Our weekly roundup of the latest developments in the world of health. This week we look at why taking three medications may be better than one or two for some people at risk for stroke, at whether vitamin supplements affect pregnant women's risk for preeclampsia, and at the pros and cons of surgery to replace a recalled heart device. We also look at a new warning about giving a particular antihistamine to children.
Stay well.
This Issue:
Drug Trio Limits Stroke Damage Vitamins and Preeclampsia Heart Device Replacement Risks Antihistamine Can Be Deadly In the News:
Drug Trio Limits Stroke Damage Three drugs may be better than one when it comes to brain-damage control for stroke patients. A study published in the journal Neurology finds that people taking three types of cardiac medication fared better after a stroke than those taking fewer or no medications. In the study, researchers looked at 179 stroke patients. The patients were taking one of four drug regimens -- a combination of aspirin, an ACE inhibitor, and a statin; aspirin and a statin; aspirin and an ACE inhibitor; or aspirin alone -- or no medication at all. Imaging tests showed the same amount of brain damage in all the patients upon admission to the hospital. But 65% of the patients taking the triple therapy showed improvement in brain function after admission, compared to 43 to 45% of those taking aspirin and another drug, 38% of those taking only aspirin, and 33% of those not taking any of the drugs. The New York Times News Service quotes experts who say that if the findings are confirmed in larger studies, it could mean doctors should prescribe statins and ACE inhibitors for patients at high risk for stroke, even if the patients don't have the underlying high blood pressure or high cholesterol the drugs are normally used to treat.
Vitamins and Preeclampsia
Taking extra vitamin C and E does not reduce a pregnant women's risk of developing preeclampsia. That's the finding of an Australian study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study looked at 1,877 healthy pregnant women. The women took either vitamins -- 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C and 400 international units of vitamin E -- or a placebo every day, starting in their second trimester. An earlier study had suggested that the vitamins could reduce the risk of preeclampsia, which causes dangerous spikes in blood pressure, The Associated Press reports. In the new study, the vitamins had no protective effect; about 6% of the women in both groups developed the condition. The AP quotes other experts who say the question remains open as to whether supplements could benefit women in poor countries whose diets are inadequate.
Heart Device Replacement Risks
Could the risks of replacing recalled heart devices outweigh the benefits? That's something people with pacemakers and implanted defibrillators will need to consider, according to a Canadian study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study looked at the outcomes for patients who had surgery to replace a device after a recall. The researchers looked at 2,915 patients who had recalled heart devices. Only 533 patients -- about 18% -- opted to have their pacemaker or defibrillator replaced. The researchers found that 6% of these patients suffered major complications or death over a 12-month period after the recall. Meanwhile, the estimated risk of a recalled defibrillator failing is 0.009% to 2.6%, The Associated Press reports. The AP quotes other experts who say doctors and patients may want to consider leaving devices in place if they appear to be working correctly, even if the device has been recalled.
Antihistamine Can Be Deadly
Young children under 2 years of age should not be given the antihistamine promethazine hydrochloride, because it carries a risk of serious side effects and death for that age group. The Food and Drug Administration issued the warning this week, citing seven deaths and 22 reports of severe breathing problems in children under 2 as a result of taking the medication. The FDA also warned parents and caregivers to exercise caution when giving the drug in any form to children older than 2, The Associated Press reports. Promethazine hydrochloride, also sold under the brand name Phenergan, was approved more than 50 years ago to treat symptoms of hay fever and other minor allergies, the AP says.
Used with the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. The above summaries are not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor are they intended to be a substitute for consultation with a physician.
