Pharmacy

   The Iatrogenic Injury Page
         Read about iatrogenic injury and death following standard medical care.



   Incidence of Adverse Drug Reactions in Hospitalized Patients
         JAMA 1998 (Apr 15);   279 (15):   1200–1205
         This abstract mentions no numbers in it's text, but the body of the article states “that more than 2 million Americans become seriously ill every year from reactions to drugs that were correctly prescribed and taken, and that 106,000 Americans die annually from those side effects.” A related JAMA Editorial in the same issue also states that “ADRs may be the fourth to sixth leading cause of death, and that drug-related injuries occur in 6.7% of hospitalized patients.”


   Does the Pharmaceutical Model Still Hold Water?
         After several years as an executive in the pharmaceutical industry, Jean Nordström questioned that approach to human health, so he started his own natural ingredients company. Here he considers the role of both paradigms in improving human health.


   Turning the Tables on Drug Interactions
         As vitamin supplements and herbal remedies move to the mainstream, health care professionals are closely monitoring the interactions between natural products and drugs. However, understanding such biochemical interactions is no easy task. Vitamins and herbs clearly complicate the existing problems of drug interactions. Medical journals that are addressing vitamin, herb and drug interactions are using the watchword "caution" for those clinicians prescribing natural products in conjunction with pharmaceuticals.


   Healthwell's Nutrient–Drug Interaction Page
         You can review how herbs and nutrients may interfere with specific medications, as well as learning what nutrients are depleted by pharmaceudicals.



   36 Percent of Acute Liver Failures Are Linked to Acetaminophen
           U.S. News & World Report July 2, 2001
           Mixing the pain reliever acetaminophen with alcohol can be hard on the liver; but so can taking it while fasting. Yet, surprisingly, many doctors don't tell you that.



   Don’t Chase Aspirin With Ibuprofen: It Can Block the Heart-protecting Effects of Aspirin
The popular pain reliever ibuprofen blocks the heart-protecting effects of aspirin, according to a new study (NEJM 2001 (Dec 20):   345 (25):   1809-1817). The results, if confirmed, would have major implications for millions of people who take a small dose of aspirin every day for their hearts, but who also take ibuprofen, widely known in North America under the brand names Advil and Motrin, to cope with conditions such as arthritis.