The coronavirus pandemic: could combining melatonin and glycyrrhizin be the solution for this ongoing emergency?

Dr. Loai M. Saadah, Prof. Iman Basheti — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Coronavirus 2019 pandemic is still causing a global stir and threat to public health and all forms of human activities and economies. Hydroxychloroquine plus or minus azithromycin were proposed as effective treatments for mild to severe pneumonia cases. However, it seems that the progression to critical condition and even death remains largely unaffected. In this letter, we explore new options that could potentially help control the current surge and assist in worldwide efforts to sustain our lifestyles and welfare.

Kay words: Coronavirus 2019, Hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, pneumonia

Prevalence, awareness, and social determinants of hypertension: A cross-sectional study in Northern State, Sudan

Mohamed Ali Alzain — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 13:13:40 +0200

Background: Hypertension remains a major risk factor for life-threatening conditions globally. This study was intended to determine the prevalence, awareness, and risk factors of hypertension.

Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 757 participants aged ≥18 years in rural areas of the Northern State of Sudan in 2016. Blood pressure measurements were taken. Besides, data on demographic characteristics and treatment history of hypertension were collected. Pearson’s chi-square test and logistic regression were used to identify risk factors associated with hypertension.

Results: Prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension were 40.1% (95%CI: 36.6-43.7) and 41% (95%CI: 36.6-43.3), respectively. The study found older adults ≥60 years were twice (AOR=2.08; 95%CI: 1.31-3.31) more likely to have hypertension compared to younger. Males were 1.5 times (AOR=1.53; 95%CI: 1.03-2.26) more likely to have hypertension compared to females. Illiterates were more than twice (AOR=2.26; 95% CI: 1.16-4.39) more likely to have hypertension compared to educated. Participants with a positive family history of hypertension were almost twice (AOR=1.68; 95%CI: 1.23-2.29) more likely to have hypertension compared to those without a family history. The overall awareness rate of hypertension was 35.5% and significantly reduced among males, younger, not married, educated, and belonged to the Danaglah tribe (p. value <0.05). The majority (78.7%) of hypertensive patients were on treatment. However, the rate of controlled hypertension among them was low (37.7%).

Conclusion: The overall burden of hypertension is increasing with low rate of awareness and controlled hypertension. Therefore, regular screening programs and improving management are essential for reducing the burden.

Keywords: Hypertension, Prevalence, Awareness, Northern State, Sudan.

Jordan journal of applied science - Natural and Medical Science Series

The coronavirus pandemic: could combining melatonin and glycyrrhizin be the solution for this ongoing emergency?

Prevalence, awareness, and social determinants of hypertension: A cross-sectional study in Northern State, Sudan