Liana Mos

Thermal behaviour of procaine and benzocaine Part II: compatibility study with some pharmaceutical excipients used in solid dosage forms

BackgroundThe compatibility study of active substances with excipients finds an important role in the domain of pharmaceutical research, being known the fact that final formulation is the one administered to the patient. In order to evaluate the compatibility between active substance and excipients, different analytical techniques can be used, based on their accuracy, reproducibility and fastness.ResultsCompatibility study of two well-known active substances, procaine and benzocaine, with four commonly used excipients, was carried out employing thermal analysis (TG/DTG/HF) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (UATR-FT-IR). The selected excipients were microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate and talc. Equal proportion of active substance and excipients (w/w) was utilized in the interaction study. The absolute value of the difference between the melting point peak of active substances and the one corresponding for the active substances in the analysed mixture, as well the absolute value of the difference between the enthalpy of the pure active ingredient melting peak and that of its melting peak in the different analysed mixtures were chosen as indexes of the drug-excipient interaction degree. All the results obtained through thermal analysis were also sustained by FT-IR spectroscopy.ConclusionsThe corroboration of data obtained by thermal analysis with the ones from FT-IR spectroscopy indicated that no interaction occurs between procaine and benzocaine, with microcrystalline cellulose and talc, as well for the benzocaine-lactose mixture. Interactions were confirmed between procaine and benzocaine respectively and magnesium stearate, and for procaine and lactose.

Longevity health sciences and mental health as future medicine

Longevity health sciences and mental health are fields of public health and of preventive and integrative medicine. The antagonism between health construction and human pathology is substantiated by two opposite fundamental pathways: the health–longevity tetrad versus the aging–disease cascade. It is necessary that the current paradigm of contemporary medicine be replaced by the advanced paradigm of future medicine. A societal cost–benefit rate is decisive for health–longevity promotion. This is why the WHO public health strategy keeps forwarding the societal medical target into the global health–longevity field.

Sarcopenia and the importance of biochemical determinations in the hospitalised older adults

Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. It is the major pathway leading to physical frailty, an important geriatric syndrome and an important problem in the elderly population. There are multiple factors leading to sarcopenia and frailty and for preventing them is important to determine the biochemical factors involved. We conducted a study on 143 elderly patients hospitalized during a nine months period. Demographic data were collected and biochemical parameters were determined. Sarcopenia was determined through muscle mass and muscle strength. The average age of the persons included in the study was 77.13 ± 6.30 years, without differences between gender distributions. To assess the relationship between the biochemical parameters and the presence of sarcopenia, the patients were divided into two groups: the group with sarcopenia and the group without sarcopenia. The analysis of the relationships between the presence of sarcopenia and the biochemical parameters determined within the study group, revealed that sarcopenia is correlated with blood glucose (p = 0.002, r = − 0.266), creatinine (p=0.010, r= −0.221) and also creatinine clearance (p=0.017, r=0.207). Biochemical determinations are important in determining sarcopenia and frailty and are of high importance before establishing any measure of treatment or prevention.

Role of Optimal Medication Given to Patients with Hypertension and Ischemic Heart Disease Prior to an Acute Coronary Syndrome

Introduction Administering optimal cardiovascular medication (OCM) to patients with hypertension (HBP) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) lowers cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The main objective of this study was to compare in-hospital cardiac mortality among patients with HBP and/or IHD, treated or untreated with OCM, who developed a first episode of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods The study was carried out retrospectively and included patients admitted with a first episode of ACS between 2013 and 2016. The patients were divided into three groups: those with HBP, IHD, and a history of HBP + IHD. Patients were then divided into two subgroups: subgroup A consisted of patients undergoing optimal anti-ischemic and/or antihypertensive therapy, while subgroup B consisted of patients without OCM. Results This analysis comprised 1096 patients. Mean age was 64.3 ± 18 years. There were 581 patients in subgroup A – 53%, and 515 patients in subgroup B – 47%. Total cardiac mortality was 9.98%, different depending on the groups and subgroups studied: HBP group total – 7%, subgroup A – 5.1%, significantly lower compared to subgroup B – 9.4% (p = 0.05); IHD group total – 12.2%, subgroup A – 9.07%, significantly lower compared to subgroup B – 15.8% (p = 0.05); HBP + IHD group total – 14.35%, subgroup A – 9.9%, significantly lower compared to subgroup B – 18.8% (p = 0.05). Conclusions The lack of OCM in patients with HBP and/or IHD is correlated to a significant increase in in-hospital cardiac mortality among patients who develop a first-episode ACS.