by Chris Kaiser Cardiology Editor, MedPage Today Action Points Note that this small case-series documented ischemic stroke in three patients who had recently received a contaminated steroid injection. Of particular concern, two out of the three cases did not present with classic meningeal signs or fever. There should be a “high index of suspicion […]
by Chris Kaiser Cardiology Editor, MedPage Today A large meta-analysis was not enough to convince nearly three-quarters of MedPage Today readers that the safety of statins as a class is written in stone. There was no swinging pendulum of opinion among the 2,400 voters in our survey. All week, the vote was essentially 70/30 — […]
News August 20, 2013 SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (IMNG) – Only certain classes of antibiotics increased the risk of yeast infections in a study of 650 women followed for 18 months to see what factors were associated with new-onset vulvovaginal candidiasis. Penicillins increased the risk the most (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.1), followed by cephalosporins (aHR, […]
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2013 Sep;115(6):892-9. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00053.2013. Epub 2013 Jul 18. Bailey Su PMID: 23869068 PMCID: PMC3764618 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00053.2013 Abstract Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used for the treatment of skeletal injuries. The ability of NSAIDs to reduce pain and inflammation is well-established. However, the effects of NSAID therapy on healing of skeletal […]
The New York Times By SABRINA TAVERNISE JULY 2, 2013 PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Prescription pain pill addiction was originally seen as a man’s problem, a national epidemic that began among workers doing backbreaking labor in the coal mines and factories of Appalachia. But a new analysis of federal data has found that deaths in recent years have […]
Jul 2 2013, 4:52 PM (ET) By MIKE STOBBE ATLANTA (AP) – Overdose deaths in the U.S. are rising fastest among middle-aged women, and their drug of choice is usually prescription painkillers, the government reported Tuesday. “Mothers, wives, sisters and daughters are dying at rates that we have never seen before,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, […]
Deborah Brauser June 14, 2013 Misperceptions about opioid dependence, including how to screen for and treat the disorder, continue to persist for the public and for many clinicians, new research suggests. An online survey of 1000 adults chosen at random plus 200 primary care physicians who were not addiction certified showed that almost half of […]
ISSUE: OCTOBER 2013 | VOLUME: 11 Acetaminophen carries the risk for rare but serious and potentially fatal skin reactions, the FDA warned on Aug. 1. The risk is present both in prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) products containing the pain reliever and fever reducer, whether it is the single active ingredient or is combined with other […]
Orthopedics Today June 7, 2013 Full Story: http://www.healio.com/orthopedics/arthritis/news/online/%7Bf6db8641-4f44-4c43-bd41-bc22672091ed%7D/revised-clinical-practice-guideline-for-knee-oa-no-longer-recommends-ha-injections The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recently released a revised version of its clinical practice guideline for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, which included changes regarding the use of intra-articular hyaluronic acid and acetaminophen. The original 2009 and revised guidelines by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons […]
Published: Jun 3, 2013 | Updated: Jun 3, 2013 By Nancy Walsh , Staff Writer, MedPage Today Action Points Increasing adult drug prescriptions are strongly associated with rising pediatric exposures and poisonings, particularly among children 0 to 5 years old. Rates of emergency department visits were highest for events related to hypoglycemics and beta-blockers, whereas […]
Published: Jun 3, 2013 | Updated: Jun 4, 2013 By Chris Kaiser , Cardiology Editor, MedPage Today Action Points Muscle pain has been associated with statin use, but new evidence suggests a link with skeletal adverse events as well. Note that the study found no significant association with statin use and osteoarthritis/arthropathy in the primary […]
Susan Jeffrey May 30, 2013 A new meta-analysis looking at the vascular and gastrointestinal effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — including selective cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2] inhibitors, also known as coxibs, as well as traditional NSAIDs such as diclofenac and ibuprofen — shows that the vascular risks associated with high-dose diclofenac and possibly ibuprofen are similar […]
Published: May 30, 2013 | Updated: May 30, 2013 By Michael Smith , North American Correspondent, MedPage Today Action Points In this large meta-analysis diclofenac, ibuprofen, and coxibs all significantly increased major coronary events. Naproxen did not significantly increase major vascular events, but heart failure risk was roughly doubled by all NSAIDs. High doses of […]
By Carole Alison Chrvala, PhD Reviewed by Philip Green, MD, Assistant in Clinical Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, NY Take Note Results from case-control studies suggest that nonselective NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors are associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, with the highest risk evident for new and […]
Marissa Luck May 23, 2013 Long-term use prescription painkillers, known as opioids, have been linked to a number health of problems, and researchers sought to understand the effects the drugs on men with back pain. They analyzed the medical records of more than 11,000 men with back pain and examined how often they received prescriptions […]
Pauline Anderson May 17, 2013 Story Source Medscape.com aking opioids, especially high doses and over several months, is strongly associated with markers for sexual dysfunction, a new study shows. Men with back pain being treated long term with potent opioids were about 50% more likely to fill a prescription for erectile dysfunction (ED) medications or testosterone replacement […]