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    Two reports suggested that vitamin D2 is less effective than vitamin D3 in maintaining vitamin D status.Our objective was to determine whether vitamin D2 was less effective than vitamin D3 in maintaining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels or increased the catabolism of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3.This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study of healthy adults ages 18-84 yr who received placebo, 1000 IU vitamin D3, 1000 IU vitamin D2, or 500 IU vitamin D2 plus 500 IU vitamin D3 daily for 11 wk at the end of the winter.Sixty percent of the healthy adults were vitamin D deficient at the start of the study. The circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (mean+/-sd) increased to the same extent in the groups that received 1000 IU daily as vitamin D2 (baseline 16.9+/-10.5 ng/ml; 11 wk 26.8+/-9.6 ng/ml), vitamin D3 (baseline 19.6+/-11.1 ng/ml; 11 wk 28.9+/-11.0 ng/ml), or a combination of 500 IU vitamin D2 and 500 IU vitamin D3 (baseline 20.2+/-10.4 ng/ml; 11 wk 28.4+/-7.7 ng/ml). The 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels did not change in the group that received 1000 IU vitamin D2 daily. The 1000 IU dose of vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 did not raise 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in vitamin D-deficient subjects above 30 ng/ml.A 1000 IU dose of vitamin D2 daily was as effective as 1000 IU vitamin D3 in maintaining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and did not negatively influence serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels. Therefore, vitamin D2 is equally as effective as vitamin D3 in maintaining 25-hydroxyvitamin D status.
    Ergocalciferol
    Calcifediol
    Citations (779)
    Background: In the United Kingdom (UK), pharmacy student numbers are increasing as the number of pharmacy schools increases. This is likely to have a negative impact on employment opportunities at a time when new entrants to UK pharmacy schools are paying dramatically increased tuition fees. Moreover, proposed changes to the Master of Pharmacy (MPham) programme, with pre-registration training integrated into undergraduate education has profound implications for the future student experience. Aims: To identify the main factors which influenced the decision of current students at one UK school of pharmacy to study pharmacy, and those factors which would have impacted on that decision if faced with pay tuition fees of £9,000 ($14,700). Also, the study aimed to gather students’ opinions on the impact of increased fees on the number of pharmacy applicants, and whether their preference is for a four-year MPharm course or a five-year integrated programme. Method: Questionnaires were distributed to pharmacy students of all four years at the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), Preston, UK; in the academic year 2011/2012. Results: A response rate of 88.6% (n=133) to the questionnaires was achieved. The main factor influencing pharmacy students’ decision to study pharmacy was their interest in pharmacy, though they believed if they had to pay increased tuition fees, then the financial rewards of a pharmacy career would be most important. Fifty- seven percent (n=76) of the students felt the number of students applying for pharmacy would decrease as a result of the rise in the tuition fees, whilst 71% (n=95) preferred the current four + one MPharm course structure rather than the proposed five- year integrated course. Conclusion: Reasons for studying pharmacy were multi-factorial. However, with increased tuition fees, financial considerations were considered a greater motivator, potentially conflicting with the traditional core values of pharmacy, namely service- orientation and altruism. The proposed integrated five-year MPharm is not yet defined, but appeals less than the present structure to current students. Changes to the degree programmes and higher tuition fees may potentially impact negatively on future applications to study pharmacy.
    Pharmacy school
    Citations (4)
    self-medication involves the use of medicines without the input of health professionals. Available studies are not entirely conclusive on self-medication among health science versus non-health science university students. The current study therefore sought to investigate relevant aspects of self-medication among pharmacy and non-pharmacy students.this quantitative cross-sectional research was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy and non-pharmacy students of the University of Ghana from October 1st 2019 to December 6th 2019. Using a questionnaire, interviews were conducted to assess the pattern and attitude towards self-medication among respondents within the last 2 months.a total of 337 (163 pharmacy and 174 non-pharmacy) students filled and completed questionnaires. The prevalence of self-medication was 55.2% for pharmacy and 51.1% for non-pharmacy students. Both pharmacy and non-pharmacy students were either accepting or ambivalent towards self-medication. Painkillers were the major class of medications that were self-medicated by both pharmacy (38.5%) and non-pharmacy students (30.7%). The most common reason for self-medication among pharmacy (62.2%) and non-pharmacy (56.2%) students was the need for rapid relief from an illness. Majority of the participants who were self-medicated (27.6% among non-pharmacy and 36.8% among pharmacy students) demonstrated ambivalent attitude towards self-medication. An increase in the study level reduced the likelihood of self-medication in both pharmacy and non-pharmacy students: OR=0.442, CI = 0.266-0.736 for pharmacy students and OR=0.671, CI = 0.456-0.987 for non-pharmacy students.self-medication is common students of the University of Ghana. Prevalence of self-medication was higher among pharmacy students than non-pharmacy students. This study provides data for targeted education and sensitisation of self-medication among university students.
    Self-medication
    Cross-sectional study
    (1) Background: Many factors may play a role in deciding to opt for pharmacy as a major. However, no previous studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia to explore these factors. This study aims to identify the potential factors that prompted students to join the pharmacy program. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed among undergraduate pharmacy students in Saudi Arabia, addressing areas such as reasons that encourage them to choose pharmacy as a major, and students' socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study variables, and a simple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the potential factors. (3) Results: A total of 491 students completed the questionnaire. Around 40% of them had chosen to study pharmacy as their first choice. Only gender, current GPA, and reasons related to the pharmacy field were found to have a statistically significant association with students selecting pharmacy as their first choice. (4) Conclusions: This study shows that pharmacy students have a future-oriented outlook and selected pharmacy as their first choice because it will develop them professionally, financially, and intellectually. Educating high school students about the characteristic of pharmacy would help attract more talented students to the pharmacy carrier.
    Cross-sectional study
    Pharmacy school
    Citations (7)