New drug 'effective' for those with intolerable statin side effects
Conclusion
The main results of this study relate to the lipid-lowering effects of two alternative non-statin medications. However, it highlights the muscle-related adverse effects that can occur with statins.
The study is carefully designed and has many strengths, including:
a washout period between drugs to remove any residual effects
double-blind design throughout so people didn't know what they were taking
sufficient duration for each phase of the study (10 and 24 weeks) to allow effects to develop
a good sample size – the researchers calculated beforehand how many people would need to be recruite...
Source: NHS News Feed - April 4, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Medication Older people Source Type: news
Some People Really Can't Take Statins For High Cholesterol, Scientists Prove
You can't write a story about the lifesaving benefits of the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins without getting comments like this one, from reader Bill Hayman, on my story yesterday:
I cannot take Crestor or Zetia or any form of statin drug! I can barely walk with any statin drug. My legs become painful and so weak, they feel like rubber. Several years ago, I used Lipitor and had four pancreatic attacks until I stopped the Lipitor.
Or this, from reader James Leedy:
People should be warned of side effects. Doctors should listen to patients . I have taken statins for several years. I had extreme muscle pains all t...
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - April 3, 2016 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Matthew Herper Source Type: news
Evaluation of Heat Stress, Heat Strain, and Rhabdomyolysis During Structural Fire Fighter Training
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 09/2015This 34-page report by the Health Hazard Evaluation Program evaluates the risk of heat-related illness and rhabdomyolysis, the breakdown of muscle tissue, to cadets and instructors during fire fighting training. It found that environmental conditions, core body temperatures, and heart rates often exceeded guidelines during strenuous activities. It recommends scheduling strenuous training during cooler parts of the day/year, and educating fire fighters on heat-related illnesses and rhabdomyolysis. (PDF) (Source: Disaster Lit: Resource Guide for Disaster Medicine and Public Health)
Source: Disaster Lit: Resource Guide for Disaster Medicine and Public Health - March 16, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: The U.S. National Library of Medicine Source Type: news
Challenging return to play decisions: heat stroke, exertional rhabdomyolysis, and exertional collapse associated with sickle cell trait - Asplund CA, O'Connor FG.
CONTEXT: Sports medicine providers frequently return athletes to play after sports-related injuries and conditions. Many of these conditions have guidelines or medical evidence to guide the decision-making process. Occasionally, however, sports medicine pr... (Source: SafetyLit)
Source: SafetyLit - March 3, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Economics of Injury and Safety, PTSD, Injury Outcomes Source Type: news
Fatal rhabdomyolysis after torture by reverse hanging - Pollanen MS.
PURPOSE: Reverse hanging (also known as "strappado" or Palestinian hanging [so labeled because this punishment was used by Europeans against locals during the Crusades]) is a form of positional torture where the victim is suspended for a prolonged period o... (Source: SafetyLit)
Source: SafetyLit - February 27, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Economics of Injury and Safety, PTSD, Injury Outcomes Source Type: news
Severe bupropion overdose and ECMO: two great saves
ChaNaWiT/shutterstock.com
3.5 out of 5 stars
Two Cases of Refractory Cardiogenic Shock Secondary to Bupropion Successfully Treated with Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrance Oxygenation. Heise CW et al. J Med Toxicol 2016 Feb 8 [Epub Ahead of Print]
Abstract
This awesome, exciting paper from Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix describes two teenagers with severe bupropion overdose who survived refractory cardiac arrest after veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO):
Case 1: A 15-year-old girl was brought to hospital after ingesting up to 90 150-mg bupropion tablets. She had a seizure en route...
Source: The Poison Review - February 12, 2016 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical burpropion ECMO extracorporeal membrane oxygenation Source Type: news
Dystonia not dystopia: effects of the legal high, 'Clockwork Orange' - Mackey HE, Hawksley O.
A 27-year-old man presented to hospital after smoking a legal high named 'Clockwork Orange'. He suffered dystonia, acute kidney injury, rhabdomyolysis, lactic acidosis and a troponin rise. He was treated with procyclidine and intravenous fluids.
L... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - December 19, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Alcohol and Other Drugs Source Type: news
TASER(®) electronic control device-induced rhabdomyolysis and renal failure: a case report - Gleason JB, Ahmad I.
Many law enforcement agencies around the United States are employing the use of TASER(®) electronic control devices (TASER(®) International Inc.) to subdue combative suspects. Since its inception the TASER(®) has had a temporal association with reports ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - November 15, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Economics of Injury and Safety, PTSD, Injury Outcomes Source Type: news
Patient’s Urine Color Means More Than Dehydration
Colt is a freshman at the local university. He appears to be in fairly good health and looks physically fit.
The dorm resident assistant called EMS because Colt hasn’t been feeling well for several days. Today he stayed in bed and missed all of his classes, which is unusual behavior for him.
Colt is lying in bed and responds to your questions appropriately. He appears to be oriented but lethargic. When asked how he feels, Colt responds by saying his whole body hurts and, even though he’s been working out fairly aggressively, he feels he just keeps getting weaker. His pulse is strong at 60 bpm, blood pressure is 110/68 ...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - November 2, 2015 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Dennis Edgerly, EMT P Tags: Genitourinary Gynecology Renal Columns Patient Care Source Type: news
Rhabdomyolysis from statins: What's the risk?
(Source: MayoClinic.com - Ask a Specialist)
Source: MayoClinic.com - Ask a Specialist - October 30, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Case report: seizures after exposure to 25B-NBOMe (N-Bomb)
Blue Batman pills (25C-NBOMe)
3 out of 5 stars
Beware of blotting paper hallucinogens: severe toxicity with NBOMes. Isbister GK et al. Med J Aust 2015 Sep 21;203:266-267
Reference
The NBOMe series of drugs are substituted phenethylamines. They act as agonists at both the 5-HT2A receptors and the α-receptors. Because of these actions they can cause both hallucinations (5-HT2A effects) and the sympathomimetic toxidrome (α effects.) Since these drugs are so potent, they are often sold in the form of impregnated blotter paper and misrepresented as LSD. Street names include N-Bomb, Wizard, Smiles, and Blue Batman.
This brief...
Source: The Poison Review - September 24, 2015 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical 25B-NBOMe hallucinogenic stimulant n-bomb Source Type: news
Apple Watch Saves Life Of Tabor Academy Football Player
MARION (CBS) – Apple’s new watch is being called a life-saver at Tabor Academy in Marion.
Paul Houle, 17, a senior nose tackle on Tabor’s football team, said he had just finished practice last week when he began to feel pain in his back and chest.
“My Apple watch, which I bought three days earlier, I tested my heart rate on it. It was about 145 for about 2 hours after the practice had ended,” he told WBZ-TV.
Paul Houle’s Apple watch. (WBZ-TV)
He immediately contacted his trainer who checked his heart rate manually and then immediately rushed him to the hospital.
He was later diagnosed with rhabdomyo...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - September 21, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: miketoole Tags: Business Health Local News Syndicated Local Tech Apple Watch Marion Paul Burton Tabor Academy Source Type: news
Case report: use of ECMO in colchicine poisoning
Colchicum autumnale (Autumn crocus)
3.5 out of 5 stars
Extracorporeal life support in the treatment of colchicine poisoning. Boisramé-Helms J et al. Clin Toxicol 2015;53:827-829.
Abstract
Colchicine toxicity occurs roughly in 3 phases. During the initial 24 hours, severe gastrointestinal symptoms — nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea — can cause hypotension and shock if fluid losses are not adequately replaced. During the second phase, severe toxicity can manifest with pancytopenia, sepsis, rhabdomyolysis, and renal failure. In addition, within days after ingestion, patients can develop cardiogenic shock and sudden cardia...
Source: The Poison Review - September 11, 2015 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical autumn crocus colchicine poisoning colchicum autumnale ECLS ECMO extracorporeal life support extracorporeal membrane oxygenation Source Type: news
6 Healthy Habits That You Might Be Overdoing
SPECIAL FROM Next Avenue By Linda Melone Taking any action to an extreme — even a healthy one — can have negative consequences. Striving to lose weight becomes unhealthy if it turns into an eating disorder, for example. Exercising until you develop an injury or a serious health issue such as rhabdomyolysis (when muscle tissue breaks down and releases into the blood) can be life-threatening. Other, less extreme, examples can also work against your goal of creating healthier habits and a healthy body. Here are six ways that common, good practices can sometimes work against you: 1. You load up on healthy ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - September 6, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
A case of paraspinal muscle rhabdomyolysis in a 22-year-old male after ingesting a supplement containing higenamine - Jeter J, Dezee KJ, Kennedy L.
Rhabdomyolysis is a painful and potentially life-threatening injury in which muscle breaks down in response to an insult. In this case report, we describe the clinical course of a 22-year-old man who developed paraspinal muscle rhabdomyolysis and possible ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - July 22, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Alcohol and Other Drugs Source Type: news
