OAR@UM Community:

Medication wastage : the current situation

Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Medication wastage : the current situation Authors: West, Lorna Marie Abstract: Reducing any wastage, including that of medication, is an important priority objective at both a national and European level due to the direct and indirect consequeces of wastage. Following an in-depth study, medication wastage has been defined in the Maltese context. This provides a common ground on which to base local policy to address the issue. The extent of medication wastage has been studied and documented in various countries. Yet to date there is still a lack of policy guidance in relation to medication wastage. This paper highlights the available literature in relation to medication wastage and urges the need to further explore and implement wastage reduction strategies.

How will personalised medicine change public health practice?

Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: How will personalised medicine change public health practice? Authors: Azzopardi Muscat, Natasha Abstract: Personalised medicine is challenging core elements of public health practice to bring about a paradigm shift. Traditional public health activities such as prevention, screening programmes, infectious diseases control, financing and planning of health systems will all be affected by developments in genomics. There is a need to move away from the traditional high-risk versus population approach debate and to engage with concepts of population stratification and public health genomics. Public health through its activities of surveillance, needs assessment, education and policy advocacy has a critical role to play in shaping the entry of personalised medicine into health systems.

Heart failure in the paediatric age group

Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Heart failure in the paediatric age group Authors: Grech, Victor E. Abstract: Heart failure is uncommon in childhood but its recognition is naturally important. Causes vary, but the commonest are congenital heart disease as well as infections/cardiomyopathy. The main presentation is shortness of breath on exertion and in babies, this may manifest as the inability to complete a feed, along with an elevated respiratory rate. The most commonly used drugs are diuretics, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, as well as calorific supplementation. The vast majority of patients with heart failure are infants with congenital heart disease and fortunately, treatment for these patients is excellent with very high survival rates.

Hyponatraemia : is it clinically relevant?

Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Hyponatraemia : is it clinically relevant? Authors: Giordano Imbroll, Miriam Abstract: Hyponatraemia, defined as a sodium concentration <135mmol/l, is the most common electrolyte imbalance encountered in clinical practice. Symptoms can range from seemingly asymptomatic to severe and even life-threatening. Hyponatraemia is usually managed by clinicians from various fields, leading to a wide variety of approaches to its diagnosis and treatment.