Richard Lehman’s Journal Review – December 2011

BMJ Group blogs: BMJ » Blog Archive » Richard Lehman’s journal review – 28 December 2011.

BMJ Group blogs: BMJ » Blog Archive » Richard Lehman’s journal review – 19 December 2011.

BMJ Group blogs: BMJ » Blog Archive » Richard Lehman’s journal review – 12 December 2011.

BMJ Group blogs: BMJ » Blog Archive » Richard Lehman’s journal review – 5 December 2011.

Richard Lehman’s Journal Review – November 2011

BMJ Group blogs: BMJ » Blog Archive » Richard Lehman’s journal review – 7 November 2011.

BMJ Group blogs: BMJ » Blog Archive » Richard Lehman’s journal review – 14 November 2011.

BMJ Group blogs: BMJ » Blog Archive » Richard Lehman’s journal review – 21 November 2011.

BMJ Group blogs: BMJ » Blog Archive » Richard Lehman’s journal review – 28 November 2011.

Antidepressant Use Soaring – MayoClinic.com

One in 10 people over age 12 in the United States is taking an antidepressant, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is conducted by the Center for Disease Control.  Women between the ages of 40 and 59 are the most likely group to take antidepressants. In this age range, 23 percent of U.S. women are taking one.

via Antidepressant use soaring among Americans 12 and over – MayoClinic.com.

Declining GFR Linked to Mortality Risk After MI

Patients with chronic kidney disease had a significantly increased risk of death after myocardial infarction, and the risk increased as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) declined, a review of 103,000 myocardial infarction patients showed.

The excess mortality risk ranged from 17% to as much as 500% as the severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD) increased. CKD predicted heightened mortality regardless of the presence or absence of ST-segment elevation.

via Medical News: ASN: Declining GFR Linked to Mortality Risk After MI – in Meeting Coverage, ASN from MedPage Today.

Watch that GFR.

Acetaminophen OD More Deadly if Taken in Stages

Those who ingested more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in a single day spread out over more than one time point had a significantly higher mortality rate compared with those who overdosed at a single time point (37.3% versus 27.8%, P=0.025), according to Kenneth Simpson, MD, of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and colleagues.

The cohort analysis included 663 patients admitted with acetaminophen-induced severe liver injury from November 1992 through October 2008. About one-quarter (24.3%) overdosed in a staggered fashion, defined as taking at least two excessive doses separated by more than eight hours and adding up to more than 4,000 milligrams in one day. The rest of the patients ingested that much at a single time point.

Most of the patients who had a staggered overdose (58.2%) said that pain relief was the reason they repeatedly took an excessive dose. Another 34.3% said it was a suicide attempt.

via Medical News: Acetaminophen OD More Deadly if Taken in Stages – in Pain Management, Pain Management from MedPage Today.

Learn more at Acetaminophen Toxicity.

Personally I rarely take the stuff.  It’s pure poison for the liver.