A STUDY ON COMPARISON OF INTRAVENOUS BUTORPHANOL WITH INTRAVENOUS FENTANYL FOR PREMEDICATION IN GENERAL ANESTHESIA

Background: An ideal premedicant drug is anxiolytic, sedative, amnesic, reduces salivary and respiratory tract secretions, analgesic as well as residual post-operative analgesia. The present study was undertaken to compare the effects of intravenous butorphanol and intravenous fentanyl as a premedicant drug in general anesthesia. Methodology: A comparative study between butorphanol and fentanyl was conducted in 100 patients of either sex at Government Medical College, Surat who belong to ASA physical status I or II, in the age group of 18-65 years. Post-operatively respiratory rate, tidal volume, sedation score, oxygen saturation and assessment of pain score was done in the recovery room. Results: When comparing both the groups the patients in the butorphanol group were found to be more sedated upto 60 minutes postoperatively. The difference between the two was statistically significant (p<0.001). In group F, 82% patients had analgesia for 60-120 minutes while remaining 18% of patients had analgesia for 121-180 minutes. In group F, 44% patients had analgesia for 121-180 minutes while 56% of patients had analgesia for 181-240 minutes. In group F, 82% patients had pain (VAS ≥5) by 30 minutes in the postoperative period whereas none of the patients in Group B had significant pain (VAS ≥5) by 30 minutes. Conclusion: We conclude that Butorphanol 20 µg/kg gives better attenuation of the hemodynamic response, longer duration of postoperative pain relief, without producing excessive sedation and with negligible side effects in comparison with fentanyl 1 µg/kg when given intravenously as premedicant for general anesthesia

Drug utilization pattern of antimicrobial drugs in intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital attached with a medical college

Background: A number of antimicrobial drugs are prescribed to the patients in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Drug utilization research was defined by WHO as the study of marketing, distribution, prescription, and use of drugs in a society, with special emphasis on the resulting medical, social and economic consequences. There is lack of information about the use of antimicrobial agents in the ICU at GGGH till date. So we decided to conduct this type of study.Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out for 12 months. Patients of age >18 of both sexes who was admitted in ICU were included in the study while pregnant and lactating women excluded. The prescribing pattern was analyzed by using World Health Organization basic drug indicators. Results: Among 611 patients, 373 (61.04%) were male and 238 (38.95%) were female. The most common emergency was post-operative 204 (33.38%).The most common prescribed antimicrobial drug group and drug was antiamoebic drugs and metronidazole respectively in 437 (24.04%) out of total drugs prescribed. The numbers of antimicrobial drugs prescribed per patient were 2.97. 68% drugs were prescribed from WHO and national EML list. Total 57.26% drugs were prescribed by generic name. Average antimicrobial drug cost per patient was 1805.34 rs.Conclusions: Despite of limitations of present study it gives important conclusion about how antimicrobial drugs are used in GGGH ICU. This information can be used for improvement of current treatment strategies

Drug utilization study of psychotropic drugs in outdoor patients in a tertiary care hospital attached with a medical college

Background: Psychotropic drugs have a great importance in psychiatric practice. Today many newer drug like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and atypical antipsychotic drugs has changed treatment protocol. Hence, the study was carried out to find morbidity pattern of psychiatric illness and prescribing pattern of psychiatric illness.Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out for 12 months. Patients of all ages and both sexes were included in the study while inpatients and referred patients were excluded. The prescribing pattern was analyzed by using World Health Organization (WHO) basic drug indicators.Results: Among 600 patients, male patient were 291 (48.50%) and female patient were 309 (51.50%). The most common disorder was depression 208 (34.66%) followed by schizophrenia 192 (32.00%). The numbers of psychotropic drugs prescribed a patient were 2.51. 39.39% drugs were prescribed from the WHO essential medicines list. Total 89.18% drugs were prescribed by generic name. Benzodiazepines were the most common prescribed drugs. Atypical antipsychotic drugs were commonly used than typical antipsychotic drugs. Central anticholinergic drug was used in 43.15% patients receiving antipsychotic drugs.Conclusion: Overall, the drugs were prescribed rationally. Benzodiazepine should be prescribed only for short-term duration. Use of central acting anticholinergic drugs with all antipsychotic drugs was not justified

From Plate to Planet: How ERAU can cut dining hall waste

Every time a student fills their tray in the dining hall, there’s a chance that food will be left uneaten—and when hundreds of students do this every day, the waste adds up quickly. Across the United States, college campuses discard over 22 million pounds of food annually, mostly due to the “all-you-can-eat” dining norms and oversized portions (Stone Pier Press, “Tackling food waste on college campuses”). Food wastage is also a serious environmental problem: in U.S. landfills, discarded food is estimated to contribute 58 % of fugitive methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas, making it an important issue to address (EPA, “Quantifying Methane Emissions from Landfilled Food Waste”). This project will examine how food waste happens at ERAU and look at the solutions that might play out at ERAU by reviewing how other universities have tackled food waste—such as Food donation and offering smaller portion (Hapres, “Strategies to Curb Food Waste on University Campuses”). ERAU is operating trayless dining halls which has reduced food waste. Even though ERAU has programs to reduce food waste, many students don’t know about them or aren’t aware of what the university is doing. I believe that ERAU can reduce food waste through a combination of student education and structural adjustments—small changes such as removing trays or donating surplus food—that benefit both the planet and the campus budget. Ultimately, by turning awareness into action, ERAU can model how student choices in dining halls contribute to global sustainability challenges