Ibuprofen increases risk of heart attack by 24%, warn doctors - The IndependentThe news is not good for Aleve - one patient had a heart attack for every 1,005 taking the drug. The risk with Vioxx was one heart attack for every 695 patients treated. Diclofenac (Voltaren, Arthrotec) increased the risk for MI by 55 %. Are NSAIDs the "killer painkillers"? (via Emeritus.blogspot).
Source:
Risk of myocardial infarction in patients taking COX-2 inhibitors or conventional NSAIDs - BMJ 6/05
Computers May Help Doctors Improve Their Bedside Manner - Information Week.com
A Kaiser Permanente study shows that patients are happier when the doctor has a computer in the examining room and uses it to discuss their lab results and to download information for their condition.
Wet Foot-Dry Foot
This is the latest in the series of stories in which Cubans convert 1940s cars to boats in order to sail to U.S. soil. Check out the picture of the 1948 Mercury taxi-boat on CNN.com. Under the U.S. "wet foot-dry foot" policy, Cubans intercepted at sea are returned to Cuba, and those who make it to dry land can be allowed to stay. The guy who made it today tried 2 times before with a Buick 1947-powered boat.
Source: Four 'taxi-boat' Cubans get to stay in U.S. - CNN
Propulsid Story - Lucrative Drug, Danger Signals and the F.D.A. - NY Times
Drug reps know more than you think - via Slate, Kevin MD
Armed with the weekly prescriber reports, drug reps know what each of the 600,000 doctors in the U.S. prescribes every week. Even more, drug companies have access to the AMA "physician master file" which contains personal and professional information about every doctor in the country. Having this personal information, the drug reps can make plans how to influence the prescribing habits of a particular doctor. The AMA earns $20 million per year by selling its physicians' database.
Sleep Helps the Brain Learn. Learning a New Skill? Sleep on It, Say Scientists - WebMD
Correction, please: I did NOT say NSAIDs were killer painkillers. The title was posted as a question --- "Killer Painkillers?" and, if you only read the post in full, I expressed my opinion that patients should consult their doctors first before deciding whether NSAIDs can be taken for pain especially for those patients with existing heart conditions.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
- Dr Emer
Please accept apologies for the quote out of context. The original post was corrected. Thank you.
ReplyDelete