https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/34781 2026-04-04T21:45:39Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/35027 Title: The community pharmacist and dispensing in the elderly Abstract: In the last years, life expectancy has substantially increased. Similar to trends in other European countries, the number of elderly in Malta is sharply on the increase in an otherwise stable population. From data obtained from the demographic review, in 1989, 14% of the population was over 60 years of age and by the first quarter of the next century, the elderly will constitute 23.8% of the Maltese population. (Figure 1). The elderly are being encouraged and supported to remain as much as possible in their habitual environment, in their town or village, rather than adopt to move into a large impersonal institution. In this way the elderly will acquire a healthy balance within the family unit, its extensions in the neighbourhood and take a more active role in various sectors of society. This creates special needs within the community and an adequate support system has to be developed. This presents new challenges to the community pharmacist - a vital member of 'the Primary Health Care Team. 1991-03-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/35026 Title: Blood pressure : non-invasive method to monitor drug action Abstract: This pilot study investigated whether the daily measurement of a noninvasive parameter such as blood pressure using a mercury sphygmomanometer monitors drug action and interaction. The blood pressure of six patients aged 68 to 87 years (one male and five females) treated with cardiovascular drugs was monitored for up to forty one days together with changes in the treatment or patients' condition. Some patients have periods of larger variations in the blood pressure than others and are probably related to episodes of increased worry due to a worsening condition such as pain. The establishment of a baseline profile of the blood pressure helps to detect trends of changes in blood pressure. The sudden increase of the diastolic blood pressure to lOOmmHg followed by a drop to 6SmmHg over a five day period preceded a fall, 9izziness and postural hypotension. Withdrawal of the di uretic brought an improvement while the blood pressure returned to pre-crisis values. In another case, diuretic withdrawal caused no deterioration of the blood pressure. Blood pressure monitoring indicated that drugs could be safely withdrawn from a polypharmacy treatment. In one case the blood pressure was controlled by increasing the dose of nifedipine and withdrawing the diuretic and atenolol. In an 82 year old the withdrawal of cimetidine which was combined with nifedipine brought no change in the blood pressure, an interaction expected in younger subjects. The graphical representation of the observations should promote a more rational drug use and trigger the sequence for investigations at the right time. 1991-03-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/35025 Title: Rational drug use in the hospitalised elderly Abstract: The study was carried out in a 200 bed geriatric hospital. Three groups of patients were studied: a. Respite care b. Acute medical admissions c. Long term geriatric patients The study assessed prescribing habits within these groups by means of a Therapeutic Audit of patient medication charts (Kardex). The omission of medication doses in the various patient groups using three drug administration systems, Bulk Dose Dispensing (BDD), Individual Dose Dispensing (IDD), and Unit Dose dispensing (UDD) was also studied. 1991-03-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/35024 Title: Medico social aspects of old age in Malta - the historical viewpoint Abstract: According to Maltese historical records available so far, the elderly first emerge as a group and as a source of concern on the part of the State, in the mid-sixteenth century when the Maltese Islands had been under the rule of the Order of St John of Jerusalem for the previous twenty years. The stimulus was provided by the incessant warfare in which the Order of St John, like other European powers, was engaged against the Turks in the Mediterranean. 1991-03-01T00:00:00Z