Synthetic marijuana turns deadly: Weekly Web Review in Toxicology
Three Deaths in Denver Linked to Synthetic Marijuana: CNN (above) reported that 3 deaths in Denver may have been related to smoking synthetic marijuana products. As many as 75 other users — some in critical condition — may have been seen at local hospitals. Symptoms seem to include respiratory difficulty and seizures. Cases were not seen outside of the Denver area. The CDC is assisting the investigation of these incidents, but the specific chemical or chemicals involved have not yet been identified.
Are Acetaminophen Levels Necessary in All Overdose Patients: Bryan Hayes poses this question at Academic Life ...
Source: The Poison Review - September 10, 2013 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical acetaminophen testing arsenic blotter brown recluse spider deborah blum K2 loxosceles reclusa LSD marijuana molly nerve agents rice sarin spice synthetic cannabinoid systemic loxoscelism ToxTalk Source Type: news
Serelaxin Benefits Multiple SubgroupsSerelaxin Benefits Multiple Subgroups
Overall, there was no difference in the effects of serelaxin vs placebo on dyspnea relief or the incidence of cardiovascular/rehospitalizations for heart failure or renal failure at 60 days, report investigators. While the results were homogenous across multiple subgroups, there were some interactions that hinted at potentially larger reductions in mortality in some patients. Heartwire (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - September 10, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cardiology News Source Type: news
RELAX-AHF: Benefit of serelaxin extends across multiple subgroups
Overall, there was no difference in the effects of serelaxin vs placebo on dyspnea relief or the incidence of cardiovascular/rehospitalizations for heart failure or renal failure at 60 days, report investigators. While the results were homogenous across multiple subgroups, there were some interactions that hinted at potentially larger reductions in mortality in some patients. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - September 9, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Neck surgery suggested as cure for blood pressure
Conclusion
Previous research already found that interrupting nerve signals to the carotid body lowers blood pressure in rats with high blood pressure. These findings have led to a clinical trial in a specific group of people who have hypertension caused by signalling problems within the sympathetic nervous system, and who have not responded to other treatment.
The results of this clinical trial, which is already underway, will tell us if this approach is effective in people whose hypertension is caused by nerve signalling problems.
In many people with hypertension that does not respond well to treatment, the biological mec...
Source: NHS News Feed - September 4, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Medical practice Source Type: news
Great CPC: Metformin toxicity
3.5 out of 5 stars
Case 23-2013: a 54-Year-old Woman with Abdominal Pain, Vomiting, and Confusion. Kalantar-Zadeh K et al. N Engl J Med 2013 Jul 25;369:374-382.
Full Text
This is a very instructive case discussion from the Massachusetts General Hospital. A plane was diverted to Boston because one passenger, a 54-year-old woman, developed increasing abdominal pain and vomiting, along with decreasing mental status. After the plane landed, EMS found that here vital signs were fairly unremarkable (HR = 52 bpm). She was not hypoglycemic.
Her medical history included type-2 diabetes, hypertension, and chronic renal disease. Med...
Source: The Poison Review - July 26, 2013 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical acute pancreatitis anion gap metabolic acidosis case discussion case records of the massachusetts general hospital metformin toxicity Source Type: news
Obese Kidney Patients Benefit from Transplants (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) -- Obese renal failure patients who have a body mass index under 40 derive the same overall survival benefit from kidney transplantation as non-obese patients, researchers found. (Source: MedPage Today Cardiovascular)
Source: MedPage Today Cardiovascular - July 25, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Case series: 7 patients with confirmed exposure to hallucinogenic stimulant 25I-NBOMe (“N-Bomb”)
25I-NBOMe
3.5 out of 5 stars
Severe clinical toxicity associated with analytically confirmed recreational use of 25I-NBOMe: case series. Hill SL et al. Clin Toxicol 2013 Jul;51:487-492.
Abstract
25I-NBOMe is a potent stimulant and serotonin agonist that has been associated with a number of fatalities. It appears under such street names as “N-Bomb”, “smiles”, “Solaris”, and 25-I.
Since I am aware of only one previous case of 25I toxicity described in the medical literature, I found this series of 7 laboratory-confirmed cases especially welcome. Major clinical features in these cases inc...
Source: The Poison Review - July 20, 2013 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical 25I designer drug hallucinogenic n-bomb NBOMe smiles solaris stimulant sympathomimetic Source Type: news
Sars-like illness kills man in London
Qatari man who was transferred to UK by air ambulance last September had Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirusA man infected with a Sars-like respiratory illness has died in London, officials say.The Qatari man, who was being treated in an intensive care unit at St Thomas's hospital in central London, had contracted the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus – or Mers-CoV.Hospital officials said the man, who was 49 when he was admitted, died after his condition deteriorated.The patient, who was suffering from acute respiratory syndrome and renal failure, was admitted to an intensive care unit in Doha, Qatar,...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - July 4, 2013 Category: Science Authors: Haroon Siddique Tags: World news Infectious diseases guardian.co.uk Medical research Microbiology UK news Sars Science Source Type: news
What Causes Lymphocytosis?
Discussion
Lymphocytes are an important part of the cellular and humoral immunity. Absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) is usually used to determine ranges of normal for lymphocytes. The ALC is higher in neonates and young children (up to 8000 cells/microL) but in those > 12 years of age is normally > 4000 cells/microL. Lymphopenia is usually defined as < 1000-1500 cells/microL. Infants again usually have higher counts or < 2500 cells/microL. Remember normal leukocyte count is 4.5-11.0 x 1000/mm2 with about 22-44% overall being lymphocytes.
Reactive lymphocytosis is when a patient without an underlying hematological problem ha...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - June 24, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Donna M. D'Alessandro, M.D. Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Restless Legs Syndrome -- A Pharma Creation Or A Real Health Problem?
Shortly after hearing this interview, I saw a scientific paper in Neurology entitled: ?Prospective study of restless legs syndrome and mortality among men?. This was a prospective study of 18,425 US men free of diabetes, arthritis, and renal failure in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. These men were followed for 8 years. The study found that men with RLS had a 39% increased risk of mortality, and this risk was still elevated after adjustment for a variety of other risk factors, such as body mass index, life style factors, and chronic conditions. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - June 22, 2013 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: John LaMattina Source Type: news
Element of the week: uranium | video | @GrrlScientist
What does Cayrel's Star, Fiesta Ware and Little Boy share in common?This week's element is uranium, which has the symbol U and atomic number 92. Uranium was named after the planet Uranus, which had been discovered eight years prior to the discovery of uranium. Uranus was named in honour of the Greek god of the sky. Uranium is more abundant and widespread than most people realise -- it occurs in low levels in all rock, soil, and water, and is, for example, more abundant than silver. It is the largest element found on Earth in significant quantities. In the wild, nearly all uranium is the uranium-238 (99.27%) isotope, althou...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - June 21, 2013 Category: Science Authors: GrrlScientist Tags: Blogposts guardian.co.uk Science Source Type: news
Vecuronium Bromide For Injection by Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Recall - Elevated Impurity Result Detected
The elevated impurity result has the potential to result in prolonged neuromuscular blockade for critically ill
patients with renal failure. (Source: FDA MedWatch)
Source: FDA MedWatch - June 10, 2013 Category: American Health Source Type: news
Great-grandmother, 100, died of dehydration in hospital 'because her water jug broke' and staff took 10 days to put her on a drip
University Hospitals of Leicestershire NHS Trust has now admitted that Lydia Spilner died due to renal failure caused by dehydration and paid her family an out-of-court settlement. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - June 5, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
New Phosphate Binder for Renal Failure Lowers Pill BurdenNew Phosphate Binder for Renal Failure Lowers Pill Burden
The investigational drug controls hyperphosphatemia in patients with renal failure and requires fewer daily doses than sevelamer carbonate, but it has more gastrointestinal adverse effects. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - June 4, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Nephrology News Source Type: news
Bayer's New MRA Passes First TestBayer's New MRA Passes First Test
Patients treated with the drug, known only as BAY94-8862 at the moment, had a significantly lower risk of hyperkalemia than patients treated with spironolactone, as well as a lower risk of worsening renal failure. The drug also reduced BNP levels as much as spironolactone. Heartwire (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - May 31, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cardiology News Source Type: news
