Potential Safety Issues with Medications

The FDA released it's January - March 2008 report with a list of medications with potential signals of serious risks and new safety information identified during this period. I recognize several of the medications, though thankfully they aren't any I take. Though I am sure we all know somebody who takes at least one of these. Check out the list and make sure:


Arginine Hydrochloride Injection (R-Gene 10) -Pediatric overdose due to labeling / packaging confusion

Desflurane (Suprane) - Cardiac arrest

Duloxetine (Cymbalta) - Urinary retention

Etravirine (Intelence) - Hemarthrosis

Fluorouracil Cream (Carac) and Ketoconazole Cream (Kuric) - Adverse events due to name confusion

Heparin - Anaphylactic-type reactions

Icodextrin (Extraneal) - Hypoglycemia

Insulin U-500 (Humulin R) - Dosing confusion

Ivermectin (Stromectol) and Warfarin - Drug interaction

Lapatinib (Tykerb) - Hepatotoxicity

Lenalidomide (Revlimid) - Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Natalizumab (Tysabri) - Skin melanomas

Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat) - Overdose due to labeling confusion

Octreotide Acetate Depot (Sandostatin LAR) - Ileus

Oxycodone Hydrochloride Controlled-Release (Oxycontin) - Drug misuse, abuse and overdose

Perflutren Lipid Microsphere (Definity) - Cardiopulmonary reactions

Phenytoin Injection (Dilantin) - Purple Glove Syndrome

Quetiapine (Seroquel) - Overdose due to sample pack labeling confusion

Telbivudine (Tyzeka) - Peripheral neuropathy

Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blockers - Cancers in children and young adults

To see the FDA's report at fda.gov, click here.