Medical Issues (Injury & Error)

Medical errors in the USA: human or systemic?

The Lancet, Volume 377, Issue 9774, Page 1289, 16 April 2011 The Lancet: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)60520-5/fulltext?rss=yes The US Institute of Medicine’s landmark 1999 report, To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, estimated that avoidable medical errors contributed annually to 44 000—98 000 deaths in US hospitals. Hospital-based errors were reported as the eighth leading cause of […]

Metformin-induced Vitamin B12 Deficiency Presenting as a Peripheral Neuropathy

David S.H. Bell, MD Disclosures South Med J. 2010;103(3):265-267. ABSTRACT AND INTRODUCTION Abstract Chronic metformin use results in vitamin B12 deficiency in 30% of patients. Exhaustion of vitamin B12 stores usually occurs after twelve to fifteen years of absolute vitamin B12 deficiency. Metformin has been available in the United States for approximately fifteen years. Vitamin B12 […]

GPs Not Following Guidelines for Acute Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain and Best Practice Care A Survey of General Practice Physicians  Christopher M. Williams, MAppSc Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(3):271-277. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.507. ABSTRACT Background Acute low back pain (LBP) is primarily managed in general practice. We aimed to describe the usual care provided by general practitioners (GPs) and to compare this with recommendations of best […]

Children Who Get Flu Vaccine Have Three Times Risk Of Hospitalization For Flu, Study Suggests

Date: May 20, 2009 Source: American Thoracic Society Summary: The inactivated flu vaccine does not appear to be effective in preventing influenza-related hospitalizations in children, especially the ones with asthma. In fact, children who get the flu vaccine are more at risk for hospitalization than their peers who do not get the vaccine, according to […]

COX-2 inhibitors: a story of greed, deception and death

Inflammopharmacology. 2005;13(4):419-25. doi: 10.1163/156856005774415574. Georges M Halpern PMID: 16354394 DOI: 10.1163/156856005774415574 Abstract In 1999, drug manufacturers introduced a class of NSAIDs called COX-2 inhibitors or coxibs. The drugs were avidly promoted directly to the consumers and became bestsellers from the start. Arthritis sufferers were eager to take medications that eased joint pain with less risk […]

Orthopedic surgeon injures a patient with SMT treating for tinnitus

Kraft CN Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb. 2001 Jan-Feb;139(1):8-11. Abstract PURPOSE: Chirotherapy is a popular and successful management option for reversible functional disorders of the cervical spine. Though rarely observed, complications do occur, mainly involving the cerebrovascular system. By means of the here described case and a literature survey, we aim to highlight non-cerebrovascular complications of […]