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Biomedical subjects

F E May

Publications and source records attributed to F E May.

108 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Use of nutritional supplements in an ambulatory elderly population.

The use of nutritional supplements by 3,192 ambulatory elderly participants in a health screening program is described. The 2,009 women used vitamin (45.5 per cent) and mineral (22.4 per cent) products with significantly greater frequencies than did the 1,183 men (34.0 per cent and 15.0 per cent, respectively); chi-square, P less than 0.01. The most commonly used vitamin products were multiple vitamins, multiple vitamins with minerals, vitamin E, and vitamin C; for minerals, the ranking was potassium chloride, calcium salts, and ferrous sulfate. Eighty-two participants (2.5 per cent) reported the use of four or more supplements. Many older Americans are spending a great deal of money for nutritional supplements, whereas it would seem that the money could be better spent to improve the quality of their diet.

Age Factors↗

Psychotropic drug use in an ambulatory elderly population.

Medication histories were obtained from 3,192 ambulatory elderly persons participating in a health screening program. A total of 2,009 (63%) women and 1,183 (37%) men were included in the drug use study. Flurazepam, pentobarbital and the combination of amobarbital and secobarbital were used by 4.5, 0.6 and 0.4% of participants, respectively, and these three agents accounted for 87.6% of all prescribed hypnotic drugs. Diazepam, meprobamate and chlordiazepoxide were the most commonly used minor tranquilizers. Barbiturates were contained in nearly one fourth of minor tranquilizers used by these elderly subjects. Less than 1% (0.5%) of the participants in this program reported the use of a neuroleptic. Approximately 3% of the participants reported the use of an antidepressant drug. Nearly 90% of participants who reported the daily use of a hypnotic agent state they had been using the product on a daily basis for longer than 1 year.

Age Factors↗

Monitoring patient care in the long-term care facility: the coordinated patient care conference as a method for interacting with the primary care physician.

A systematic approach for monitoring patient care in the long-term care facility is presented. The value of long-term care facilities having coordinated patient care conferences is discussed, and a structured format for these conferences is presented. A case example is utilized to demonstrate the importance of interaction between the personnel providing direct patient care and the primary care physician. Effective use of this system provides better patient monitoring and a method for improving the quality of patient care.

Interprofessional Relations↗

Quantitation of DNase I sensitivity in Xenopus chromatin containing active and inactive globin, albumin and vitellogenin genes.

The disappearance of defined restriction fragments of the beta 1-globin, an albumin and the A1 vitellogenin gene was quantitated after DNase I digestion and expressed by a sensitivity factor defined by a mathematical model. Analysis of naked DNA showed that the gene fragments have similar but not identical sensitivity factors. DNase I digestion of chromatin revealed for the same gene fragments sensitivity factors differing over a much wilder range. This is correlated to the activity of the genes analyzed: the beta 1-globin gene fragment is more sensitive to DNase I in chromatin of erythrocytes compared to hepatocytes whereas the albumin gene fragment is more sensitive to DNase I in chromatin of hepatocytes. The A1 vitellogenin gene has the same DNase I sensitivity in both cell types. Comparing the DNase I sensitivity of the three genes in their inactive state we suggest that different chromatin conformations may exist for inactive genes.

Albumins↗

Drug interactions and multiple drug administration.

Effects of multiple drug administration on adverse drug reactions were studied in 10,518 patients hospitalized on a general medical service during a five-year period. Nine index drug groups, including analgesic, antacid, antiarrhythmic, antimicrobic, anticoagulant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and sedative-tranquilizer drugs, were selected for study. The average number of adverse drug reactions for the anticoagulant and antihypertensive drug groups was higher (p less than 0.05) than for all other drug groups when classified by the number of drugs being taken concurrently (i.e., 0 to 5, 6 to 10, etc.). The rate of reaction for anticoagulant and antihypertensive drug groups was higher (p less than 0.001) than the rate for other drug groups studied. These data suggest a higher risk of adverse drug reactions for patients receiving multiple drugs. The increased risk may result from drug interactions.

Analgesics↗

Drug-associated deaths of medical inpatients.

Of 7,423 medical inpatients, 16 (0.22%) died of drug-associated causes. The overall mortality for all medical inpatients was 6.5%. Eleven of the 16 patients who died of drug-associated causes had been terminally ill; the rest had been seriously ill before the fatal drug reaction occurred. Half of the patients had had either hematologic malignant changes or lupus nephritis. Antineoplastic drugs, azathioprine, prednisone, and heparin sodium were the most frequently implicated drugs. In other studies, we have found widely differing incidences of fatal drug reactions, due to a number of different drugs; these disparities are probably related to variations in the types of illnesses amoung different hospital populations and to varying interpretations of the term "drug-associated death." Extrapolation from the available data to a national incidence of drug-associated deaths is not possible. Drug-associated deaths are relatively uncommon and usually occur in the cases of severely or terminally ill patients treated with potentially highly toxic drugs.

Adolescent↗

Epidemiology of acute drug intoxications: patient characteristics, drugs, and medical complications.

Of 415 adult patients treated for acute drug intoxications in a university hospital emergency room, 64 (15.4%) required admission to the medical service for intensive care. A significantly larger proportion of patients over 40 years of age required hospitalization. Forty-eight of the episodes requiring hospitalization were identified as intentional drug intoxication. Women were admitted in 41 (64.0%) instances while men were admitted on 23 (36.0%) occasions. Non-barbiturate depressants, barbiturates, tranquilizers, and antidepressants were the drug classes most commonly incriminated. Almost one-half of all patients, however, had taken multiple drugs. Medical complications in these 64 patients included coma in 43 (67.2%), acute hypertension or hypotension in 21 (32.8%), and pneumonia in 16 (25%). Complications occurring less frequently were cardiac arrest in three (4.7%), anemia in two (3.2%), neuropathies, soft tissue necrosis, quadraplegia, renal failure, bullous dermatitis, and fetal death in one patient each. Two (3.2%) patients died as a result of drug ingestions. Forty per cent of patients had experienced previous episodes of acute drug intoxication.

Adult↗

Assisting students at risk: using computer NCLEX-RN review software.

In response to a decline in the success rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) examination, the authors developed a program to identify and assist students at risk for failure. The use of a computerized NCLEX-RN practice examination and an individualized student review and study process is described.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗

Changing patterns of psychotropic drug use in the elderly: a five-year update.

Psychotropic drug use was evaluated in 2022 ambulatory elderly subjects in 1978-80 and again in 1984-86. Use of hypnotic drugs declined from 8.5 percent (n = 3234) in 1978-80 to 6.3 percent (n = 2681) in 1984-86 (p less than 0.01). Use of the long-acting hypnotic flurazepam decreased (p less than 0.01) and use of two short-acting drugs, triazolam and temazepam, increased. Prescribing of long half-life benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (p less than 0.01) and chlordiazepoxide, clorazepate, halazepam, and prazepam as a group (p less than 0.01) decreased as well as the use of nearly all products containing barbiturates (p less than 0.01).

Aged↗