MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'drug side effects'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:31:18 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411525&cid=t_149075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdrug-safety-in-preventing-acute-mountain-sickness%2F2011.01.28 This is a guest post by Dr. Jeremy Windsor. ********** Steroids and Acute Mountain Sickness In recent years, many attempts have been made to identify safe and effective medications to prevent acute mountain sickness (AMS). Acetazolamide (Diamox), currently the “drug of choice” for this purpose, is not perfect and occasionally causes objectionable side effects. Dexamethasone (Decadron), a powerful steroid medication, has become increasingly popular for prevention and treatment in certain circles. While there is ample evidence to suggest that dexamethasone is effective, a recent case report highlights that this drug is not without risk. In the latest issue of the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine [WEM 21(4):345-348, 2010] in an article entitled ”Complicat... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411525 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4411525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168091&cid=t_149075_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fwhos-taking-ampyra%2F In January 2010, the FDA approved Ampyra, a timed-release version of the drug 4-aminopyridine for people with multiple sclerosis who have walking difficulties. The clinical trial data showed as much as a 25 percent increase in walking speed and leg strength in patients who responded positively to Ampyra (around 40 percent of people who took it in trials). If there’s one thing we’ve all learned from life with MS it’s that studies say one thing; patients using a newly approved drug say VOLUMES! I have read a peppering of comments throughout the year from people who are taking Ampyra and see improvement in their walking abilities. I cannot bring to mind any posts from people who are not finding the drug helpful. While our “comments” section is hardly any form of scientific data coll... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168091 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:56:28 +0100 4168091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003254&cid=t_149075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Freal-time-drug-safety-reports%2F2010.09.27 Researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed an iPhone application that keeps you up-to-date with drug safety reports and allows you to submit any side effects directly to the FDA. The app, called MedWatcher can keep a list of medications for which you receive both official FDA alerts and news from other channels. Users can report side effects straight from the app and view other submitted reports. The researchers hope to lower the barrier to reporting side effects, increasing the participation in safety surveillance. Reports of serious adverse events are reviewed by members of the Children’s Computational Epidemiology Group and then submitted to the FDA. The app was developed using technology from the Outbreaks... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003254 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:00:14 +0100 4003254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676662&cid=t_149075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedication-safety-and-ambulance-chasing-lawyers%2F2010.06.18 I don’t know about the rest of you medical bloggers, but I’ve been getting emails from folks who run a website called DrugWatch.com asking for reciprocal links and promoting themselves as the go-to place for patients to get up-to-date information on medication safety. Tucked into the website is this promise: “We will never accept advertising from the pharmaceutical industry.” Right. Because the whole site is a front for a bunch of Orlando lawyers trying to sniff out potential clients for medication-related lawsuits against the pharmaceutical industry. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at The Blog that Ate Manhattan* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676662 Sat, 19 Jun 2010 01:14:18 +0100 3676662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3193804&cid=t_149075_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FkN49ebUApno%2F News that there is progress in developing oral drugs for multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease that strips the ability of the nerves to send impulses from the brain, is raising hope so millions of patients with the disease. The biggest plus of medications like Cladribine (Merck) and Fingolimod (Novartis) is that they are taken by mouth. Right now, the only medications that could slow down the progress of MS are taken by injection. Cladribine would only be taken for a few days each year, while fingolimod is taken every day. However, researchers are cautioning people about the serious side effects that may come with the drugs. It turns out that both medications lower the immune system’s defenses, making patients much more vulnerable to infection. According to news reports, two peo... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3193804 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:11:20 +0100 3193804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688651&cid=t_149075_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fswine-flu-news-update-11-tamiflu-side.html Before you take that pill...As expected, Tamiflu is beginning to cause problems. Dr Crippen has just been asked by an eminent man from the main stream media for his opinion. This is what I said:I have not yet prescribed Tamiflu and I doubt I shall.The John Radcliffe work is in line with our more anecdotal experiences though I have yet to see a child who is dehydrated.I know of no hard evidence prior to this JR study showing that Tamiflu has dangerous side effects but, anecdotally, there is no doubt that it does have significant side effects and that these are particularly common in children. I am getting calls from people, both adults and children, who have obtained Tamiflu from the various “swine lines” that the government has set up, and who are getting mild to moderate symptoms whic... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688651 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:52:00 +0100 2688651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2641287&cid=t_149075_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fswine-flu-news-7-medical-blogoshpere-is.html The defendants, the proprietors of a medical preparation called "The Carbolic Smoke Ball," issued an advertisement in which they offered to pay 100 to any person who contracted the influenza after having used one of their smoke balls in a specified manner and for a specified period. The plaintiff on the faith of the advertisement bought one of the balls, and used it in the manner and for the period specified, but nevertheless contracted the influenzaFull storyBeyond the hysteria, there are now some excellent resources surrounding the pros and cons of Tamiflu in the medical blogosphere.Anthony Cox is an academic pharmacist who writes an as always balanced review article on a drug that he concludes is probably safe, but which has potentially serious and unpleasant side effects. It is most ce... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2641287 Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:05:00 +0100 2641287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2639567&cid=t_149075_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fswine-flu-news-7-medical-blogoshpere-is.html The defendants, the proprietors of a medical preparation called "The Carbolic Smoke Ball," issued an advertisement in which they offered to pay 100 to any person who contracted the influenza after having used one of their smoke balls in a specified manner and for a specified period. The plaintiff on the faith of the advertisement bought one of the balls, and used it in the manner and for the period specified, but nevertheless contracted the influenzaFull storyBeyond the hysteria, there are now some excellent resources surrounding the pros and cons of Tamiflu in the medical blogosphere.Anthony Cox is an academic pharmacist who writes an as always balanced review article on a drug that he concludes is probably safe, but which has potentially serious and unpleasant side effects. It is most ce... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2639567 Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:05:00 +0100 2639567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2601990&cid=t_149075_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fdoes-tamiflu-have-side-effects.html A six year old girl has tragically died of swine flu. It seems that she was not suffering from any other illness and was not immunocompromised. From the information currently available from the media, she developed mild viral symtoms, thought to be tonsillitis, and sadly died a day or so later. She had not been given Tamiflu.This is the dilemma facing all GPs, casualty officers, staff at NHS Direct and indeed anyone working on the front line in medicine. How do you distinguish between a mild viral illness and swine flu? The answer is simple. You cannot. A routine blood test will not help you. Swabs can be sent off for viral cultures but it will be several days before you get the answer. So, who gets the Tamiflu? The only logical course of action is to give it to everyone with any viral sym... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2601990 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:21:00 +0100 2601990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027455&cid=t_149075_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F481034916%2Frate-your-drugs.html Web site gives patients a chance to sound off.A reader kindly pointed me to www.rateadrug.com, which claims as its mission the creation of “healthcare’s most comprehensive user-sourced database of short and long- term prescription drug side-effects, efficacy and overall benefits information.”RateADrug, with a small but growing database, says that the site “picks up where clinical trials and FDA disclosures leave off. By taking a free five-minute survey, the users of over 5,000 prescription drugs can complete an unprecedented evaluation of their own experiences and reactions and then compare them with other users worldwide.”“If Vioxx has taught us anything,” according to the site’s home page, "it’s that sometimes it takes a while for adverse effects to be identified.”Rat... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027455 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:23:00 +0100 2027455 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1239221&cid=t_149075_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fdoes-your-medication-cause-side-effects.html Poisoned ChaliceAt the back of the BNF there are some tear out yellow slips. If a patient reports a side effect of a drug, doctors are asked to send a yellow slip to the pharmaceutical commissariat who will take appropriate action. The scheme was set up after the thalidomide tragedy, a tragedy that could possibly have been avoided in the UK, as it was in the USA. The resulting “yellow card” system, worthy though it is, would not have helped, because once thalidomide teratogenicty had been spotted, it was too late. And by all accounts, apart from the teratogenicity (as in, “apart from that, Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?"), it was an excellent drug.Now some good news and some bad news.The good news is that GPs have an excellent “feel” for genuine side effects of routinely prescrib... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1239221 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:26:00 +0100 1239221