BackgroundHypoglycemia has a major impact on patient health and glycemic management during insulin therapy for both type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is the rate-limiting complication in diabetes management that prevents stringent glucose control. ObjectivesTo assess the knowledge and awareness about hypoglycemia as a complication of T2D in adults in Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study done among type 2 diabetes patients in Al-Qassim, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January to June 2022. A previously validated online questionnaire was disseminated through social media to gather information from respondents. Participants were chosen via a simple random sampling technique. Data analysis was completed using SPSS (version 23; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). ResultsOverall, 213 respondents were included in our study. The majority of them were females (70.9%). The participants' average age was 35.9 + 13.0 years. Our results revealed that the average awareness score of the study population was found to be 3.6 ± 1.1 (by using the Clarke method) and 3.7 ± 2.1 (by using the Gold method). Moreover, we found that impaired awareness of hypoglycemia's prevalence by Clarke's questionnaire was 52.1% and 53.5% by using the Gold questionnaire. In addition, almost half of the respondents reported weakness as a symptom of hypoglycemia over the last six months and unconsciousness over the last 12 months. Hypertension was the most commonly reported chronic disease by our participants. Lastly, factors such as age, gender, educational level, geographic distribution, and history of chronic illness did not show any significant association with impaired awareness of the prevalence of hypoglycemia. ConclusionAccording to our research, we concluded that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the region of Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia, had insufficient knowledge about hypoglycemia as a complication of T2D. Moreover, the impaired awareness of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients was found to be high. Hence, there is a need for interventional programs to raise public awareness.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, barriers, and encouraging factors among chronically ill patients in the Qassim population, Saudi Arabia. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted between July 1, 2021 and March 1, 2022 using a validated and pretested interview-based questionnaire and included adult patients aged 18 years visiting health care centers. A total of 551 responses were included Result: In total, 19.2% of participants suffered from one or more chronic diseases. 27.3% were infected with COVID-19, and 96.2% were vaccinated against COVID-19. The knowledge related to COVID-19 was moderate among our participants (Mean score 12.3 ± 3.0). Participants who were divorced or had higher educational levels had significantly higher knowledge scores (p=0.038, p=0.027). The most strongly agreed-upon barrier factors that increase vaccine receiving hesitancy are concerns about its safety and adverse events. The fear of spreading the sickness to their family was the most common motivator, followed by the lack of adequate vaccination information. Participants who had received the COVID-19 immunization had a substantially higher attitude score (p = 0.005). When compared to non-chronically ill participants, chronically ill patients’ knowledge and attitude toward vaccination exhibited no statistically significant changes. Conclusion: This research gives an early look at Saudi people’s understanding and views concerning COVID-19 vaccinations. The participants mostly report their concerns about vaccination safety and potential adverse effects as a valid explanation for their reluctance to receive the immunization. These findings might help health officials prevent future drops in vaccination rates by increasing public awareness. Key words: COVID-19 vaccines, vaccinations barriers, chronic ill patients, Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Background: Epistaxis is an acute episode of nasal bleeding commonly caused in children by traumatic injuries in a school setting. It is one of the common ear, nose, and throat emergencies, which should be managed with first-aid measures. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been conducted among school teachers in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia regarding this information. This study thus aimed to assess levels of knowledge about first-aid management and control of epistaxis among school teachers in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study using a validated online questionnaire was distributed via social media platforms. Information was collected regarding sociodemographic characteristics, and eight items assessed participants' knowledge about epistaxis and its management. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were conducted to assess the factors associated with good levels of knowledge.Results: The study had a total of 1,152 participants, of which 69.7% were female. The mean of knowledge was 3.29 (SD=1.39, range: 0-7). Only 19.4% of participants had a good level of knowledge. In multivariate analysis, females and those who had received information on first aid to stop nose-bleeds were significantly associated with good knowledge levels (adjusted odds ratio {AOR}: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.18-2.51, p=0.005; and AOR: 3.38, 95% CI: 2.47-4.64, p<0.001, respectively).Conclusion: Less than one-quarter of participants had good knowledge levels. Health education sessions for teachers are highly recommended and should specifically target male teachers.

Objectives: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors demonstrated a reduction in the risk of death and hospitalization for heart failure and major renal complications in recent clinical trials. However, real-world studies are still limited, especially in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to examine the clinical outcomes of SGLT2 inhibitors in heart failure patients regardless of diabetes status. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was conducted at a single cardiology center in Saudi Arabia. The study spanned from July 2021 to June 2022. The study included adult patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with heart failure with a prior history of using SGLT2 inhibitors for at least 3 months. Results: A total of 45 patients were included in the study. A significant difference was detected among the diabetic and non-diabetic patient groups in baseline diastolic blood pressure (DBP), baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the use of diabetic medications with (p= 0.008, <0.001, 0.008), respectively. SGLT2 inhibitors use resulted in a trend toward improvements in HbA1C, LVEF and ED visits however, these findings were non-statically significant. Conclusions: This is the first protocol to report outcomes of SGLT2 inhibitors in Saudi heart failure patients regardless of diabetes status. We detected an improvement signal in HbA1C, ED visit frequency and LVEF in both diabetic and non-diabetic groups.Larger studies are warranted to further evaluate outcomes of SGLT2 inhibitors in this patient group regardless of diabetes.