All bleeding stops — but does idarucizumab (Praxbind) make it stop faster?
3.5 out of 5 stars
Persistent life-threatening hemorrhage after administration of idarucizumab. Alhashem HM et al. Am J Emerg Med 2016 June 30 [Epub ahead of print]
Reference
Dabigatran (Pradaxa) is a direct thrombin inhibitor approved for stroke and embolism prophylaxis in patients with non-valve-related atrial fibrillation. When it was first released in 2008, a major disincentive to widespread use was the lack of a reliable reversal agent to treat major bleeds, or to administer before necessary invasive procedures.
In October 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved idarucizumab (Praxbind), a monoclonal ant...
Source: The Poison Review - July 27, 2016 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Gussow Tags: Medical anticoagulant hemorrhage idarucizumab pradaxa praxbind reversal agent Source Type: news
Patient safety alert:Nasogastric tube misplacement risk of death and severe harm
NHS Improvement has issued a stage two alert to support providers of NHS-funded care to prevent the risk of severe harm or death caused by the misplacement of nasogastric tubes. It is directed at trus (Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Society News)
Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Society News - July 25, 2016 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Halyard Health buys CORPAK MedSystems
Halyard Health Inc. (NYSE: HYH) will buy privately held CORPAK MedSystems for $174 million in cash from Linden Capital.
The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2016.
Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based Corpak develops, makes and sells a branded enteral access devices. It generated $54 million in sales in 2015.
Its portfolio of nasogastric tubes complements Alpharetta, Ga.-based Halyard’s enteral feeding products and creates a complete offering of enteral feeding products.
“We are excited… (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines)
Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines - April 12, 2016 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
Halyard Health picks up Corpak Medsystems
Halyard Health (NYSE:HYH) said today it picked up enternal access solutions company Corpak MedSystems for $174 million.
Corpak, a Linden Capital Partners portfolio company, develops, manufactures and markets a range of branded enternal access devices, Halyard Health said.
The acquisition was funded through a combination of Alpharetta, Ga.-based Halyard Health’s on-hand cash and revolving credit facility and is slated to close in the 2nd quarter.
“We are excited to integrate Corpak’s innovative products into our market-leading enteral feeding portfolio enabling us to serve our doctors and their patients m...
Source: Mass Device - April 11, 2016 Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Fink Densford Tags: Business/Financial News Mergers & Acquisitions Halyard Health Source Type: news
FDA Drug Safety Communication: Serious medication errors from intravenous administration of nimodipine oral capsules
[08-02-2010] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting healthcare professionals that nimodipine capsules should be given ONLY by mouth or through a feeding tube (nasogastric tube). (Source: FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research - What's New)
Source: FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research - What's New - March 25, 2016 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Annabel’s journey: The story behind the movie “Miracles from Heaven”
Eight-year-old Annabel Beam was on a quest to find the perfect gift. During a 2010 trip from her Texas home to Boston Children’s Hospital, she asked her Mom to stop at the airport gift shop before boarding the plane.
Annabel perused the aisles, examining each item in the hope of finding a token of appreciation for her gastroenterologist, Dr. Samuel Nurko, director of the Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Center.
Annabel spotted a cuddly teddy bear wearing blue doctors’ scrubs. She reached for the bear, squeezed its arm, and a musical rendition of “Doctor, Doctor, give me the news…” began to ...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - March 14, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Maureen McCarthy Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Anna Beam Jennifer Garner Miracles from Heaven Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Center pseudo-obstruction Samuel Nurko Source Type: news
Hands On Product Reviews February 2016
Ready for a Premie?
When was the last time you assisted with the delivery of a newborn? How confident are you in your ability to resuscitate a preterm newborn? The new Premature Anne Task Trainer from Laerdal is a realistically proportioned, 25-week gestation, preterm manikin developed in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics that provides the opportunity to practice the skills, procedures, communications and teamwork necessary for a successful outcome in these high-stress situations. Anne’s features include: an anatomically accurate airway for manual ventilation, endotracheal tube insertion, suctioning, ...
Source: JEMS Operations - January 18, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Fran Hildwine, BS, NREMT-P, CCEMT-P Tags: Product Reviews Equipment & Gear Columns Source Type: news
Must-read: review of single-dose activated charcoal
wikipedia.org
4 out of 5 stars
Activated charcoal for acute overdose: a reappraisal. Juurlink D. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2015 Sep 26 [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology seems to be publishing a series of articles on basic management of the poisoned patient. Several weeks ago we reviewed (and highly recommended) Marco Sivilotti’s excellent discussion of flumazenil, naloxone and the coma cocktail. This current article looking at single-dose activated charcoal (SDAC) is similarly well done, and essential reading.
The author points out that although most poisons bind to activated c...
Source: The Poison Review - November 17, 2015 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Best of TPR Medical gastric emptying management of poisoned patient Review single dose activated charcoal Source Type: news
Kaleb’s journey: Treating C-diff with fecal microbiota transplantation
Bath time and bubbles, snuggling with Mom and playing hockey with his big brother are just a few of Kaleb’s favorite things.
But for the bright-eyed three-year-old from Massachusetts, things weren’t always so carefree.
Kaleb’s health changes: Battling ear infections and diarrhea
As an infant, Kaleb was a healthy baby boy. He was eating well and growing by leaps and bounds.
At six months, his health began to change. Multiple ear infections followed by numerous antibiotic treatments became a painful part of Kaleb’s young life.
As his first birthday approached, a second, unrelated condition emerged. Bouts of diarrhea ...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - October 27, 2015 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Maureen McCarthy Tags: All posts Diseases & conditions Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) fecal transplant gastroenterology George Russell Mark Volk Poop pill Source Type: news
Catching up with Carrick: When the hospital becomes home
When Crista and Patrick Wood left their Adams, MA home for Southwestern Vermont Medical Center for their son’s birth on July 4, 2014, they expected to be gone for two days.
But Carrick was born with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Immediately, he was rushed to Albany Medical Center and then to Dana Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. His chances of survival hovered near 30 percent.
Making the hospital home
“We never went home. We spent all of Carrick’s first holidays—my birthday, our anniversary, our older son’s birthday, Thanksgiving—in the hospital,” says Crista. The Dec My Room p...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - September 21, 2015 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Lisa Fratt Tags: Diseases & conditions Our patients’ stories Cancer leukemia Source Type: news
Should Ondansetron Be Used for Acute Gastroenteritis?
Discussion
Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a common illness worldwide and is “…defined as a decrease in the consistency of stools (loose or liquid) and/or an increase in the frequency of evacuations with or without fever or vomiting….” It is one of the most common reasons for seeking medical care and hospitalizations. In Europe, rotavirus and noroviruses are two of the most frequent viral agents causing AGE and Campylobacter and Salmonella are the most common bacterial AGE causes. For parasitic infections Giardia, and Crytosporidium are most common parasitic infections in Europe.
Recommendations for...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - August 24, 2015 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Marissa’s story: “Esophageal atresia is never going to define me”
Marissa Waite lives in the smallest town in Massachusetts, but she has a big story to tell. When her mother Vicky was pregnant with Marissa 13 years ago, an ultrasound detected esophageal atresia (EA), a condition where the esophagus isn’t connected to the stomach.
Vicky was admitted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy. “I’m a take-charge kind of person. When I was pregnant, I thought, ‘I’ll make all the decisions for my baby.’ But when complications arose, I realized I couldn’t make these kinds of decisions alone,” she says.
At that point, Marissa’s care team was born.
Do...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - August 13, 2015 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Jenny Fernandez Tags: All posts Our patients’ stories esophageal atresia GERD Steven Fishman VSD Wayne Tworetzky Source Type: news
What is the Epidemiology of SMA Syndrome?
Discussion
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is caused by the compression of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) against the 3rd part of the duodenum creating a proximal intestinal obstruction. It is relatively rare and can be hard to distinguish from other causes of intestinal obstruction.
Normally the SMA arises from the anterior aorta around the L1 vertebra. It extends anteriorly and caudally into the mesentery of the small bowel. The angle between the SMA and aorta is called the aortomesenteric angle and is usually 38-65°. The distance between the SMA and aorta is usually 10-20 mm. Within the aortomesent...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - June 1, 2015 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
