Numerous drugs and vaccinations have been approved by the FDA to be used for the treatment of different conditions. However, some drugs have not yet been officially approved but have been tested in line with the respective health conditions. Drugs are associated with positive and negative implications, which explains why some drugs have a high or low level of efficacy. It is important to understand the effects of noncompliance, risk factors, and contraindications associated with each drug prescribed to a patient. In this regard, this paper examines the noncompliance implications of some drugs, the role of vaccines on children’s health, and the risk and pathophysiological characteristics of diabetes mellitus drugs.
Implications of Noncompliance for Specific Drugs
Cephalosporins
Cephalosporins are antibiotics used to treat different types of infections. The level of their effectiveness depends on the limited risk of allergy and toxicity. However, lack of adherence and compliance to the recommended dosage or guideline of use could equally lead to complicated outcomes. The current reasons for non-compliance when using cephalosporins revolves around monotherapy interventions (Dancer, 2001). In such a scenario, there is a high risk of high growth of alternative microorganisms that could end up exacerbating the condition of the patient due to the propagation of Clostridium difficile , methicillin, and pneumococci.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Corticosteriods
Corticosteroids have been used to treat a range of infections. In most cases, corticosteroids are commonly used to treat patients diagnosed with asthma. Non-compliance with corticosteroids is associated with limited drug efficacy and patient outcomes. The reason for noncompliance has been ascertained to be patients’ intentional decision, the presence of side effects, and mixed perceptions about the role of preventive medication (Cooper, Metcalf, & Horne, 2015). Through proper patient education and improved design of interventions, it will be possible to mitigate non-compliance and optimize the treatment and control of diseases such as asthma.
Sulfonylureas
Sulfonylurea is used as an adjunct to insulin therapy. The drug is associated with critical implications in case of noncompliance. The key causes of noncompliance when using Sulfonylureas in type 2 diabetes include wrong dosage prescription and patients’ non-adherence. The major implication for non-adherence includes poor hypoglycemic pathophysiology (Polonsky & Henry, 2016). The risk factors associated with non-compliance and the subsequent problems could be solved through physician-assisted patient education to enhance his/her understanding of the role of medication adherence.
Levothyroxine
Levothyroxine is used to treat a range of conditions as a combined therapy of monotherapy. For example, the treatment of hypothyroidism requires a single tablet of Levothyroxine each day for a specified period. The major causes of noncompliance associated with the medication are lack of adequate support and supervision as well as patients’ intentional decision. Lack of compliance could lead to critical effects such as mental breakdown especially in the presence of other social issues (Rajeev et al., 2010). Non-compliance when using Levothyroxine could be solved through proper monitoring of the patient medication as well as proper sensitization and education regarding medication adherence.
The Use of Vaccines and Children’s Health
The use of vaccines plays a critical role in healthcare intervention. Economic-based interventions such as the use of vaccines have been used to inform the policy directions adopted across different countries in the world. Vaccination interventions for children have remained debatable healthcare concerns. However, a critical analysis of the benefits associated with such measures indicates how the use of vaccines to improve children’s health should be supported and encouraged.
A study on the role of child vaccination to prevent the implication and pathophysiological effect of Haemophilus Infuenzae type B (Hib), showed that there are short-term and long-term benefits associated with such interventions (Barnighausen et al., 2011). The research that focused on the physical, social, and economic implications of the vaccine indicated that the move is associated with significant health gains for the children, their families, the society, and the nation at large. The findings of the study also ascertained that the use of the vaccine resulted in a notable reduction of healthcare costs, which in turn cultivates into income savings (Barnighausen et al., 2011). At the same time, the use of the vaccine according to the results of the analysis saved the time for caring for sick children. In terms of productivity in the long-run, the use of the vaccine in children was also linked to improved prevention of mental and physical disabilities (Barnighausen et al., 2011). Another essential study that focused on the benefits of a vaccine as healthcare intervention among children addressed the issue of eradication of smallpox ad rinderpest (Greenwood, 2014). The study that focused on the interventions for the eradication of infectious diseases among children pointed out the benefits associated with the use of vaccines. The analysis that focused on the period between 1974 and 2000 showed that while several infections have been eradicated through vaccination, a number of other diseases such and pneumonia and diarrhea still remain the cause of over 6.6. million childhood deaths yet they could be prevented through vaccination (Greenwood, 2014). The call for more vaccination for children to enhance their health and reduce child mortality is founded on the postulate that healthcare professionals have already shown significant achievement towards the development of vaccination against complex infections such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis.
Drugs Used to Manage Diabetes Mellitus
There are different medications used to treat and manage diabetes mellitus. The drugs fall under different classes depending on the nature of the mechanism associated with the medication (Adams, Holland, & Urban, 2014). The first group of agents is called the antidiabetics Biguanides. Biguanides are the preferred oral choice for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The agents reduce hyperglycemia by minimizing the primary effect of hepatic gluconeogenesis and enhancing the peripheral sensitivity of insulin. However, Biguanides do not increase the level of insulin and are not associated with weight gain. Moreover, they are not easily metabolized meaning they are quickly eliminated from the body by the kidneys (Romesh & Griffing, 2019). Additionally, drug accumulation could lead to serious negative implications.
Antidiabetics Sulfonylureas is another class of drugs used to treat diabetes mellitus. The agents are considered as time-honored insulin secretagogues. The Sulfonylureas work by stimulating the process of releasing insulin from the beta cells of the pancreas, which eventually reduces glucose concentration in the blood by about 20% (Romesh & Griffing, 2019). While most agents in this category are yet to be approved by the FDA, glimepiride is currently acceptable and could be used as a monotherapy or a combination with other drugs.
Antidiabetics Meglitinide Derivatives are considered as short-acting drugs used to treat diabetes mellitus. Meglitinide Derivatives are insulin secretagogues when compared to sulfonylureas. When administered in pre-prandial dosing there is a higher chance of insulin release efficiency and limited risk of hypoglycemia. The efficacy and risk factors of Meglitinide Derivatives is similar to Sulfonylureas action. In this case, drug accumulation is a risk factor for secondary complications (Romesh & Griffing, 2019). Examples of the current medication under the Meglitinide Derivatives umbrella include Repaglinide (Approved by FDA) and Nateglinide.
Another essential class of drugs used to treat diabetes mellitus is the antidiabetics Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors. The Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors group of drugs prolong the process of absorption of carbohydrates in the body. In this case, the drugs prevent the postprandial sugar surges. However, clinical evidence indicates how their induction of flatulence reduced their level of effectiveness (Romesh & Griffing, 2019). When the doses are not titrated slowly and appropriately, there is the anger of GI intolerance. Nevertheless, the agents in this category are associated with a high level of glycemic control since they primarily affect postprandial glycemic interaction.
The fifth category of drugs used to treat diabetes mellitus is called antidiabetics Thiazolidinediones. Thiazolidinediones are designed to reduce insulin resistance within the muscles and fats. Therefore, the action of the Thiazolidinediones is focused on the periphery and the liver to a smaller percentage. Thiazolidinediones work by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma. PPAR is a nuclear transcription element that plays a key role in the metabolism of fatty acids as well as the differentiation of the fat cells. The role of Thiazolidinediones could be loosely stated as fat redistribution (Romesh & Griffing, 2019). When compared to Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors and Sulfonylureas actions and risk factors, Thiazolidinediones are associated with moderate glycemic effect or efficacy.
Conclusion
Drugs play a key role in treatment interventions for different conditions. The prescriptions made by healthcare professionals are determined by different factors in line with the outlined dosage of each regimen. Failure to effectively adhere to the dosage instructions could lead to critical implications. Patients require comprehensive education regarding the risk factors associated with a specific drug as well as the consequences of noncompliance. When it comes to vaccinations for children, it is important to consider the healthcare advantages that accrue when children are vaccinated against common infections and other diseases.
References
Adams, M., Holland, N., & Urban, C. (2014). Pharmacology for nurses: A pathophysiologic approach (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Bärnighausena, T., Blooma, D. E., Canninga, D., Friedmana, A., Levinec, O. S., O’Briena, J., & Walker, D. (2011). Rethinking the benefits and costs of childhood vaccination: The example of the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine. 29; 2371 – 2380.
Cooper, V., Metcalf, L., & Horne, R. (2015). Patient-reported side effects, concerns and adherence to corticosteroid treatment for asthma, and comparison with physician estimates of side-effect prevalence: a UK-wide, cross-sectional study. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med , 25: 15026.
Dancer, S. J. (2001). The problem with cephalosporins, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy , 48(4); 463–478.
Greenwood, B. (2014). The contribution of vaccination to global health: Past present and future. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci ., 369(1645); 20130433.
Polonsky, W. & Henry, R. R. (2016). Poor medication adherence in type 2 diabetes recognizing the scope of the problem and its key contributions. Patient Prefer Adherence , 10; 1299 – 1307.
Ranjeev, C., Kandukri, M. D., Mehnaz, A., Khan, M. D., & Stephen, M. (2010). Nonadherence to medication in hypothyroidism: A case report. Prim Care Comparison J Clin Psychiatry , 12(3): PCC 09M00863.
Romesh, K. & Griffing, G, T. (2019). Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Medication. E-Medicine: Medscape.
