Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 53 in total

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  1. Ab Rahman AF, Budiarti LE
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 1998 Apr;23(2):127-31.
    PMID: 9786098
    To determine how nurses handled drug-related questions in the work environment of a teaching hospital in Malaysia and the type of information sources they used.
  2. Al Madfai F, Valah B, Zaidi STR, Wanandy T, Ming LC, Peterson GM, et al.
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2018 Aug;43(4):530-535.
    PMID: 29500838 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12674
    WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Continuous infusion of dobutamine plays an important role in the management of patients with end-stage heart failure. Home infusion of dobutamine using a continuous ambulatory delivery device (CADD) facilitates the management of patients in their home, avoiding complications associated with long-term hospitalization. However, the stability of dobutamine in CADD is currently unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the physicochemical stability of dobutamine in CADDs at three different temperatures over various time points.

    METHODS: Six CADDs (three containing dobutamine 10 mg/mL in 0.9% sodium chloride and three containing dobutamine 10 mg/mL in 5% glucose) were prepared and stored at 4°C for 7 days, followed by 12 hours at 35°C and then for another 12 hours at 25°C. An aliquot (n = 3) was withdrawn aseptically at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 and 168 hours when stored at 4°C, and at 0, 6 and 12 hours when stored at the other two temperatures. Each sample was analysed for dobutamine concentration using a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. All the samples were also evaluated for change in pH, colour and for particle content.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: No evidence of particle formation, colour or pH change was observed throughout the study period. Dobutamine, when admixed with 0.9% sodium chloride or 5% glucose, was found to be chemically stable for at least 168 hours at 4°C and for another 12 hours at 35°C and for another 12 hours at 25°C.

    WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS: Our findings will allow health professionals to provide a weekly supply of dobutamine-containing CADDs to patients for home infusions. Continuous infusion over a 24-hour period using one CADD per day will also decrease the number of exchanges required and thus reduce the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections.

  3. Ambaras Khan R, Aziz Z
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2018 Aug;43(4):450-459.
    PMID: 29722052 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12696
    WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVES: Clinical practice guidelines serve as a framework for physicians to make decisions and to support best practice for optimizing patient care. However, if the guidelines do not address all the important components of optimal care sufficiently, the quality and validity of the guidelines can be reduced. The objectives of this study were to systematically review current guidelines for hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), evaluate their methodological quality and highlight the similarities and differences in their recommendations for empirical antibiotic and antibiotic de-escalation strategies.

    METHODS: This review is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. Electronic databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed and EMBASE were searched up to September 2017 for relevant guidelines. Other databases such as NICE, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the websites of professional societies were also searched for relevant guidelines. The quality and reporting of included guidelines were assessed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE-II) instrument.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Six guidelines were eligible for inclusion in our review. Among 6 domains of AGREE-II, "clarity of presentation" scored the highest (80.6%), whereas "applicability" scored the lowest (11.8%). All the guidelines supported the antibiotic de-escalation strategy, whereas the majority of the guidelines (5 of 6) recommended that empirical antibiotic therapy should be implemented in accordance with local microbiological data. All the guidelines suggested that for early-onset HAP/VAP, therapy should start with a narrow spectrum empirical antibiotic such as penicillin or cephalosporins, whereas for late-onset HAP/VAP, the guidelines recommended the use of a broader spectrum empirical antibiotic such as the penicillin extended spectrum carbapenems and glycopeptides.

    WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS: Expert guidelines promote the judicious use of antibiotics and prevent antibiotic overuse. The quality and validity of available HAP/VAP guidelines would be enhanced by improving their adherence to accepted best practice for the management of HAP and VAP.

  4. Au A, Baba AA, Azlan H, Norsa'adah B, Ankathil R
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2014 Dec;39(6):685-90.
    PMID: 25060527 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12197
    The introduction and success of imatinib mesylate (IM) has brought about a paradigm shift in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) treatment. However, despite the high efficacy of IM, clinical resistance develops due to a heterogeneous array of mechanisms. Pharmacogenetic variability as a result of genetic polymorphisms could be one of the most important factors influencing resistance to IM. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between genetic variations in drug efflux transporter ABCC1 (MRP1) and ABCC2 (MRP2) genes and response to IM in patients with CML.
  5. Aziz Z, Tang WL, Chong NJ, Tho LY
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2015 Apr;40(2):177-85.
    PMID: 25630350 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12247
    Rutoside (rutin; quercetin rutinoside) is a glycoside found in various plant products, including apples, citrus fruits and cranberries. Hydroxyethylrutosides (HR) are semisynthetic derivatives sold as standardized products for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Commercially available products include Relvène(®) (France), Venoruton(®) (Switzerland) and Paroven(®) (United Kingdom). However, the evidence for their efficacy is inconclusive. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence of efficacy and tolerability of hydroxyethylrutosides for CVI.
  6. Aziz Z
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2004 Jun;29(3):241-6.
    PMID: 15153085
    We hypothesized that as the use of herbal medicines increases in the general population, so do patients' requests to physicians for recommendations. However, why some physicians recommend herbal medicines while others do not is not well understood.
  7. Beshir SA, Aziz Z, Yap LB, Chee KH, Lo YL
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2018 Apr;43(2):209-219.
    PMID: 29030869 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12634
    WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Bleeding risk scores (BRSs) aid in the assessment of oral anticoagulant-related bleeding risk in patients with atrial fibrillation. Ideally, the applicability of a BRS needs to be assessed, prior to its routine use in a population other than the original derivation cohort. Therefore, we evaluated the performance of 6 established BRSs to predict major or clinically relevant bleeding (CRB) events associated with the use of oral anticoagulant (OAC) among Malaysian patients.

    METHODS: The pharmacy supply database and the medical records of patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) receiving warfarin, dabigatran or rivaroxaban at two tertiary hospitals were reviewed. Patients who experienced an OAC-associated major or CRB event within 12 months of follow-up, or who have received OAC therapy for at least 1 year, were identified. The BRSs were fitted separately into patient data. The discrimination and the calibration of these BRSs as well as the factors associated with bleeding events were then assessed.

    RESULTS: A total of 1017 patients with at least 1-year follow-up period, or those who developed a bleeding event within 1 year of OAC use, were recruited. Of which, 23 patients experienced a first major bleeding event, whereas 76 patients, a first CRB event. Multivariate logistic regression results show that age of 75 or older, prior bleeding and male gender are associated with major bleeding events. On the other hand, prior gastrointestinal bleeding, a haematocrit value of less than 30% and renal impairment are independent predictors of CRB events. All the BRSs show a satisfactory calibration for major and CRB events. Among these BRSs, only HEMORR2 HAGES (C-statistic = 0.71, 95% CI 0.60-0.82, P 

  8. Chan HK, Hassali MA, Lim CJ, Saleem F, Tan WL
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2015 Jun;40(3):266-72.
    PMID: 25865563 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12272
    WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that more than 80% of out-of-hospital medication errors among the young children involve liquid formulations. The usefulness of pictorial aids to improve communication of medication instructions has not been extensively investigated for child health. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of pictorial aids used to assist caregivers in the administration of liquid medications.
    METHODS: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched for articles published up to February 2015. Studies that used pictorial aids with liquid medications and measured at least one of the following outcomes were included: dosing accuracy, comprehension of medication instructions, recall of information and adherence of caregivers. Two authors independently selected studies, extracted data and assessed methodological quality of studies using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool.
    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Five experimental studies (four hospital based and one community based) with a total of 962 participants were included. A wide range of liquid formulations were studied, including both prescription and over-the-counter medications. The existing findings suggest that pictographic interventions reduced dosing errors, enhanced comprehension and recall of medication instructions and improved adherence of caregivers. Incorporating pictorial aids into verbal medication counselling or text-based instructions was more beneficial than using the single approach alone. Mixed results were identified for the relationship between health literacy of caregivers and effectiveness of pictorial aids.
    WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The evidence remains limited due to the small number of studies found and variations in methodological quality. This review suggests that pictorial aids might be potential interventions, but more high-quality studies are needed to support the routine use of any pictogram-based materials with liquid medications in the clinical settings.
    KEYWORDS: caregivers; graphics; health literacy; medication adherence; medication errors; paediatrics
  9. Chin WK
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2018 Feb;43(1):159-162.
    PMID: 29114905 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12648
    WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Literature evidence suggests leukotriene involvement in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. This article aimed to discuss whether the off-label use of montelukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, is justifiable for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

    COMMENT: Most non-randomized studies supported the use of montelukast for atopic dermatitis treatment. However, evidence from these studies should be interpreted with caution as it is relatively weak due to the absence of randomization, control groups and blinding processes, subjecting the results to high risk of selection and reporting biases. The inconsistent findings across RCTs may be related to the limited number of patients, nuances in study designs, varying severity of disease and the concomitant use of steroids in some of the studies.

    WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Current literature evidence is limited to rationally support the use of montelukast in atopic dermatitis treatment. For now, the conventional treatments should be preferred in the clinical setting.

  10. Chua SS, Tea MH, Rahman MH
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2009 Apr;34(2):215-23.
    PMID: 19250142 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2008.00997.x
    Drug administration errors were the second most frequent type of medication errors, after prescribing errors but the latter were often intercepted hence, administration errors were more probably to reach the patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the frequency and types of drug administration errors in a Malaysian hospital ward.
  11. Dhabali AA, Awang R, Zyoud SH
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2012 Aug;37(4):426-30.
    PMID: 22081958 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2011.01314.x
    WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) cause considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide and may lead to hospital admission. Sophisticated computerized drug information and monitoring systems, more recently established in many of the emerging economies, including Malaysia, are capturing useful information on prescribing. Our aim is to report on an investigation of potentially serious DDIs, using a university primary care-based system capturing prescription records from its primary care services.
    METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from two academic years over 20 months from computerized databases at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from users of the USM primary care services.
    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Three hundred and eighty-six DDI events were observed in a cohort of 208 exposed patients from a total of 23,733 patients, representing a 2-year period prevalence of 876·4 per 100,000 patients. Of the 208 exposed patients, 138 (66·3%) were exposed to one DDI event, 29 (13·9%) to two DDI events, 15 (7·2%) to three DDI events, 6 (2·9%) to four DDI events and 20 (9·6%) to more than five DDI events. Overall, an increasing mean number of episodes of DDIs was noted among exposed patients within the age category ≥70 years (P=0·01), an increasing trend in the number of medications prescribed (P<0·001) and an increasing trend in the number of long-term therapeutic groups (P<0·001).
    WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: We describe the prevalence of clinically important DDIs in an emerging economy setting and identify the more common potentially serious DDIs. In line with the observations in developed economies, a higher number of episodes of DDIs were seen in patients aged ≥70 years and with more medications prescribed. The easiest method to reduce the frequency of DDIs is to reduce the number of medications prescribed. Therapeutic alternatives should be selected cautiously.

    Study site: e Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM
  12. Dorji PW, Tshering G, Na-Bangchang K
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2019 Aug;44(4):508-524.
    PMID: 30980418 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12835
    WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Genetic polymorphism is one of the most important factors responsible for interindividual and interethnic variability in drug response. Studies in major populations, ie, Caucasians, Asians, and Africans, have provided evidence of differences in the genotype frequencies of major drug-metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP). This study aimed to review systematically, all relevant articles related to the genetic polymorphisms in CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A5 in South-East and East Asian (SEEA) populations.

    METHODS: Articles that report genetic polymorphisms, genotype frequencies and allele frequencies in CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A5 were retrieved from the PubMed database.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: A total of 86 studies that fulfilled the eligibility criteria representing different ethnic populations of SEEA, ie, Burmese, Chinese, Japanese, Karen ethnic minority, Korean, Malaysian, Philippino, Singaporean, Taiwanese, Thai, Indonesian, and Vietnamese, were included in the analysis. In general, the genotype frequencies across SEEA populations are comparable. The CYP2C9*1/*1 (69.3%-99.1%), *1/*3 (2.3%-20.1%) and *3/*3 (0%-2.2%) genotypes are reported in most SEEA populations. Six major CYP2C19 genotypes, ie, *1/*1 (6.25%-88.07%), *1/*2 (21.5%-86.46%), *1/*3 (0.8%-15.8%), *2/*2 (3.4%-14.5%), *2/*3 (0%-7.3%) and *3/*3 (0%-10.2%), are reported in most SEEA populations. Major CYP2D6 genotypes include *10/*10 (0%-69.6%), *1/*1 (0%-61.21%) and *1/*10 (0%-62.0%). Major CYP3A5 genotypes are *3/*3 (2.0%-71.4%), *1/*3 (16.0%-57.1%) and *1/*1 (0%-82.0%). Genotyping of abnormal genotypes of CYP2C9 (*1/*3), CYP2C19 (*1/*2, *1/*3), CYP3A5 (*1/*3) and CYP2D6 (*5/*10) associated with IM (Intermediate metabolizer) status, may be clinically beneficial in SEEA populations. Similarly, with CYP2C19 (*2/*2, *2/*3), CYP2D6 (*5/*5 ) linked to PM (Poor metabolizer), CYP2D6 (*10/*10, *1/*5 and to lesser extent *1/*4, *2/*5, *10/*41, *10/*49, *10/*14) and CYP3A5 (*1/*1) associated with EM (extensive metabolizer).

    WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Sufficient number of studies has provided comparable results in general. This review suggests that comparable genotype frequencies of CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A5 exist among the SEEA populations. It is noted that more research data are reported from East Asians compared with South-East Asians. Concerned efforts are required to establish partnerships among SEEA countries that will ensure sufficient data from South-East Asian countries which will assist in establishing the databases for SEEA populations.

  13. Gan SH, Ismail R, Wan Adnan WA, Zulmi W, Jelliffe RW
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2004 Oct;29(5):455-63.
    PMID: 15482390
    Although the kinetic behaviour of tramadol has been described, the present study is the first to our knowledge, to report specifically on the population pharmacokinetic modelling of tramadol hydrochloride.
  14. George C, Yesoda A, Jayakumar B, Lal L
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2009 Feb;34(1):33-40.
    PMID: 19125901 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2008.00988.x
    This prospective, observational, study evaluates the clinical outcomes, drug utilization patterns, and adherence to treatment of patients on highly active anti retroviral therapy (HAART) at a government institution in Kerala, India.
  15. Hassan Y, Awaisu A, Aziz NA, Aziz NH, Ismail O
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2007 Dec;32(6):535-44.
    PMID: 18021330
    To highlight therapeutic controversies, and present a critical review of the most recent evidence on the management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
  16. Hassan Y, Kassab Y, Abd Aziz N, Akram H, Ismail O
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2013 Apr;38(2):97-100.
    PMID: 23441979 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12027
    Pharmacists have the knowledge regarding optimal use of medications and the ability to influence physician prescribing. Successful interventions by a pharmacist to implement cardioprotective medications to a coronary artery disease patient's regimen would not only improve the patient's quality of care but may also increase his or her likelihood of survival. Therefore, the aim of this study was to (i) evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacist initiated interventions in increasing the prescription rates of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) secondary prevention pharmacotherapy at discharge, and to (ii) evaluate the acceptance rate of these interventions by prescribers.
  17. Hassan Y, Aziz NA, Awang J, Aminuldin AG
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 1992 Dec;17(6):347-51.
    PMID: 1287026
    In a 6-month study period, 170 pharmacist interventions in an intensive care unit (ICU) were analysed. Of the interventions, 68.8% were solicited and 31.2% were initiated by the pharmacists. The majority of the interventions were initiated by specialists (69.4%) followed by the medical officers (15.9%) and nurses (9.4%). Most of the interventions occurred during the grand rounds (75.9%), followed by ward visits (12.9%) and communication through the satellite pharmacy (10.5%). The most frequent type of intervention made was for indication or therapeutic efficacy followed by general product information, drug regimen, laboratory assessment, disease state, pharmaceutical availability and adverse drug reaction or side effect. It was also found that 83.7% of pharmacists' suggestions were accepted, 6.4% were accepted with changes, and 9.9% were not accepted. The majority of the interventions were made by direct verbal communications followed by telephone and written communications. In conclusion the study indicates that pharmacist therapeutic recommendations form an important integral element of patient care in an ICU.
  18. Ismail R, Teh LK
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2006 Feb;31(1):99-109.
    PMID: 16476126
    CYP2D6 polymorphisms are well described in normal populations but there are few data on its clinical significance. We therefore investigated the influence of CYP2D6 polymorphism on steady-state plasma concentrations and apparent oral clearance of metoprolol in patients with cardiovascular diseases.
  19. Ismail R, Hussein A, Teh LK, Nizam Isa M
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2000 Oct;25(5):379-83.
    PMID: 11123490
    Although they originated from China, Malays have undergone a lot of intermarriages. A study suggested that CYP2D6 poor metabolism (PM) phenotype was more common in Malays compared to Chinese. CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic and is involved in the metabolism of many drugs and has been implicated in some environmentally-induced diseases. It is therefore useful to further study this polymorphism in Malays.
  20. Ismail R, Teh LK, Amir J, Alwi Z, Lopez CG
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2003 Aug;28(4):279-84.
    PMID: 12911679
    Although Malaysian Chinese share an origin with the mainland Chinese, their evolution has been influenced by intermarriages. With a gene such as CYP2D6, which is highly polymorphic, it is expected that the Malaysian Chinese would exhibit a polymorphism profile different from those of the Chinese populations in other geographical locations.
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