- Jamie Sheller | December 27, 2006 10:18 AM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsAccording to a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there is an increased risk of hip fractures associated with the use of proton pump inhibitors by the elderly. The increased risk appears especially with long-term and high-dose use. A 44% increased risk of fracture was found with the use of acid suppressive proton pump inhibitors for more than one year. ...
- Jamie Sheller | December 26, 2006 10:27 AM |
Category:
Medical MalpracticeRecently, the FDA updated an earlier public health advisory concerning gadolinium-based contrast agents used with MRI and MR angiography procedures. There have been a number of reports of a new disease called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis or nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NSF/NSD) occuring in patients with moderate to end-stage kidney disease. Some patients developed NSF/NSD after only one...
- Jamie Sheller | December 22, 2006 4:30 PM |
Category:
Medical MalpracticeThe FDA has recalled 12 lots of Boston Scientific's Mach 1 Guide Catheters. These devices are tubes that are thread through the body and used to help treat coronary artery disease. Excess strands of resin may be inside of some of the catheters. In the event that excess resin is present and detaches while the catheter is being used in treatment, embolization may occur. Embolization in a blood...
- Jamie Sheller | December 21, 2006 1:29 PM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsCommon over-the-counter painkillers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen, need stronger warnings according to the FDA. Although the drugs are safe when used as directed, the public needs to remember that there are serious risks when such medicines are not used properly. For instance, an acetaminophen overdose can cause serious liver damage, or even death. Other possible risks with...
- Jamie Sheller | December 19, 2006 9:05 PM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsKetek is an antibiotic approved in 2004 for the treatment of pneumonia, sinusitis and bronchitis. Recently it has come under scrutiny. Due to liver problems, vision problems and possible heart rhythm distubances, the patient advocacy organization Public Citizen Health Research Group put Ketek on its "do not use" list shortly after its 2004 FDA approval. Recently, there have been reports of...
- Jamie Sheller | December 14, 2006 9:12 AM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsFollowing its review of suicide risks with the use of antidepressants, the FDA is planning broader warnings for the labels of those drugs. "Antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal behavior for people up to age 24." In addition to the new warnings, the FDA urges careful monitoring of all antidepressant users. There was split reaction to the news, with some doctors believing that...
- Jamie Sheller | December 12, 2006 1:57 PM |
Category:
Medical MalpracticeAccording to the FDA, off-label use of drug-eluting stents carries an increased risk of thrombosis, myocardial infarction and death. An FDA advisory panel recommended changing the labels of such stents. The two approved devices are Cypher (sirolimus-eluting) and Taxus (paclitaxel-eluting). Approximately 60% of the three million drug-eluting stents implanted in Americans, are off-label. In...
- Jamie Sheller | December 11, 2006 3:35 PM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsThe WARNINGS section of the prescribing information for Heparin has been revised. Use of the drug carries the possibility of delayed onset of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia or HIT, a serious condition caused by irreversible aggregation of platelets. The condition may progress to thromboses. Health care providers should evaluate patients for HIT, if they present with thrombocytopenia or...
- Jamie Sheller | December 07, 2006 10:36 AM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsSince December 2005, the FDA has issued three Public Health Advisories about the risk of birth defect linked to Paxil use during pregnancy. The results of two studies demonstrated that women who used Paxil during the first trimester of pregnancy were 1.5 to 2 times as likely to deliver a baby with a heart defect, compared to women who didn't use any antidepressant during pregnancy. There is...
- Jamie Sheller | December 06, 2006 9:42 AM |
Category:
Defective & Dangerous ProductsAt least three dozen people have been sickened by E. coli, and nine of those people remain hospitalized. Eleven Taco Bells in New York and New Jersey have been implicated in this E. coli outbreak. Those Taco Bell restaurants used the same food distributor, Texas-based McLane Co. Health officials are trying to determine the source of the E. coli, which is a bacteria found in the feces of...
- Jamie Sheller | December 01, 2006 1:49 PM |
Category:
Automobile AccidentsA car accident can be a traumatic event, even if there is minor physical injury. Though you may be shaken up after a car accident, there are things that are important to remember. You should remain calm. Find out if anyone is injured. Call the police and report the accident. Wait for the police to arrive. Do not get into an argument with any other drivers involved in the accident. Gather...