Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Drug Packaging”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Early treatment of childhood fevers with pre-packaged antimalarial drugs in the home reduces severe malaria morbidity in Burkina Faso.

In rural, malaria-endemic Burkina Faso, we evaluated the impact of the use of pre-packaged antimalarial drugs (PPAM), by mothers in the home, on the progression of disease in children from uncomplicated fever to severe malaria. In each village of one province, a core group of opinion leaders (mainly older mothers) was trained in the management of uncomplicated malaria, including the administration of PPAM. Full courses of antimalarial (chloroquine) and antipyretic (aspirin) drugs were packaged in age-specific bags and made widely available through community health workers who were supplied through the existing drug distribution system. Drugs were sold under a cost-recovery scheme. Local schoolteachers conducted surveys in a random sample of 32 villages at the end of the high transmission seasons in 1998 and 1999. Disease history and the treatment received were investigated for all children under the age of 6 years having suffered from a fever episode in the previous 4 weeks. 'Uncomplicated malaria' was defined as every episode of fever and 'severe malaria' as every episode of fever followed by convulsions or loss of consciousness. During the study period, 56%[95% confidence interval (CI) 50-62%] of 3202 fever episodes in children under 6 years of age were treated promptly by mothers with the pre-packaged drugs made available by the study. A total of 59% of children receiving PPAM were reported to have received the drugs over the prescribed 3-day period, while 52% received the correct age-specific dose. PPAM use was similar among literate (61%) and non-literate mothers (55%) (P = 0.08). The overall reported risk of developing severe malaria was 8%. This risk was lower in children treated with PPAM (5%) than in children not treated with PPAM (11%) (risk ratio = 0.47; 95% CI 0.37, 0.60; P < 0.0001). This estimate of the impact of PPAM was largely unchanged when account was taken of potential confounding by age, sex, maternal literacy status, year or village. Our findings support the view that, after appropriate training and with adequately packaged drugs made available, mothers can recognize and treat promptly and correctly malarial episodes in their children and, by doing so, reduce the incidence of severe disease.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

Evaluation of the use of calendar blister packaging on patient compliance with STD syndromic treatment regimens.

BACKGROUND: Good compliance with antibiotic therapy is critical for successful management of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). GOAL OF THIS STUDY: To evaluate the use of user-friendly drug packaging as a means of improving patient compliance with STD therapy and the acceptability of the packaging. STUDY DESIGN: Compliance of patients with STDs with treatment regimens for three different STD syndromes, using antibiotics packed in standard medicine packaging (SP), was compared to that of patients using calendar blister packaged drugs. Compliance was measured by counting the remaining pills at two return visits. Questionnaires were used to evaluate acceptability of the packs. RESULTS: Compliance was significantly better among patients using the calendar blister packs than among those using standard packs, irrespective of dosing frequency. The degree of poor compliance increased with increasing dosing frequency. There was a high level of satisfaction with the blister pack among patients and health care workers. CONCLUSION: Compliance can be improved by the introduction of user-friendly drug packaging, especially for more complex dosing regimens.

Adult↗

MW/Pharm, an integrated software package for drug dosage regimen calculation and therapeutic drug monitoring.

The pharmacokinetic software package MW/Pharm offers an interactive, user-friendly program which gives rapid answers in clinical practice. It comprises a database with pharmacokinetic parameters of 180 drugs, a medication history database, and procedures for an individual drug dosage regimen calculation. The included curve-fitting facilities allow estimation of pharmacokinetic parameters on the basis of medication history, taking into account a varying status of the patient with respect to body weight and kidney function, optionally using a Bayesian procedure. The module KinBes performs the evaluation of bioavailability studies, including various methods, and an extensive statistical evaluation of bioequivalence.

Algorithms↗