home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- THE WEEK, Page 20HEALTH & SCIENCEEt Cetera
-
-
- DRUG DANGER
-
- The antihistamine Seldane is a godsend to allergy sufferers
- because it doesn't cause drowsiness. But the FDA reports that in
- 64 cases out of 200 million users worldwide, it has led to
- irregular heartbeats, heart attacks and even death. The danger
- is to people with liver disease, people who take overdoses or
- those who take it with the antibiotic erythromycin or the
- antifungal drug Nizoral. Seldane will now get a stronger warning
- label.
-
- PHYSICIAN, WASH THYSELF
-
-
- The danger of infection makes it obvious that doctors and
- nurses should wash their hands often. Obvious, maybe, but not
- routine. In a study at the University of Iowa Hospital, doctors
- found that their colleagues lathered up less than half the time.
- And this was when they knew they were being watched. The rate
- is undoubtedly even lower most of the time.
-
-
-
-
-
-