Background: While selling over-the-counter (OTC) products in pharmacies is convenient to individuals and can be beneficial, it might potentially cause harm. We hereby describe the patterns of OTC product consumption amongst adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Lebanon and the potential interactions with prescription medications and patient diseases. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in the setting of nine community pharmacies across different governorates of Lebanon. Data of interest were collected from adult patients with CVD history through face-to-face interviews using a short questionnaire. Results: Out of 201 adult patients included in the study, 190 (94.5%) were using at least one OTC product, with a mean of 3.2 ± 2.4 per patient (range of 1 to 12 products). The proportion of patients taking analgesics was the greatest (81.1%), followed by those taking vitamins (48.8%), minerals (29.9%), and herbal products (13.9%). Several potentially harmful OTC product- drug or -disease interactions were identified. Only 65.3% of OTC users reported obtaining information about the used products from healthcare professionals (HCPs), and 35.3% did not disclose the use of the products to their HCPs. Conclusion: The use of OTC products was highly prevalent among patients with CVD with potential interactions with prescription medications and patient diseases. In order to ensure optimal patient outcomes, clinicians are strongly encouraged to inquire about OTC product use and counsel patients about the risks and benefits associated with such products.
Background: Sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody, is among the approved therapies for coronavirus disease – 2019 (COVID-19). Sotrovimab binds to the spike protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and inhibits virus attachment to human cells. Real-life experience about the effectiveness of Sotrovimab is limited. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Sotrovimab in preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations and other patient-related outcomes as well as the appropriateness of use in an academic hospital in Lebanon. Methodology: In this retrospective observational study, we included adult patients with positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 who received intravenous (IV) Sotrovimab at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) from November 2021 through March 2022. The data collected included patient demographics and comorbidities. Primary outcomes were hospitalization, deterioration after 24 hours, and death due to any cause up to 60 days after the Sotrovimab infusion. Secondary outcomes were progression to critical illness and adverse events. Results: A total of 62 subjects received Sotrovimab infusion at our hospital. More than 50% of the patients had a malignancy. About 77% of the cohort belonged to Tier 1 of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria for Sotrovimab use, and 21% of the patients had clinical deterioration 24 hours after Sotrovimab infusion. The percentage of progression to critical disease was 9.7% and the mortality 6.5 %. Conclusion: Sotrovimab is effective against COVID-19 infection and prevents mortality in high-risk patients.
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