MyMedR

Awareness and knowledge of epilepsy among students in a Malaysian university

Ab Rahman AF

Seizure, 2005 Dec;14(8):593-6.

University students represent a better-educated group of society and it is important that they possess the correct knowledge and attitude towards healthcare issues. The aim of this study was to determine the current level of awareness and knowledge of epilepsy among students at a public university in Malaysia.

Drug and chemical poisoning admissions at a teaching hospital in Malaysia

Ab Rahman AF

Hum Exp Toxicol, 2002 Jul;21(7):377-81.

PMID: 12269700

A retrospective review of medical records was carried out to determine the pattern of drug and chemical poisoning cases admitted to a teaching hospital in Malaysia. Medical records of patients admitted during the period January 1987 to December 1995 were reviewed. They accounted for 0.2% of total admissions during the period. While all ages were represented, there was predominance of children, which showed little change throughout the nine-year period. Of all cases of poisoning, 77.8% were unintentional, 12.6% intentional and 9.6% were undetermined. Kerosene, pesticides and medicinal substances remained the common agents associated with poisoning. A significant number of patients sought treatment elsewhere before being admitted to the hospital. Of those who came directly to the hospital, many were presented late in the course of their poisoning. Only seven patients died and none were children. This study supports the need for greater emphasis on prevention of poisoning in children and among farmers in the state.

Fulltext Monitoring adverse drug reactions in the community settings

Ab Rahman AF

Bull World Health Organ, 2019 Nov 01;97(11):730.

PMID: 31673185 DOI: 10.2471/BLT.19.245019

Fulltext Obstetric and birth outcomes in pregnant women with epilepsy: A hospital-based study

Othman NH, Ab Rahman AF

Ann Indian Acad Neurol, 2013 Oct;16(4):534-7.

PMID: 24339574 DOI: 10.4103/0972-2327.120458

In addition to changes in seizure frequency, pregnant women with epilepsy (WWE) are at increased risk of complications during pregnancy or delivery. In the absence of a nationwide WWE registry, hospital-based studies may provide important information regarding current management and outcomes in these patients.

Handling of drug-related inquiries by hospital nurses

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.

Fulltext Intraperitoneal Antibiotic Utilization among Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) Patients with Peritonitis at a Tertiary Hospital Setting in Malaysia

Ahmad M, Zin CS, Ab Rahman AF

J Pharm Bioallied Sci, 2020 Nov;12(Suppl 2):S737-S742.

PMID: 33828370 DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_298_19

Introduction: Patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) are commonly associated with peritonitis. However, little is known about the utilization of antibiotics for the treatment of peritonitis in these patients.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the patterns of intraperitoneal (IP) antibiotic utilization for the treatment of peritonitis in CAPD patients.

Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted at a tertiary hospital setting in Malaysia. Medical records of CAPD patients who were diagnosed with peritonitis and registered with National Kidney Registry from 2013 to 2018 were reviewed. Types of antibiotics used and its dose and duration were recorded and reported using the anatomical therapeutic chemical/defined daily dose (ATC/DDD) system.

Results: A total of 105 peritonitis episodes were recorded from 72 patients. The most common first-line empirical antibiotic combinations used were ceftazidime/cefazolin (40%, n = 42), followed by cefepime/cefazolin (30.5%, n = 32) and ceftazidime/cloxacillin (25.7%, n = 27). The definitive therapy for culture-proven CAPD-related peritonitis (CAPD-P) showed that vancomycin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic (31.7%, n = 26/82), followed by amikacin (14.6%, n = 12/82), meropenem (11%, n = 9/82) and ampicillin (11%, n = 9/82). Ciprofloxacin was among the least prescribed definitive antibiotics for CAPD-P (2.4%, n = 2/82) but the DDD/100 patient-days estimates showed that it had the highest therapeutic intensity.

Conclusion: There are various IP antibiotics used for CAPD-P and the most common empirical therapy was the combination of ceftazidime and cefazolin while vancomycin is predominantly used for definitive therapy. Future studies to evaluate the clinical outcomes of the antibiotic use should be conducted to have a better insight on the efficacy of the peritonitis treatment.

Fulltext Development and Psychometric Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Knowledge and Attitude Towards Medication Error Reporting Among Pharmacists

Mamat R, Awang SA, Ab Rahman AF

Drug Healthc Patient Saf, 2020;12:95-101.

PMID: 32523381 DOI: 10.2147/DHPS.S249104

Purpose: Assessment of medication errors (ME) is crucial to improving the quality of health care. A questionnaire that can be used to explore pharmacists' perspectives regarding ME would be very useful as part of an ongoing process of quality improvement in patient care. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire to measure perceived causes of ME and attitude towards ME reporting among pharmacists.

Methods: The questionnaire was developed from the literature together with outcomes from focus group discussions. It was divided into two domains which are knowledge on ME and attitude towards ME reporting. Content validity index (I-CVI), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to assess test-retest reliability were obtained during the validation process.

Results: Overall Cronbach alpha for internal consistency was good (0.742), where subscale of the questionnaire demonstrated adequate internal consistency, with Cronbach alpha value 0.83 for knowledge and 0.70 for reporting behaviour attitude. The I-CVI showed good scores (knowledge=0.88) and (attitude=0.81), while ICC was moderately accepted with a value of 0.77. Two factors were extracted from the 16 items in EFA.

Conclusion: The questionnaire to assess knowledge on ME and attitude towards ME reporting among pharmacists is valid and reliable. It demonstrates good psychometric properties.

Fulltext Characteristics and outcomes of paracetamol poisoning cases at a general hospital in Northern Malaysia

Mohd Zain Z, Fathelrahman AI, Ab Rahman AF

Singapore Med J, 2006 Feb;47(2):134-7.

PMID: 16435055

Paracetamol is available as an over-the-counter medication in many countries including Malaysia. This drug has been implicated in many poisoning cases admitted to hospitals throughout the country.

Master's program in clinical pharmacy at a Malaysian pharmacy school

Ab Rahman AF, Bahari MB

Am J Health Syst Pharm, 2004 Dec 15;61(24):2687-9.

PMID: 15646704

Cost evaluation of therapeutic drug monitoring of gentamicin at a teaching hospital in Malaysia

Ibrahim MI, Abdelrahim HE, Ab Rahman AF

Pharm Pract (Granada), 2014 Jan;12(1):372.

PMID: 24644520

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) makes use of serum drug concentrations as an adjunct to decision-making. Preliminary data in our hospital showed that approximately one-fifth of all drugs monitored by TDM service were gentamicin.

Fulltext A survey of therapeutic drug monitoring services in Malaysia

Ab Rahman AF, Ahmed Abdelrahim HE, Mohamed Ibrahim MI

Saudi Pharm J, 2013 Jan;21(1):19-24.

PMID: 23960816 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2012.01.002

In Malaysia, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) service was started in the 1980s. Since then, the number of hospitals that offer the service has increased. In this paper, we report the findings of a nationwide survey describing the practice of TDM in these hospitals. Questionnaires were mailed to 128 government hospitals. Data were collected for general characteristics of the hospitals, administrative, and laboratory activities related to TDM service. One hundred and twenty-one hospitals responded to the survey. Thirty-four hospitals (28.1%) provided the service with their own TDM laboratories, 44 hospitals (36.4%) provided the service using other hospitals' laboratories and 43 hospitals (35.5%) did not provide the service at all. TDM services were more likely to be offered in larger hospitals with various medical specialties. Since it is managed entirely by hospital pharmacists, these pharmacists assume an important role in ensuring optimum use of the TDM service.

Fulltext Therapeutic drug monitoring of gentamicin in patients with bronchopneumonia: cost considerations and patient outcomes

Ahmed Abdelrahim HE, Ab Rahman AF, Mohamed Ibrahim MI

Eurasian J Med, 2012 Apr;44(1):1-5.

PMID: 25610196 DOI: 10.5152/eajm.2012.01

In Malaysia, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) service started in the late 1980s. Serum concentration measurements depend on commercially available drug assays, which are costly. In the present study, we attempted to document the impact of TDM service on cost and patient outcomes.

Self-poisoning by drugs and chemicals: variations in demographics, associated factors and final outcomes

Fathelrahman AI, Ab Rahman AF, Mohd Zain Z

Gen Hosp Psychiatry, 2008 Sep-Oct;30(5):467-70.

PMID: 18774431 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2008.04.004

OBJECTIVE: Drug overdose exposures were compared with chemical poisoning in terms of demographics, associated factors and final outcomes.
METHOD: Deliberate self-poisoning (DSP) cases admitted to Penang General Hospital during the years 2000-2004 were studied. Chi-square, independent t-test and binary logistic were used whenever applicable.
RESULTS: Indian patients were more likely to use household products, whereas Malay and Chinese patients were more likely to take drug overdoses (P=.001). Drug overdose victims experienced more socioeconomic problems (P=.05) and were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (P=.052). Chemical poisoning patients presented earlier (P=.011), were hospitalized for shorter time (P=.001) and had a higher rate of mortality (P=.01).
CONCLUSION: The present study has identified a unique ethnic variation in the choice of suicide attempts from toxic substances. DSP associated with drug overdose showed significant morbidity, but increased mortality was seen in chemical poisoning.

Factors associated with adult poisoning in northern Malaysia: a case-control study

Fathelrahman AI, Ab Rahman AF, Zain ZM, Tengku MA

Hum Exp Toxicol, 2006 Apr;25(4):167-73.

PMID: 16696291

Data on adult risk factors associated with drug or chemical poisonings in Malaysia are scarce. The objective of the study was to identify possible risk factors associated with adult admissions to the Penang General Hospital (PGH) due to chemical poisoning and/or drug overdose. The present study was a case-control study, conducted over 18 weeks. One hundred acutely poisoned adult patients admitted to PGH during the period from September 2003 to February 2004 were considered as cases. Two hundred patients admitted to the same medical wards for other illnesses, during the same period, were matched for age and gender with the poisoned cases and thus selected as controls. McNemar test and binary logistic were used for univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis for multivariate analyses. The odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated for each predictor variable. Positive histories of psychiatric illness and previous poisoning, problems in boy/girl friend relationships, family problems, marital problems, Indian ethnicity, Chinese ethnicity, living in rented houses and living in a household with less than five people were significant risk factors associated with adult admissions due to poisoning.

MS 04-044: demographic features of drug and chemical poisoning in northern Malaysia

Fathelrahman AI, Ab Rahman AF, Mohd Zain Z

Clin Toxicol (Phila), 2005;43(2):89-94.

PMID: 15822759

Acute poisoning is a significant health problem all over the world. In Malaysia, nationwide data on poisoning pattern is scarce and incomplete. The objectives of our study were to determine the pattern of acute drug and chemical poisoning at Penang General Hospital (PGH), in the northern region of Malaysia, and to compare poisoning characteristics between different ethnic groups. The study was a retrospective case review of all poisoned patients admitted to PGH during the years 2000-2002. We collected data concerning demographic parameters of patients, information about the agent(s) implicated, and circumstances surrounding the event. There were 493 poisoning incidents. Nearly two-thirds of the poisoned cases involved female patients. The predominant mode of poisoning was intentional (51.5%). The age group 15.1-30 years ranked at the top, constituting 55.2% of all cases. Drugs were the predominant agents implicated. Among cases associated with drugs, paracetamol was the main causative agent (44.7%). Chinese patients constituted 37.7% of all poisoning cases, followed by the Indians (31.6%) and Malays (26.6%). Between ethnic groups, Indian patients were found to have the highest rate of poisoning admission of 75.2 per 100,000 persons.

Fulltext Attitudes and beliefs of patients with chronic depression toward antidepressants and depression

Jacob SA, Ab Rahman AF, Hassali MA

Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat, 2015;11:1339-47.

PMID: 26064052 DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S82563

Many patients have erroneous views with regard to depression and its management, and it was noted that these attitudes and beliefs significantly affected their adherence rates.

Estimating drug-free period using a graphical method: an alternative way to monitor extended-interval dosing of gentamicin therapy

Ab Rahman AF, Md Sahak N, Ali AM

Int J Pharm Pract, 2017 Feb;25(1):75-80.

PMID: 28097717 DOI: 10.1111/ijpp.12336

OBJECTIVES: Published nomograms to monitor extended-interval dosing (EID) gentamicin therapy were based on a fixed dose of 5 or 7 mg/kg. However, the average dose used for EID gentamicin regimen in our setting was about 3 mg/kg per day. We developed a new method of monitoring based on the duration of drug-free period (DFP) in a 24-h dosing interval.

METHODS: Hospitalised adult patients on EID gentamicin were selected. We considered a DFP of between 2 and 8 h as appropriate. Data from two blood samples (2 and 6 h postdose) from each patient were used to estimate the duration of DFP (i.e. DFP method 1). DFP was also calculated for the same patient using an empirically estimated elimination rate constant (Ke ) and the same 6 h postdose concentration value (DFP method 2). Correlation between the two methods was made. An alternative graphical method to estimate DFP was attempted.

KEY FINDINGS: Correlation between Ke and age was favourable (r = -0.453; P = 0.001). Ke derived from this empirical relationship was used to estimate DFP method 2. DFP method 1 correlated well with DFP method 2 (r = 0.742; P

The use of lamotrigine and other antiepileptic drugs in paediatric patients at a Malaysian hospital

Ab Rahman AF, Ibrahim MI, Ismail HI, Seng TB

Pharm World Sci, 2005 Oct;27(5):403-6.

PMID: 16341748

OBJECTIVE: (1) To determine the effect of lamotrigine add-on therapy on the seizure frequency and cost in paediatric patients. (2) To determine the prescribing pattern of other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

METHOD: A retrospective study of medical records was carried out from October 2000 to June 2001 at the paediatric clinic, Hospital Pulau Pinang.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Seizure frequency, cost of drug and types of AED prescribed.

RESULTS: A total of 209 medical records were retrieved during the study period. Lamotrigine (LTG) was prescribed in 29 patients as add-on therapy. In 18 patients, there was a significant reduction in seizure frequency after the addition of LTG. Approximately 70% experienced a reduction in seizure frequency of more than 50%. Side effects of LTG were considered mild and manageable. However, drug cost after the addition of LTG increased by 103%. In the remaining 180 patients, the most common AED prescribed was sodium valproate (VPA). Only 15% of the patients received combination therapy. Mean monthly cost of monotherapy was found to be RM 24.4 while monthly cost of combination therapy was RM 45.4 (1 Euro-RM 5.00).

CONCLUSION: The majority of paediatric patients in the study are on AED monotherapy and only a small percentage was prescribed lamotrigine. The use of lamotrigine is associated with better seizure control but with an increase in drug cost.

Study site: paediatric clinic, Hospital Pulau Pinang.

Factors Associated With Medication Errors at a Teaching Hospital in Malaysia

Shitu Z, Moe Thwe Aung M, Tuan Kamauzaman TH, Ab Rahman AF

Hosp Pharm, 2021 Aug;56(4):259-264.

PMID: 34381259 DOI: 10.1177/0018578719890092

Background: Medication errors (MEs) continue to pose a significant problem to health care systems across the world, not only causing harm and death in patients but also consuming approximately $42 billion annually in health care expenditure. The emergency department (ED) is considered a high-risk area of having MEs to occur. Little is known about the associated factors of ME in the ED of hospitals in Malaysia. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with ME in an ED of a teaching hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients who visited the ED of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia over 9 weeks during normal working hours (ie, 8:00 am-5:00 pm). A total of 547 patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were enrolled for the study. Patient demographic information, clinical characteristics, and medication orders and procedures were observed and recorded. The required number of patient data (n = 311) were selected randomly for analysis. Multiple logistic regression method was employed to determine factors associated with ME. Results: Of the 311 patient data, 95 (30.5%) patients had at least 1 ME. The factors found to be associated with ME were number of medications (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51-2.41), triage (adjusted OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.04-0.27), gender (adjusted OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.26-0.93), and time of patient visit (adjusted OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.52-0.75). Conclusion: Medication error was not uncommon in our ED setting. Patients with a higher number of medications prescribed during visit to the ED were found to be particularly at risk. Identification of such factors may guide intervention measures to prevent MEs in this setting.

Use and toxicity of traditional and complementary medicine among patients seeking care at an emergency department of a teaching hospital in Malaysia

Jatau AI, Aung MMT, Kamauzaman THT, Ab Rahman AF

Complement Ther Clin Pract, 2018 May;31:53-56.

PMID: 29705480 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.016

OBJECTIVE: Traditional and Complementary Medicines (TCM) are widely used worldwide, and many of them have the potential to cause toxicity, interaction with conventional medications and non-adherence to prescribed medications due to patients' preference for the TCM use. However, information regarding their use among patients seeking care at emergency departments (ED) of a healthcare facility is limited. The study aimed to evaluate the TCM use among patients attending the ED of a teaching hospital in Malaysia.

STUDY DESIGN: A sub-analysis of data from a prevalence study of medication-related visits among patients at the ED of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia was conducted. The study took place over a period of six weeks from December 2014 to January 2015 involving 434 eligible patients. Data on demography, conventional medication, and TCM uses were collected from patient interview and the medical folders.

RESULTS: Among this cohort, 66 patients (15.2%, 95%CI 12.0, 19.0) reported concurrent TCM use. Sixteen (24.2%) of the TCM users were using more than one (1) type of TCM, and 17 (25.8%) came to the ED for medication-related reasons. Traditional Malay Medicine (TMM) was the most frequently used TCM by the patients. Five patients (7.6%) sought treatment at the ED for medical problems related to use of TCM.

CONCLUSION: Patients seeking medical care at the ED may be currently using TCM. ED-physicians should be aware of these therapies and should always ask patients about the TCM use.

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