Iatrogenic Injury

Recent Report Highlights Growing Dangers of Anti-Inflammatory Medications

By Frank M. Painter|January 30, 2012|Iatrogenic Injury, NSAIDs|

Recent Report Highlights Growing Dangers of Anti-Inflammatory Medications

SOURCE: Dynamic Chiropractic ~ January 29, 2012

By James P. Meschino, DC, MS

In the Sept. 27, 2011 posting of the Biomedical Central Journal: Family Practice, R.J. Adams and colleagues commented on concerns raised by the common prescribing of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, particularly with respect to their important and sometimes fatal adverse side effects.

They state, “Non-steroidal anti-inflammation drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most common causes of reported serious adverse reactions to drugs, with those involving the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT), the cardiovascular system and the kidneys being the most common. Much of the focus on NSAID adverse effects has been on GIT consequences, with good reason. A U.S. study found the rate of deaths from NSAID-related GIT adverse effects is higher than that found from cervical cancer, asthma or malignant melanoma.” [1] They also point out that frequent use of NSAIDs increases risk for high blood pressure, chronic heart failure, as well as serious cardiovascular events (with certain NSAIDs).

Studies show that the risk of suffering these adverse side effects is increasing among the elderly and those with co-morbidities. The researchers cite recent evidence suggesting that the burden of illness resulting from NSAID-related chronic heart failure may exceed that resulting from GIT damage. [1]

Adams, et al., also cite evidence from a recent Danish population study, which suggests increased cardiovascular mortality among people without a prior history of heart disease, but who frequently use NSAIDs. This seems to be particularly true for diclofenac and ibuprofen. However, the baseline cardiovascular risk of people in this study was not reported. The researchers also note that NSAIDs promote the rapid deterioration of renal function. As such, national medical guidelines recommend avoidance of nephrotoxic drugs, including NSAIDs, in people with chronic kidney disease. [1]

Acetaminophen

It’s not only NSAID medications, such as drugs containing aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin, diclofenac, COX-2 inhibitors, that raise concerns regarding frequent and significant side effects, but also for acetaminophen-containing medications. The National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health) posted the following precautionary notes about acetaminophen on its Web site: (more…)

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Is Pediatric Chiropractic Care Safe?

By Frank M. Painter|October 5, 2011|Iatrogenic Injury, Pediatrics, Spinal Manipulation|

Is Pediatric Chiropractic Care Safe?

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Clinical Chiropractic 2011 (Sep); 14 (3): 97–105

Matthew F. Doyle

This new “best evidence” literature review explored reported adverse events and the overall safety of chiropractic pediatric care, as well as other forms of care for the same complaints routinely treated in a chiropractic office.

The results were quite interesting:

The chiropractic literature reports incidence between 0.53% and 1% for mild adverse events (AE) associated with chiropractic pediatric manipulative therapy (PMT). Put in terms of individual patients, this means that somewhere between one in 100-200 patients presenting for chiropractic care may experience a mild adverse event; in terms of total patient visits, this means that one mild AE may occur every 1310 to 1812 visits.This incidence rate compares favorably with: (more…)

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Medical Errors Kill 15,000 Medicare Patients a Month

By Frank M. Painter|January 28, 2011|Iatrogenic Injury, News|

Medical Errors Kill 15,000 Medicare Patients a Month

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: AOL Health

A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General reveals that 13 percent of Medicare patients in the U.S. experience an adverse event each month in American hospitals, and some 15,000 of them die as a result. [1]

The news is startling, particularly since the report points out that 44 percent of adverse incidents occurring in hospitals are avoidable. And all-together, these adverse events are costing Medicare more than $300 million a MONTH. (more…)

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Finally! FDA Limits Acetaminophen in Prescription Analgesics

By Frank M. Painter|January 20, 2011|Iatrogenic Injury|

Finally! FDA Limits Acetaminophen in Prescription Analgesics

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Medscape Medical News

By Robert Lowes

January 13, 2011 — The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it is asking drug makers to limit the amount of acetaminophen in prescription combination pain relievers to no more than 325 mg per tablet or capsule to reduce overdoses and the severe liver injury that can follow.

The decision, to be phased in over 3 years, affects dozens of prescription analgesics that contain both acetaminophen and another ingredient, typically opioids such as codeine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Some of these combination products now have as much as 750 mg of acetaminophen per dose. (more…)

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Startling New Study Reveals That Back Surgery Fails 74% of the Time

By Frank M. Painter|October 22, 2010|Iatrogenic Injury, Low Back Pain, News|

Startling New Study Reveals That Back Surgery Fails 74% of the Time

The Chiro.Org Blog

A Chiro.Org Editorial

SOURCE: Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2011 (Feb 15); 36 (4): 320–331

Nguyen TH, Randolph DC, Talmage J, Succop P, Travis R.

From the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,
Department of Environmental Health,
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine,
Milford, OH

Researchers reviewed records from 1,450 patients in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation database who had diagnoses of disc degeneration, disc herniation or radiculopathy, a nerve condition that causes tingling and weakness of the limbs. Half of the patients had surgery to fuse two or more vertebrae in hopes of curing low back pain. The other half had no surgery, even though they had comparable diagnoses.

After two years, only 26 percent of those who had surgery had actually returned to work. That’s compared to 67 percent of patients who didn’t have the surgery, even though they had the same exact diagnosis.

That translates to a resounding 74% failure rate! It also suggests that you have a 257% better chance of returning to work IF YOU AVOID SURGERY in the first place!

In another troubling finding, the researchers determined that there was a 41 percent increase in the use of painkillers, particularly opiates, in those who had the surgery. Last year we reported that deaths from addictive painkillers has doubled in the last 10 years. [6]

(more…)

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If Not Chiropractic Care, Then What’s Your Alternative?

By Frank M. Painter|September 25, 2010|Editorial, Iatrogenic Injury, NSAIDs|

If Not Chiropractic Care, Then What’s Your Alternative?

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: A Chiro.Org Editorial

Informed Consent involves discussing the risks and benefits of the treatment you propose (in my case, chiropractic) AND reviewing the risks and benefits of the alternatives, which are “conservative” medical care, which typically involves prescribing muscle relaxers, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and less frequently, prescribing physical therapy.

Many patients who present to a chiropractor for the first time have already gone the medical route, with minimal or negative results. Today I would like to review the risks associated with the most commonly recommended pain relieving analgesics (NASIDs).

(more…)

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