Viewpoint

A Review of Pharmacovigilance

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 7: Dec (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.251

Pages:

771–4

Synopsis:

Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is an essential component of pharmacovigilance, but the safe and appropriate use of drugs is limited by under-reporting of ADRs. Knowledge of pharmacovigilance could form the basis for interventions aimed at improving reporting rates.

ABSTRACT

Pharmacovigilance supports safe and appropriate use of drugs. Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is an essential component of pharmacovigilance. However, there is significant underreporting of ADRs. Adverse drug reactions have become a major problem in developing countries. Knowledge of pharmacovigilance could form the basis for interventions aimed at improving reporting rates and decreasing ADRs.

Received:

17 Sep, 2013

Accepted:

27 Sep, 2013

PDF Attachment:

wimjdec2014_771_774.pdf

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e-Published: 05 Mar, 2015

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Cancer Treatment: The Cost Factor

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 7: Dec (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2014.080

Pages:

766–70

Synopsis:

The incidence of cancer has risen in the Caribbean, and so has the cost of treating this disease. The author examines colon cancer and the cost of caring for patients with this.

ABSTRACT

Received:

18 Mar, 2014

Accepted:

26 Mar, 2014

PDF Attachment:

wimjdec2014_766_770.pdf

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e-Published: 29 Aug, 2014

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Toward Understanding the Biology of Crime in Trinidad and Tobago

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 6: Oct (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.297

Pages:

655–7

Synopsis:

Crime has a distinct biological component; addressing this aspect could lead toward clinical interventions that could mitigate the incidence of crime within the population.

ABSTRACT

Serious crime is a scourge within Trinidad and Tobago’s borders and seems to be escalating yearly with no resolution in sight. It is commonplace for governments to view/implement policies targeting crime based on sociological and psychological paradigms. What is most often overlooked, however, is that crime has unique biological underpinnings, which, if characterized, could lead toward clinical interventions that could mitigate its incidence within the population.

Received:

11 Nov, 2013

Accepted:

26 Nov, 2013

PDF Attachment:

emmanuel-the_biology_of_crime_in_trinidad_and_tobago.pdf

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e-Published: 03 Jul, 2014

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A Case for a Holistic Approach to the Improvement of Compliance among Hypertensive Patients: A Hospital Review

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 3: Emergency Medicine (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.156

Pages:

271–3

Synopsis:

A recent survey of hypertensive patients at the Emergency Department of the University of the West Indies revealed that more than a third were non-compliant with their prescribed medications and more than half had poorly controlled blood pressure. Providing access to drug is inadequate and a more holistic approach is required to reduce blood pressure on the population level.

ABSTRACT

Received:

09 May, 2013

Accepted:

16 May, 2014

PDF Attachment:

gossell-williams_et_al-compliance_among_hypertensive_patients.pdf

Journal Sections:

Viewpoint

Keywords:

Hypertension

Antihypertensive medications

Journal Authors:

e-Published: 12 Jun, 2014

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Trauma in the Developing World: The Jamaican Experience

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 3: Emergency Medicine (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.318

Pages:

267–70

Synopsis:

Trauma remains a challenging burden on the often under-funded healthcare systems of developing countries. Ten-year data from the Jamaica Trauma Registry shows that trauma accounts for 20% of surgical admissions, with 5% mortality. There is a good opportunity for various preventive programmes to be instituted to reduce the burden of this disease.

ABSTRACT

Trauma remains a challenging burden on the often under-funded healthcare systems of developing countries. Ten-year data from the Jamaica Trauma Registry show that trauma accounts for 20% of surgical admissions, with close to 50% being intentional and with a 5% mortality. There is a good opportunity for various preventive programmes to be instituted to reduce the burden of this disease.

Received:

15 Nov, 2013

Accepted:

11 Dec, 2013

PDF Attachment:

plummer_et_al-trauma_in_the_developing_world.pdf

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e-Published: 12 Jun, 2014

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Monoclonal Antibodies in Cancer Therapy: Mechanisms, Successes and Limitations

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 6: Oct (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.241

Pages:

650–4

Synopsis:

The classification, efficacy and significantly reduced toxicity of chemotherapeutic monoclonal antibodies (CmAbs) available for use in the United States of America are presented, and their limitations and future considerations are explored.

ABSTRACT

Received:

05 Sep, 2013

Accepted:

24 Feb, 2014

PDF Attachment:

coulson_et_al-monoclonal_antibodies_in_cancer_therapy.pdf

Journal Sections:

Keywords:

monoclonal antibodies

Journal Authors:

A Coulson

A Levy

M Gossell-Williams

e-Published: 29 May, 2014

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The Influence of Migration on Secular Trends in Sex Ratios at Birth in Cuba in the Past Fifty Years

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 4: Aug (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.336

Pages:

368–72

Synopsis:

This paper highlights a temporal relationship between Cuban migration and male to female live birth ratio (M/F), with M/F dipping in response to the possibility of leaving Cuba, often followed by sharp rises associated with a predominantly male efflux from the country.

ABSTRACT

Background: Secular trends have been found in the male-female ratio at birth (M/F: male births divided by total births) in various countries and this ratio is anticipated to approximate 0.515.

Methods: Annual national data for male and female live births in Cuba with contingency tables were obtained from the World Health Organization and analysed.

Received:

10 Dec, 2013

Revised:

04 Apr, 2014

Accepted:

14 Apr, 2014

PDF Attachment:

grech_influence_of_migration_on_sex_ratios_at_birth_in_cuba.pdf

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e-Published: 05 May, 2014

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A Scenario for the Origin of Blood Group Antigens

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 2: Mar (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.106

Pages:

182–3

Synopsis:

The author proposes that invading organisms insert their DNA sequences into the genomes of humans and this genetic reprogramming could have been the basis of the evolution of blood group antigens.

INTRODUCTION

A long time ago, in the unpublished manuscript of a book on evolutionary biology, I put forward a hypothesis for the origin of blood group antigens that correlates with recent medical findings in relation to the ABO blood group system. My scenario is based upon interactions between invading organisms (whether viral, bacterial, protozoan, or multicellular) and their hosts.

Received:

12 Apr, 2013

Revised:

06 Aug, 2013

Accepted:

22 Apr, 2013

PDF Attachment:

bishop-origin_of_blood_group_antigens.pdf

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e-Published: 11 Apr, 2014

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A "Believe It or Not" Episode of Medical Conquests by the Indigenous Peoples of South America and the African Descendants Domiciled Mainly in Tobago

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 1: Jan (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.097

Pages:

92–3

Synopsis:

This paper provides insight into medicinal/botanical cures and the management of diabetes mellitus among the ‘Warao’ and ‘Guajiro’ indigenous Indians of Venezuela. Mention is also made of traditional and holistic practices among the East Indian population of Trinidad and Tobago. All of the above is based on age-old customs, traditions, beliefs and practices of these people in the field of traditional/complementary medicine.

INTRODUCTION

Except for the professional work conducted by a few adventurous anthropologists such as Roth (1970) and Johannes (1963), little is actually known about the great impact that the Warao of north eastern Venezuela and the Guajiro of Zulia State near to Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, have made on both allopathic and traditional medicine in the modern world.

Received:

27 Feb, 2013

Accepted:

14 May, 2013

PDF Attachment:

jainarinesingh-medical_conquests_of_indigenous_people.pdf

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e-Published: 08 Apr, 2014

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Herbs that Ensure Good Health and Longevity

Issue:

Vol 63, Issue 1: Jan (2014)

DOI:

10.7727/wimj.2013.153

Pages:

90–1

Synopsis:

This paper gives a helpful insight into herbal medicine and its importance in disease management. Modern (allopathic) medicine can no longer doubt the vast benefits of most tested herbs per their growing relevance to both medicine and surgery.

INTRODUCTION

Received:

10 May, 2013

Accepted:

16 May, 2013

PDF Attachment:

jainarinesingh-herbs_for_health_and_longevity.pdf

Journal Sections:

Viewpoint

Keywords:

Hypertension

Atherosclerosis