Objective:To compare the pattern, efficacy, and tolerability of self-medicated drugs and to assess the adequacy of their dose in primary dysmenorrhea (PD).Materials and Methods:A survey using a self-developed, validated, objective, and structured questionnaire as a tool was conducted among subjects with PD. Statistical analysis was carried out using Chi-square test and ANOVA with post-hoc Tuckey's test.Results:Out of 641 respondents, 42% were self-medicated. The pattern of drugs used was: Dicyclomine, an unknown drug, mefenamic acid, mefenamic acid + dicyclomine, and metamizole by 35%, 29%, 26%, 9%, and 1% of respondents, respectively. Mefenamic acid + dicyclomine, the combination was the most efficacious in comparison to other drugs in moderate to severe dysmenorrhea. There was better tolerability with mefenamic acid + dicyclomine group compared to other drugs. Sub-therapeutic doses were used by 86% of self-medicating respondents.Conclusions:The prevailing self-medication practices were inappropriate in a substantial proportion of women with inadequate knowledge regarding appropriate drug choice, therapeutic doses, and their associated side effects.

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Background: Knowledge of pharmacology forms the basis of rational pharmacotherapy practice. Teaching the medical students about systematic application of pharmacology in patients' care forms an essential component. It facilitates the medical students to develop a methodical approach in solving patients' clinical problems. Objective: To compare rational pharmacotherapy approach in management of essential hypertension and acute bronchial asthma by MBBS students before and after exposure to WHO GGP guidelines. Materials and Methods: Sixth-term MBBS students, conventionally trained in management of essential hypertension and acute bronchial asthma and randomly divided into group A (n=36) and group B (n=42), were asked to make a treatment plan for a hypothetical case of essential hypertension and acute bronchial asthma respectively in an open unstructured format. Following an interactive teaching session on WHO GGP guidelines for each group separately, both groups were asked to remake the treatment plan for the same hypothetical case in an objective structured format based on GGP. The treatment plan written before and after exposure to GGP was compared based on various steps of GGP. Paired student's t test was used for analysis. Results: The score enhancement with GGP (mean ± SD) in group A for defining the patient problem, setting up the therapeutic goal, selecting P drug, writing the prescription, providing the drug information, monitoring the drug treatment and updating drug information was 0.61±0.55, 0.53±0.51, 2.75±1.4, 9±1.24, 14.64±0.8, 6.08±1.59, and 3.39±1.02 respectively. The score enhancement (mean ± SD) in group B for the above mentioned steps was 0.85±0.36, 0.97±0.17, 1.73±1.57, 6.18±2.88, 6.21±1.47, 5.79±1.49 and 6.36±2.04 respectively. The score enhancement with GGP guidelines was statistically significant with p value 0.001 in both groups. Conclusion: With widely rampant irrational prescribing behaviour in our country, the study showed statistically significant improvement in rational pharmacotherapy approach by medical students after exposure to GGP guidelines.

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Background: Teratogenicity is a major cause of abortion, still birth and can result in longterm disability with a significant impact on individuals, families, societies and healthcare systems. Drugs being one of the causes of teratogenicity, creating awareness among medical students, the future prescribing physicians, the rate of teratogenicity can be decreased. The objective was to compare the attitude and knowledge about teratogenicity among the medical undergraduates before and after an educational session on teratogenicity.Methods: A pre-validated semi structured questionnaire on attitude and knowledge about teratogenicity was distributed to 2nd year medical students (147) before and after teratogenicity educational session. Results obtained were compared within the group. Paired t test was used for within the group comparison. P-Value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: Improvement in knowledge showed statistically significant improvement following teratogenicity educational session (P-Value=0.0003). Improvement was there in post session attitude scores as well, however, it was not significant (P-Value=0.64).Conclusions: Early reinforcement about teratogenicity in medical students enables them to decide appropriate drug therapy while prescribing for females of reproductive age group.