Combined treatment with the antibiotic ceftriaxone and the proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole can lead to an increased risk of drug-induced arrhythmia, a study has found.
Pharma
Vital Signs: Disparities in Antihypertensive Medication Nonadherence Among Medicare Part D Beneficiaries — United States, 2014 – MMWR
Conclusions and Implications for Public Health Practice:
More than one in four Medicare Part D beneficiaries using anti-hypertensives were non-adherent to their regimen, and certain racial/ethnic groups, states, and geographic areas were at increased risk for non-adherence.
Counterfeit Alprazolam (Xanax) Contains Fentanyl and/or Etizolam – The Poison Review
Claims For Medical Help With Opioid Abuse Jump Sharply – NPR
Insurance claims for medical services related to opioid dependence rose more than 3,000 percent between 2007 and 2014, a study finds, suggesting that opioid problems have gone mainstream.
Source: Claims For Medical Help With Opioid Abuse Jump Sharply : Shots – Health News : NPR
Pharma Marketing Blog: FDA’s Dependence on User Fees & “Institutional Corruption” Blamed for Dramatic Increase in Drug Adverse Events and Deaths
Diabetes treatments and risk of heart failure, cardiovascular disease, and all cause mortality: cohort study in primary care – The BMJ
Conclusions – There are clinically important differences in risk of cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and all cause mortality between different diabetes drugs alone and in combination. Overall, use of gliptins or glitazones was associated with decreased risks of heart failure, cardiovascular disease, and all cause mortality compared with non-use of these drugs. These results, which do not account for levels of adherence or dosage information and which are subject to confounding by indication, might have implications for prescribing of diabetes drugs.
iMedicalApps: Aspirin Guide – Medpage Today
Makes sense of USPSTF recommendations
Source: iMedicalApps: Aspirin Guide | Medpage Today
Loyal readers know I’ve been looking at this daily aspirin thing for quite some time. Read this, or this, and this. So when I learned about a new iPhone app I had to download it and enter my personal data.
The app says I should take low dose aspirin daily. I stopped taking aspirin a few years ago after a minor bleeding episode. I had bumped my shin, broke the skin and began bleeding. The bleeding took forever to stop so I stopped the aspirin. I’ve cut myself since and not had any difficulties coagulating.
Annual wellness visit is in a few months. I’ll show the app to my doctor and see what he recommends.
Great little app by the way.
Long-Acting Opioids Carry Higher Risk of Death – Medpage Today
Claims data show higher mortality risk than other drug types for pain
Source: Long-Acting Opioids Carry Higher Risk of Death | Medpage Today
Antibiotics Stop Growth of New Brain Cells – Physician’s Weekly
Cardiac Effects of Loperamide OD – The Poison Review
Source: Cardiac effects of loperamide overdose | The Poison Review
Just when you start to think you’ve heard it all you stumble upon this article. I’ve never thought about taking mass quantities of anti-diarrheal medication for the purpose of getting high.
A little-known manifestation of loperamide toxicity is cardiac dysrhythmias. This case report describes a 48-year-old woman who had ingested up to 40 tablets 2-mg loperamide daily for several weeks to “get a high.”
I’m practically speechless.
lifeunderwriter.net 
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