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Biomedical subjects

L Lasagna

Publications and source records attributed to L Lasagna.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Attitudes of patients, housestaff, and nurses toward postoperative analgesic care.

A survey was carried out among housestaff and nurses involved with postoperative patient care to assess their knowledge of analgesics and their attitudes toward postoperative analgesic care. Only one-fifth of the respondents prescribed for complete pain relief. There were some misconceptions about adding other drugs to narcotic analgesics as well as fear of the addictive properties of these narcotics. The respondents lacked confidence about their knowledge of narcotic analgesics. Fear of respiratory depression was less prominent. Nine percent of the physicians and 31% of the nurses believed that response to a placebo indicates factitious pain. Fifty-four percent of the physicians and 74% of the nurses believed that patients receive adequate pain relief. Eighty-one patients were questioned on their beliefs about pain and its relief. Sixty-six of these were monitored postoperatively to assess the effectiveness of pain relief, which was judged by the authors to be ineffective (i.e., moderate to severe pain at the peak of analgesia) in 41%. Seventy-five percent of the patients reported that their overall postoperative pain relief had been adequate. There was no correlation between the amount of analgesic required postoperatively and either the degree to which patients believed pain builds character or the degree to which they rated themselves sensitive to pain. This study emphasizes the need for better and more comprehensive training of housestaff and nurses in analgesic care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Analgesic efficacy of parenteral metkephamid acetate in treatment of postoperative pain.

The analgesic efficacy and side-effects of a single parenteral dose of metkephamid acetate 70 mg were compared with those of pethidine (meperidine) hydrochloride 100 mg and placebo in a double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial. 30 out of 32 postoperative patients completed the study--10 in the metkephamid group, 11 in the pethidine group, and 9 in the placebo group. The time-effect curves of summated pain measures and analyses of derived measures all indicated that the analgesic activity of metkephamid 70 mg was significantly greater than that of placebo and not less than that of pethidine 100 mg. The metkephamid group had a greater incidence of side-effects than the other two treatment groups. Some side-effects, such as sensations of heaviness of the extremities and nasal congestion, were peculiar to metkephamid but not distressing.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

The quantification of pain: an analysis of words used to describe pain and analgesia in clinical trials.

In this study 116 subjects were asked to quantify the descriptive pain terms commonly used in analgesimetry by using the visual analog scale as a tool. The results showed highly variable responses. Several words that have been assigned the same value on an ordinal scale do not convey the same meanings as on the visual analog scale. The words some and terrible are probably the least useful terms to quantify pain. The word complete for describing pain relief showed the least variation. The data on global ratings varied greatly; 10% of the participants gave the same values to the terms very good and excellent. The unequal differences between descriptive terms that are commonly considered equidistant on an ordinal scale are clearly demonstrated. We propose an approach to quantifying pain that takes into account the interindividual variations in interpretation of descriptive pain terms.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1981

Estrogen patient package insert: medication acceptance despite negative attitudes.

We surveyed 100 women receiving short courses of estrogen post partum to suppress lactation. Thirty six had significant apprehension about estrogens, but took them. These women were significantly older and better educated and 92% of them were married. In contrast, only one third of the "nonapprehensive" women were married and they had significantly lower family incomes. More of the apprehensive women read the estrogen patient package insert (PPI) and almost 30% developed negative attitudes toward estrogens. The major concerns of these women reflected information in the PPI about cancer and thromboembolism. The reasons given for taking estrogens despite apprehension included the lower risk of short courses, assurance from physicians, nurses, or family members, and the desired therapeutic effect. These women should not be given the current estrogen PPI, which was designed to warn women of the risks of long-term estrogen use; a PPI should be written specifically for patients receiving short courses. Similar problems will arise with the PPIs for other medications that have different risks for different therapeutic indications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Bias in the elucidation of subjective side-effects.

1 Subjective drug-related adverse effects need to be carefully scrutinized for accuracy and completeness. This should include inspection of patients' records and chemical evidence for drug intake. 2 The information necessary to attribute an adverse effect to a drug is suggested.

Drug Information Services↗
PubMed1980

The halcion story.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1980

The Halcion story: trial by media.

Triazolam ('Halcion'), a benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic, has been alleged to produce unique and serious adverse effects on the central nervous system. In the Netherlands television and newspaper coverage of reported side-effects was followed by a temporary suspension of the drug there. The reported adverse reactions resemble ones known to occur occasionally after older benzodiazepines and other central nervous system drugs. Whatever the final verdict on triazolam may be, there is reason to question whether regulatory decisions forced by flamboyant media coverage are in the public interest.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1980

Prescription prices under the New York generic substitution law.

We evaluated the New York State generic substitution law. This law mandates substitution of a less expensive product if the physician signs the prescription for an eligible brand name drug on the line marked "subsitution permissible." We purchased drugs by brand name and generically before the law went into effect. Later, we purchased the same drugs in the same stores using the formats "brand-dispense-as-written," "brand-substitution-permissible," and "generic." Mean savings from generic prescribing or substitution increased from 12.1% +/- 20.4% before the law to 26.2% +/- 10.5% (brand-substitution-permissible) and 27.2% +/- 14.2% (generic). Prices for the same drug written the same way varied enormously among pharmacies. Brand-dispense-as-written, brand-subsitution-permissible, and generic prices in the same store varied substantially and unpredictably. Savings were not passed on to consumers in 29% of postlaw comparisons. Assuring maximal savings requires extensive comparison shopping.

Drug Labeling↗