Browsing by Author "Emre Aydingoz, Selda"

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POLYPHARMACY PREVALENCE AMONG GERIATRIC PATIENTS IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SETTINGS ACROSS TURKEY: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS THROUGH THE NATIONWIDE PRESCRIPTION INFORMATION SYSTEM
(2020) Aydos, ToIga Resat; Emre Aydingoz, Selda; Lux, Karl Michael; Efe, Oguzhan Ekin; Isli, Fatma; Aksoy, Mesil; Kadidoi, Esma; 0000-0002-3243-7843; 0000-0002-1832-9336; 0000-0001-7823-7620; W-7908-2019; AAJ-7279-2020; ABA-4291-2020
Introduction: Polypharmacy has become a common health problem as populations age. We aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic and cumulative polypharmacy in the geriatric population using primary healthcare services in Turkey. Materials and Methods: The electronic prescriptions ordered by family physicians across Turkey for geriatric patients (>= 6.5 years) in the Prescription Information System during 2018 were studied. Chronic polypharmacy criteria were proportion of patients who were given prescriptions containing >= 5 drugs four or more times during a year. Cumulative polypharmacy was defined as proportion of patients who were prescribed >= 5 drugs with different ATC4 codes in a month or in each quarter of the year. Results: Turkey's total population is 82 million; 7,186,204 are aged 65 and over, constituting 8.8% of the total. Of this geriatric population, 6,104,798 (85.0%) had at least one prescription in 2018. Each geriatric patient had 6.4 prescriptions, with each prescription containing an average of 2.9 drugs with different fourth-level Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes. Each drug was prescribed in 2.7 boxes on average. Of these prescribed patients, 14.3% received prescriptions containing >= 5 drugs four or more times during 2018. The percentage of patients who received at least one prescription per month containing >= 5 drugs ranged between 16.4% and 20.7%. The most commonly prescribed drugs were acetylsalicylic acid, diclofenac, paracetamol, and pantoprazole. Conclusion: Polypharmacy is a critical health problem among geriatric population in Turkey as in other industrialized countries. Educating physicians as well as the public is essential to overcome polypharmacy.
Relaxant effect of diallyl sulfide on nonpregnant rat uterus: Involvement of voltage-dependent calcium channels
(2020) Efe, Oguzhan E.; Lux, K. Michael; Emre Aydingoz, Selda; Tuncer, Meral; 0000-0002-3243-7843; 0000-0003-3360-5092; 0000-0001-7823-7620; 32830389; W-7908-2019; AAD-9901-2021; ABA-4291-2020
Aim We aimed to determine the effect and mechanism of action of diallyl sulfide (DAS), an active component of sulfur-containing foods such as garlic on rat uterine activity. Methods Isometric tension changes in longitudinal uterine strips obtained from 20 female Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g) in estrus stage of estrous cycle were studied in isolated organ baths containing Krebs-Henseleit solution. Results Diallyl sulfide (10(-8)-10(-6) M) caused a concentration-dependent relaxation on KCl (60 mM)-induced contractions and inhibited spontaneous peristaltic activity of uterine strips (P < 0.05). None of the following antagonists significantly changed the inhibitory effect of DAS on both KCl-precontracted uterine strips and spontaneous peristaltic activity of the uterus (P > 0.05): nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME (10(-4) M), hydrogen sulfide-producing enzymes cystation beta synthase and cystation gamma-lyase inhibitors, aminooxyacetic acid (10(-4) M) and propargylglycine (10(-3) M) and nonselective cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (10(-4) M). However, in calcium-free Krebs solution containing high KCl (30 mM), DAS significantly inhibited CaCl2(10(-5)-10(-2) M)-induced uterine contractions in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Conclusion Diallyl sulfide has a relaxing effect on KCl-contracted rat uterus strips and an inhibitory effect on spontaneous uterine activity, possibly by decreasing the calcium influx into the cytoplasm of uterine smooth muscle cells.