Quick Hits: Calls to poison centers about supplements up 50%, especially for kids. According to a study from the Journal of Medical Toxicology, the number of calls to poison control centers about dietary supplements has increased by almost 50% from 2005 to 2012. Most of the alarming calls involved children younger than 6 years old.
From 2000 to 2012, researchers found that there were 274,998 dietary supplement exposures reported to poison control centers across the US: 1 call every 24 minutes, on average. Symptoms most associated with supplement ingestion included rapid heart rate; vomiting; nausea; irritability; drowsiness and dizziness. The following supplements were named the most dangerous: ma huang (outlawed by the FDA in 2004), yohimbe (sold as a treatment for male sexual dysfunction), homeopathic agents and energy drinks. Posted July 24, 2017. Via CNN.
Quick Hits: The rule that patients must finish antibiotics course is wrong, study says.A group of experts argues that doctors should tell patients to stop taking antibiotics when they feel better rather than instructing them to finish the course because it may do more harm than good.
Researchers believe that this long-held rule is wrong and should be dismissed. In a study published in the British Medical Journal, researchers say “the idea that stopping antibiotic treatment early encourages antibiotic resistance is not supported by evidence, while taking antibiotics for longer than necessary increases the risk of resistance.” Posted July 26. Via The Guardian.
