Comparative evaluation of efficacy and tolerability of vilazodone, escitalopram, and amitriptyline in patients of major depressive disorder: A randomized, parallel, open-label clinical study.

Objectives: To evaluate and compare efficacy and tolerability of Vilazodone with Escitalopram and Amitriptyline in patients of major depressive disorder(MDD).

Methods: This was a randomized, prospective, parallel-group, open label clinical study in which newly diagnosed patients of MDD were randomized to receive Tab Vilazodone 20 mg daily or Tab Escitalopram 20mg daily or Tab Amitriptyline 75mg daily for 12 weeks. Antidepressant activity was assessed by change in score from baseline to week 12 on HAMD-17 and MADRS scales while change in score on HAM-A scale was used to assess antianxiety effect.

Efficacy and Safety of Oral Diclofenac Sustained release Versus Transdermal Diclofenac Patch in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Randomized, Open Label Trial.

Introduction: To compare the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of transdermal patches of diclofenac sodium with oral diclofenac sustained release (SR) in patients of chronic musculoskeletal MSK pain conditions.

Materials And Methods: The eligible patients were given either transdermal diclofenac patch or tablet diclofenac SR. Pain was assessed at 2 and 4 weeks using a visual analog scale.

Efficacy and Tolerability of Olmesartan, Telmisartan, and Losartan in Patients of Stage I Hypertension: A Randomized, Open-label Study.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of losartan, telmisartan, and olmesartan as antihypertensive agents and evaluate and compare their effects on lipid profile and blood glucose.

Materials And Methods: This was a randomized, open-label, parallel-group, comparative study conducted in sixty patients of Stage I hypertension. The eligible patients were randomly allocated into three treatment groups: (1) Tablet olmesartan (20 mg), (2) Tablet telmisartan (40 mg), and (3) Tablet losartan (50 mg).

Evaluation of adherence to therapy in patients of chronic kidney disease.

Objective: To evaluate adherence to medication and study factors associated with non-adherence in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, questionnaire based study was conducted in Nephrology department of a super specialty hospital. Patients above 18 years of age, suffering from CKD from six months or more were interviewed using self-designed, semi-structured questionnaire to get information about adherence to medication, diet restriction and lifestyle modification (n = 150).

Assessment of quality of life in epilepsy patients receiving anti-epileptic drugs in a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Objectives: Health-related quality of life (QOL) is an important outcome in epilepsy treatment. Very few studies have been carried out on the quality of life in epilepsy (QOLIE-31) in India. The present study aimed to determine the level of health-related QOLIE-31 in patients of epilepsy.

Prescribing pattern of medicines in chronic kidney disease with emphasis on phosphate binders.

Objectives: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suffer with multiple comorbidities and complications like secondary hyperparathyroidism and hyperphosphotemia. Altered mineral metabolism contributes to bone disease and cardiovascular disease. In patients of CKD, despite dietary phosphorus restriction, phosphate binders (PBs) are recommended to control phosphorous level.

Evaluation of awareness about pharmacovigilance and adverse drug reaction monitoring in resident doctors of a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Objective: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and have a major impact on public health. Pharmacovigilance helps in early detection of ADRs and identification of risk factors. Underreporting of ADRs can be improved by imparting knowledge regarding pharmacovigilance to healthcare professionals.

Role of zinc in pediatric diarrhea.

Zinc supplementation is a critical new intervention for treating diarrheal episodes in children. Recent studies suggest that administration of zinc along with new low osmolarity oral rehydration solutions / salts (ORS), can reduce the duration and severity of diarrheal episodes for up to three months. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommend daily 20 mg zinc supplements for 10 - 14 days for children with acute diarrhea, and 10 mg per day for infants under six months old, to curtail the severity of the episode and prevent further occurrences in the ensuing -two to three months, thereby decreasing the morbidity considerably.