News for January, 2010
People should be more proactive with their health
“In the emergency room, I end up diagnosing a lot of cancer,” says Dr. Mylissa Graber, medical director of the emergency department at West Palm Beach’s Good Samaritan Medical Center. “People don’t go to the doctor, don’t follow up on getting their tests done, and show up when (diseases) are pretty advanced,” she said to the Palm Beach Post.
Lawsuits citing kidney injury from OsmoPrep commence
Lawsuits began last month for four people who say the prescription bowel cleanser OsmoPrep caused them kidney damage that resulted in dialysis. OsmoPrep, made by Salix Pharmaceuticals, is a type of laxative called oral sodium phosphate, or OSP, used to cleanse the intestines prior to procedures such as colonoscopy. Salix Pharmaceuticals began marketing OsmoPrep in 2006. The drug generated more than $30 million in sales in 2008.
Study shows need for thorough polyp removal, continued surveillance
A new study by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Epidemiology confirms the need for continued colonoscopy surveillance in patients at risk for colorectal cancer, especially those with a history of precancerous polyps. It also highlights the importance for polyps, especially those that are precancerous, to be completely removed since cancer may develop at the site of polyp removal if residual tissue remains.
Drinking warm water prior to colonoscopy proves effective
A new study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology suggests that drinking warm water prior to having a colonoscopy may help the bowel to relax and improve one’s comfort level during the procedure as well as offer more complete results, according to a Reuters Health report.
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