPs). 450 prescriptions were collected from clinicians belonging to various departments of ACSR GMC and 450 prescriptions from private practitioners of Nellore city. Data was coded and entered in MS Excel. Data was analyzed on EPI INFO version 3.5.4.Results: In this study it was found that teaching clinicians prescribed 146 (12.85%) drugs by generic name, whereas non-teaching clinicians prescribed 112 (8.75%) drugs by generic name.Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicate that the drugs prescribed by the generic names were remarkably less in both teaching and non teaching clinicians. This indicates a need for improving the generic prescribing patterns in both the settings.

Background: We observed subpar performance in written assessments. We wanted to identify and address the modifiable contributing factors.  Aim: study was undertaken to assess studying practices and preparation for assessments by students in Pharmacology. Methods: study was conducted using questionnaire among 147 fifth and 147 third semester medical students.Questions regarding timing of preparation, revision, sources of drug information, difficult topics, practical exercise preference, e-learning sources, time allotment for questions and diagrams usage were posed. Results: 56% third semesters started studying pharmacology only before monthly tests in contrast to fifth semesters who were trisected in their approach of serious studying.Textbooks were primary source. Higher number of fifth semesters (93%), than third semesters (80%), used internet for learning. Fifth semesters browsed internet for learning more than third semesters. Greater number of fifth semesters viewed online lecture videos and referred to online medical dictionary compared to newer batch.When asked to select practical exercises, fifth semesters favoured prescription writing whereas third semesters preferred clinical problems.Conclusion: Blended approach and peer group learning was more common in seniors. Junior batch students had superficial approach, were task driven towards exam preparation and presentation individualistically.