شیما جعفری

The coronavirus disease 2019 or severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus identified at the end of 2019. The use of plants and derivate phytochemicals compounds for immune enhancement has been reported by several recent studies. The present study reviewed the possible therapeutic properties of phytochemicals on SARS-CoV-2. The key words including; “COVID-19”, “SARS-CoV-2”, “Phytochemicals” or “flavonoid” or “natural product” in the Title/Abstract were searched in scientific databases, Web of Science (ISI), PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Phytochemicals including; thymoquinone (TQ), Kaempferol (KA), Hesperidin (Hes) and Quercetin (QU) showed antiviral properties including, inhibition of protein kinase B and phosphorylation of protein kinase as well as blocking effects on a selective channel expressed in the infected cell of SARS-CoV (3a channel). The phytochemicals also reduced the level pro-inflammatory cytokines including; TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1 α, IL-1 β, and chemokines. Phytochemicals might be beneficial effects in the control or treatment of infectious disease such as SARS-CoV-2 due to antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects.

Considering the importance of diagnosing and prescribing the right medicine by physicians, it is important that due to the shortness of the training period, this is not possible. Clinical pharmacology is increasing the awareness of medical students in managing the use of drugs.

In the year 2021, 34 interns and stagers entered the study at the Razi Specialized-Subspecialized Hospital of Birjand University of Medical Sciences. During the one-month cardiac course, the students visited the patients in the cardiac training clinic one day a week with the presence of a cardiologist and a clinical pharmacologist. There was a discussion about how to prescribe drugs, their side effects, and drug interactions. To evaluate the course, a test before and after the course was conducted to check their learning level. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test.

Thirty-four students (22(65%) stagers, 12(34%) interns, 14(41%) women, 20(59%) men) were included in the study. The results showed that the scores of the students increased after the course (before the course 6±1 and after the course 11±2) and this increase was significant (p<0.001). Besides, the increase in the group of stagers (12±1) was significant (p<0.001), while it was not significant (p = 0.092) in the group of interns (8±1); that is to say, in the group of interns there is a difference in the score before and after the course was not observed, while this difference was significant in the group of stagers.

Integrated educational methods with the presence of clinical expert and clinical pharmacist can play an effective role in improving drug therapy management among medical students and it is recommended to do this method in different groups.

In recent years, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have accounted for about 70% of the worldchr('39')s deaths. The most common NCDs are cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, and chronic respiratory diseases. These diseases have four common risk factors, including inadequate physical activity, unhealthy diet, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. Cardiovascular diseases, despite their high prevalence, are the most preventable chronic diseases. The most common risk factor for cardiovascular disease is high blood pressure, which can be prevented if it is diagnosed and controlled carefully. Recent guidelines have changed the methods of blood pressure measurement, definition, and treatments. Recently, more emphasis has been placed on Out-of-Office Blood Pressure Measurement. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the methods of measuring blood pressure at home and 24-hour Holter blood pressure monitoring, as well as understanding its standards. The use of automatic arm sphygmomanometers to measure blood pressure is more acceptable than manual ones (mercury or Aneroid). The most accepted definitions of hypertension are BP≥140/90 mm Hg in the clinic, the average blood pressure at home≥135/85 mm Hg, and the average blood pressure in 24-hour Holter monitoring≥130/80 mm Hg. Proper treatment of hypertension by changing lifestyle and proper medication therapy can control blood pressure and prevent serious complications. Today, the use of combination drugs, especially a single pill in a single dose, has been emphasized. This study aimed to review the most recent hypertension treatment protocols based on the guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA 2017), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC 2018), the British Heart Association (NICE 2019), and the International Society of Hypertension (ISH 2020). Furthermore, this study attempted to assess the symptoms, complications, methods of diagnosing, definitions, as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments of hypertension.