Chemicals and Drugs Commons^™

Identification Of “Kratom” (Mitragyna Speciosa) Alkaloids In Commercially Available Products, Julia Grzymkowski, Michelle R. Peace, Justin Poklis

Undergraduate Research Posters

“Kratom” is the common name for the botanical mitragyna speciosa. It is a tree native to Southeast Asia in which leaves contain the psychoactive alkaloids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Kratom is often ingested as teas, chewed, or smoked. It acts as a stimulant in small doses and as an opioid in large doses. Overdoses can result in vomiting, seizures, and death. Recently the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) placed Kratom on Schedule 1, but, due to public outcry, it was almost immediately removed.

Eleven kratom based products were obtained from various tobacco shops, “headshops” and via the internet including: Choice brand …

Metformin And Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Consequences And Patient Monitoring, Kathryn Dietz

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• The incidence of type 2 diabetes has been increasing at a rapid rate in the United States.

• Metformin is recommended as the first line treatment to be started at the time of diagnosis in all patients without contraindications and has been associated with vitamin B12 deficiency.

• There are currently no clinical guidelines for the routine monitoring of B12 levels in this population.

• The purpose of this scholarly project is to determine if there are consequences of this deficiency and to make recommendations for screening patients.

• It includes current research that focuses on the pathophysiology of …

The Association Between Antipsychotic Medication And Weight Gain, Brian Steen

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Antipsychotic medications are utilized for patients with many mental health problems including schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, bipolar mania, and psychotic depression. The antipsychotic medications treat the symptoms associated with these mental health disorders.

• Antipsychotic medications, while being efficacious to these symptoms, can have unwanted side effects, including weight gain. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a strong relationship with antipsychotic medication use and weight gain.

• The review of literature was conducted with an online search of Cochrane, PubMed, and PsycInfo for journal articles, research studies, and other scholarly reviews. Articles …

Pharmacogenetic Testing In The Treatment Of Major Depressive Disorder, Brianna Strube

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in the United States and is a large cause of disability. Antidepressants take weeks/months to become effective which can lead to noncompliance. Treatment has a high failure rate which increases medical costs and leads to decreased patient outcomes.

• Pharmacogenetic testing is the practice of analyzing genetic differences to predict a patient’s response to medications to improve efficacy and decrease adverse side effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate if pharmacogenetic-guided treatment, specifically in the use of antidepressants in MDD, has resulted in improved patient …

Can A Layer Of Antimicrobial Agents Be Placed Around Breast Implants To Prevent Staph Infections From Occurring?, Valerie L. Tran

Undergraduate Research Posters

The most common infection that occurs after breast augmentation is a staph infection. Currently, there are only three ways to treat this type of infection, all of which treat the breast implant after the infection has developed. The first option is to treat the infection with an oral antibiotic. If this doesn’t completely rid the infection, then intravenous antibiotics are used. If this too doesn’t remove the infection, then surgery will be performed to remove the breast implant and a new implant will be inserted. Although, these options have a low mortality rate, the success rate of completely getting rid …

Association Between Proton Pump Inhibitor Use & Dementia: A Two-Fold Approach, Lisa Steers

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

An observational study of data derived from the German Study on Aging, Cognition and Dementia indicated that proton pump inhibitor use was associated with dementia risk (Benmassaoud, McDonald, & Lee, 2016). The purpose of this study is to explore a two-fold approach between proton pump inhibitor use and dementia. This two-fold approach will first investigate the association between dementia and proton pump inhibitor use and secondly, the proposed pathophysiology behind it. This approach to proton pump inhibitor use and dementia will allow for providers to utilize the association and make decisions to avoid chronic proton pump inhibitor use in effort …