Importance of Antiplatelet Therapy With Drug-Eluting Stents

Importance of Antiplatelet Therapy with Drug-Eluting Stents – Sept. 2005 – FDA has received a number of reports of adverse events that occurred in patients who received drug-eluting coronary stents and then stopped taking their antiplatelet medication prematurely. These events included stent thrombosis, MI and death, and they occurred in patients who received both of the currently marketed drug-eluting stents: the Cypher stent system made by Cordis Corp., and the Taxus stent system, made by Boston Scientific Corp. Sometimes these events occurred when patients stopped antiplatelet therapy early because of non-compliance. In other cases, practitioners asked the patient to stop the medication because they were going to have elective surgical or dental procedures, or because the patient experienced minor bleeding. As a result, both Cordis and Boston Scientific have now changed the labeling for their drug-eluting stents to emphasize the importance of patient compliance with the antiplatelet recommendations and the risks of prematurely discontinuing antiplatelet therapy. The labeling also points out that physicians should carefully consider whether a drug eluting stent is the treatment of choice if the patient is anticipating a surgical or dental procedure that might require stopping antiplatelet therapy. If a surgical or dental procedure is recommended after the stent is implanted, the risks and benefits of the procedure should be weighed against the possible risk associated with prematurely discontinuing antiplatelet therapy. And …

FDA panel opposes pure hydrocodone painkiller

Filed under: drug addiction treatment for women boston

Panel Chairman Randall Flick of the Mayo Clinic abstained from voting, but suggested Zogenix might reformulate the drug to make it more difficult to abuse. Drug abusers often crush or dissolve pills in liquid to unlock their extended release mechanism …
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Smoking May Worsen Hangovers

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The National Institutes of Health provides several hangover treatments, including drinking water in between to prevent dehydration. Women should have no more than one drink per day and two for men. You can also “avoid alcohol completely to prevent …
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Legal pot complicates drug-free work policies

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Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, a Denver-based chain with locations in the two states, has no plans to revisit its drug policy. Spokesman Kevin Caulfield said the policy already covers legal drugs, such as prescription medication. Marijuana would be treated …
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