Children at Risk for Medication Poisonings When Drugs Not Properly Stored

May3

In 2011, more than 67,000 children were seen in an emergency room due to medication poisoning, reports Safe Kids Worldwide. In most of these cases, 86%, the child was poisoned by adult medication. Children are finding medications in various places – from a purse or wallet, to dresser drawers, to pillboxes. Of fatal poisonings in young children, almost half involved over-the-counter and prescription medications, such as pain medications and cough medicines. AWARXE encourages parents and caregivers to securely store needed medications out of reach and out of sight of children, and to safely dispose of any unneeded or expired medications to prevent accidental ingestion by children. In addition, tips for teaching kids about medicine safety and a link to a video for younger children are available on the AWARXE Students page.

 

he AWARXE Consumer Protection Program is brought to you by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Foundation.

 

Not Following Prescription Instructions Can Lead to Further Health Issues, CDC Indicates

Apr19
Trying to save money on prescription costs, many people younger than 65 fail to take their medications as prescribed, reports a new CDC study. About 13% of people younger than 65 did not take their medications as prescribed, compared with about 6% of those 65 and older. People indicated they were trying to save money on their medications. About 6% of the people under 65 who did not take their medications according to the instructions tried alternative therapies. CDC stresses that not taking medications as prescribed can lead to the original illness returning and even emergency room visits. The report,“Strategies Used by Adults to Reduce Their Prescription Drug Costs,”(PDF) is available on the CDC Web site.
Article by: National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Foundation

 

ABC 13 News: Medical community reaches out to refugees in Houston

Apr15

Elissa Rivas
More: Bio, Facebook, Twitter, News Team

HOUSTON (KTRK) – A group of people from across the world received medical help on Saturday in southwest Houston. They came in need of basic health care, and what they were shown, they say, was so much more than they expected.

These families are receiving normal health screenings, but they are not normal patients.

“They’re from all over the world. We have people here from Burma, from Nepal, from Congo, from Eritrea, from Iraq, and many other countries,” health fair organizer David Savage said.

They are here in the Houston area as refugees, and health professionals and students — people like Savage — have helped arrange their care.

“The goal is to find people who might have health problems that have not been noticed before and to get them plugged into the health care system,” Savage said.

“I appreciate all this stuff because they are good and they help us with what to do. I like them, I appreciate what they are doing,” said Fissaha Nerie, a refugee from Eritrea.

Nerie is thankful he could bring his family for the kind of health care he would never have had access to in his home country.

“They have more materials and I’ve never seen like this before,” he said.

The screenings cover basic mental and physical health, and nutrition. They’re done by volunteers with a special desire to reach out to this unique population of new Houstonians.

“We have medical students here today, we have dental students here today, as well as pharmacy students, so it’s been a great collaboration to serve our community,” health fair organizer Erika Wood said.

Iraqi refugee Thaer Albanee couldn’t agree more.

“I think it’s great that they’re able to help us refugees coming from all over the world. They check our health and they make sure we’re all right, and they check me and my daughter and everybody else’s health,” Albanee said through a translator.

The services were provided through a partnership of medical students at UTHealth, University of Houston College of Pharmacy and Alliance for Multicultural Community Services.

Medical community reaches out to refugees in Houston

 

 

Azithromycin Can Cause Heart Problems in Some Patients, FDA Warns

Mar25

AWARxE News Prescription Drug Safety News

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning the public that azithromycin (Zithromax® or Zmax®) can cause abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart that may lead to a potentially fatal irregular heart rhythm. Patients at particular risk for developing this condition include those with known risk factors, such as existing QT interval prolongation, low blood levels of potassium or magnesium, a slower than normal heart rate, or use of certain drugs used to treat abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias.  FDA provides the following information for patients:

  • Do not stop taking azithromycin without talking to your health care provider.
  • Discuss any questions or concerns about azithromycin or other antibacterial drugs with your health care provider.
  • Seek immediate care if you experience an irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting while taking azithromycin.
  • Report any side effects you experience to your health care provider.

Additional details are provided in an FDA Drug Safety Communication

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