Sunday, April 19, 2009

Sun Protection - Part 1 - Benefits, Risks, Photosensitivity




It is important to know about sun protection, skin disorders and treament required due to sunlight. As summer is coming up I thought it would be appropriate for this topic.

Benefits
Exposure to sunlight can improve skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis. Sunlight can contribute to healthy skin and causes the body to produce vitamin D (which will aid calcium absorption allowing healthy bones and other calcium dependant mechanisms the body uses).


Risks
Sunlight can also be harmful, the main risk after exposure to sunlight is skin cancer. This is because sunlight is also electromagnetic radiation, UV radiation, which causes damage and react with the skin, and can lead to cancer.

Sunlight comes in different forms of radiation, the form of radiation that can cause sunburn is UVB.


Pigment protection
The pigment in the skin Melanin is responsible for stopping sunlight from getting deeper into the epidermis, and also mops up free radicals(free radicals are partly responsible for reacting with the skin and causing cancer).

Photosensitivy
Sunlight is also responsible for a number of photosensitive reactions, which are defined as adverse cutaneous reactions that occur when a drug or other agent is taken or applied and a person is exposed to UV radiation or visible light. Many drugs can react with sunligh with this outcome. A table from the PJ is shown at the top of the page listing the drugs which may cause photosensitivity. It is important to learn these as this is a common question that has come up in past papers of RPSGB pharmacy exam.

Photosensitive reactions can be phototoxic (causing damage) or photo-allergic (allergy like reactions).

Management of photosensitive reactions
- Finding the agent/drug which has cause the photosensitivity and removing it or avoiding sunlight if the medication has to be taken regualrly.
- Use topical corticosteroids or systemic steroids if the reaction is more severe.
- Use sunscreen and sunprotection.
Part 2 on treatments and sun protection/lotions will be posted soon

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Pharmacy Recommended Reading update

Pharmacyknowledge.co.uk has now teamed up with amazon to give you easier access to the recommended reading and let you browse through our essential selection of books for the pharmacy RPSGB prereg exam and Amazon's full range of pharmacy and medical books.

check out the new recommended reading page at