African health sciences
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African health sciences · Sep 2020
Medication use among pregnant women at a secondary health institution: utilisation patterns and predictors of quantity.
Despite the lack of adequate studies on the safety of drugs in pregnancy, surprisingly, available evidence shows that pregnant women still take large number of drugs. ⋯ Varieties of medications were used during the course of pregnancy among this population, however, most of these drugs were still within safety profile.
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Depression is a common illness worldwide with high rate among medical students. The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of depression among medical students in Alexandria, and identify its correlates. ⋯ Prevalence of moderate and severe depression was high among medical students, calling for actions to help those students and to prevent new cases.
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African health sciences · Sep 2020
Case ReportsAcute leukemia in sickle cell disease patients in a tertiary health facility in Nigeria: a case series.
Sickle cell disease(SCD) is a disorder of red cells resulting from the co-inheritance of haemoglobin S (HbS) with another abnormal haemoglobin. The diagnosis of acute leukaemia is uncommon in our patients with sickle cell disease more so the patients have high morbidity and mortality due to the sickling process. Acute leukemia is a malignant clonal disorder of haemopoietic precursor cells resulting in accumulation of immature blood cells in the bone marrow and blood. The objective of the case series was to highlight the challenges of diagnosis and management of SCD patients with acute leukaemia, the importance of peripheral blood film review and propound a possible risk factor. ⋯ SCD patients are not exempted from developing acute leukaemias and the diagnoses of the two conditions overwhelms the social and economic support of patients and care givers. The study also underscores the relevance of high level of suspicion and prompt review of peripheral blood film of SCD patients particularly when patients present with unremitting symptoms associated with anaemia and fever.
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African health sciences · Sep 2020
Magnetic resonance imaging in chronic headache: our experiences and perspectives.
Headache is a common symptomatology necessitating hospital consultations. Despite the prohibitive cost to patients in Nigeria, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an evaluating tool for headache. ⋯ In our study, MRI had a low diagnostic yield in patients with chronic headache. Therefore, it is expedient that physicians stratify patients with chronic headache based on red flag signs to determine the need for cranial MRI in view of financial burden.
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African health sciences · Sep 2020
Adherence to drug therapy among hypertensive patients attending two district hospitals in Ghana.
A major drawback to the management of hypertension among patients is poor adherence to pharmacotherapy. Factors that influence non-adherence to antihypertensive drugs could vary, depending on the prevailing condition of patient and setting. Knowledge of adherence patterns and behavior of hypertensive patients to pharmacotherapy could improve health-directed policies towards hypertension management. ⋯ Good adherence to oral antihypertensive drugs was observed in this population despite uncontrolled hypertension in a number of the respondents. The three independent predictors of adherence to antihypertensive medications in this study were respondent's knowledge about hypertension, perception of severity of their condition and the amount of alcohol consumed in a day. Regular patient education and counseling by medical practitioners should be encouraged in these settings to improve patient adherence.