Using face masks appropriately is important for preventing the community spread of respiratory infections. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge level and experience of using face masks between healthcare teams to protect them and limit the spread of COVID-19 infection. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 228 healthcare members in July–December 2021. It was divided into two sections and consisted of 29 questions for a total possible score of 0 to 29. The first section was related to perceptions and knowledge about face masks (13 items); the second was related to the experience of using face masks (16 items). The average score of this questionnaire was 23.21/29 with respect to the knowledge about face masks and their proper use techniques. The healthcare team studied had satisfactory knowledge about face mask use techniques, and the study shed light on their unsatisfactory practices. Following instructions is very vital to protecting the person wearing the mask and preventing the spread of infection during health care by blocking droplets produced by speaking or coughing. Providing the healthcare teams with knowledge and experience about how to use face masks during the pandemic is critical to increase their awareness and practice in using face masks and prevent the infection from spreading.

Background: Statin monotherapy is a cornerstone of lipid-lowering therapy for reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and cardiovascular risk in patients with dyslipidemia. However, many patients at moderate-to-high cardiovascular risk fail to achieve recommended LDL-C targets with statin therapy alone, prompting interest in combination lipid-lowering strategies. Ezetimibe inhibits intestinal cholesterol absorption through Niemann–Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) protein inhibition and may enhance LDL-C reduction while allowing lower statin doses, potentially improving tolerability. Objective: To compare the efficacy and short-term safety of moderate-intensity rosuvastatin (10 mg) combined with ezetimibe (10 mg) versus high-intensity rosuvastatin (20 mg) monotherapy in patients with dyslipidemia. Methods: This prospective randomized controlled study included 60 patients who completed 24 weeks of follow-up after random allocation to either rosuvastatin/ezetimibe (10/10 mg) combination therapy or rosuvastatin 20 mg monotherapy. Lipid profile, liver enzymes (AST and ALT), and creatine kinase (CK) were measured at baseline and at week 24. Continuous variables were analyzed using repeated-measures general linear modeling and mixed-model ANOVA after assessment of data normality. Safety evaluation included biochemical monitoring and clinical assessment for adverse events. Results: Both treatment groups demonstrated significant reductions in total cholesterol and LDL-C from baseline (both p < 0.001). Post-treatment LDL-C was significantly lower in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (71.83 ± 12.14 vs. 86.30 ± 23.87 mg/dL; p = 0.004), whereas reductions in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL-C changes were comparable between groups. Absolute post-treatment AST and ALT values did not differ significantly between treatment groups. However, percentage increases from baseline were significantly smaller in the combination group for AST (15.38% vs. 35.71%; p = 0.015) and ALT (14.28% vs. 21.11%; p = 0.018). Importantly, mean liver enzyme values in both groups remained well below clinically significant hepatotoxicity thresholds throughout follow-up. No major adverse cardiovascular events occurred during the 24-week study period. Conclusions: Moderate-intensity rosuvastatin combined with ezetimibe achieved lipid-lowering efficacy comparable to high-intensity rosuvastatin while producing lower relative increases in liver enzymes over 24 weeks. These findings suggest that combination therapy represents a reasonable therapeutic alternative for selected patients requiring intensive LDL-C reduction; however, larger multicenter studies with longer follow-up are needed to establish comparative cardiovascular outcomes and overall safety. Clinical trials: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07313124 .