Micro Musings..

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FDA warnings

Ruptured Tendons
and the use of Cipro

The FDA has issued warnings on the use of Cipro and similar antibiotics due to the increased risk of tendonitis and tendon rupture.

These warnings apply to fluoroquinolones (FQ), which include brand names such as; Cipro, Proquin, Levaquin, Floxin, Noroxin, Avelox, and Factive.

In 2008, The FDA has told manufacturers that the drugs must now carry "black box" warnings alerting doctors and patients that the drugs can increase risk of tendonitis and tendon rupture in some patients. Fluoroquinolones have carried similar warnings for years, but officials say they continue to receive reports of safety problems.

A "black box" warning is the FDA's sternest warning.

Most of the tendonitis and tendon ruptures affect the Achilles tendon, behind the ankle. But the agency has also received reports of tendonitis and ruptures in the shoulder and hand.

A case control study performed using a UK medical care database found that fluoroquinolone use was associated with a 1.9-fold increase in tendon problems. The relative risk increased to 3.2 in those over 60 years of age and to 6.2 in those over the age of 60 who were also taking corticosteroids.

Patients at greatest risk are those over 60, those taking corticosteroids, and those who've undergone heart, lung, or kidney transplants are also at increased risk of tendon rupture or tendonitis if they take fluoroquinolones.

The ruptured tendons have been known to happen within days of initiation of therapy to several months after termination of therapy.

Researchers don't know exactly what fluoroquinolones (FQ)  do that promotes tendon rupturing. Theories suggest the drug may impede collagen formation or interrupt blood supply in joints.

Over the course of a seven-year period ending in December 2005, the FDA had received reports among FQ users of:

• 262 tendon ruptures,
• 258 cases of tendonitis,
• and 274 other instances of tendon problems

according to Public Citizen's Health Research Group, which filed a law suit against the FDA for not providing adequate warnings to patients and their physicians.

More information from the FDA

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The Vulnerable Achilles Heel

Achilles, the Greek hero of the Trojan war, was said to be invulnerable in all parts of his body except for his heel.  To prevent his death, the young Achilles was taken to the river Styx by his mother, which was supposed to offer powers of invulnerability, and dipped his body into the water. But as she held Achilles by the heel, his heel was not washed over by the water of the magical river. Achilles grew up to be a man of war who survived many great battles. But one day, a poisonous arrow shot at him by his rival, Paris, was lodged in his heel, killing him shortly thereafter.

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69% contamination rate

Yersinia Found in Pork

C onsumer Reports recently released a study that showed that out of 198 samples of pork chops and ground pork tested, 69% were contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica.

Yersinia enterocolitca is an intestinal pathogen that causes fever, cramping, and watery or bloody diarrhea. Y. enterocolitca can come from cattle, pigs, deer, or birds, which can be asymptomatic carriers.

In humans, the disease is usually self-limiting and requires no treatment. Complicated or severe cases can be treated with doxycylcine in combination with an aminoglycoside.

The study also revealed that 4% of samples were contaminated with Salmonella , and 3% with Listeria .

Especially alarming is the fact that Yersinia contamination is not typically monitored in the meat industry.

This represents another reason to thoroughly clean all food preparation utensils and cook pork at a minimum of 145 deg. F (160 deg. F for ground pork).

More information

Yersinia can be selectively isolated on the culture medium CIN Agar , which contains the selective agents: cefsulodin, irgasan, and novobiocin. Y. enterocolitica colonies will exhibit a deep red color with a darker "bulls eye" center, due to its ability to ferment the carbohydrate, mannitol.

More information.

Optical oddities...

Stare at planet earth
and take a trip through the tunnel!

"Believe half of what you see
and none of what you hear."

~ Marvin Gaye

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Find more

of Leigh Rubin's cartoon humor.

Jogging Your Funny Bone

"My doctor told me that jogging could add years to my life. He was right. I feel ten years older already."

Milton Berle

"The only reason I would take up jogging is so I could hear heavy breathing again."

Erma Bombeck

"I get all the exercise I need acting as a pallbearer to my friends who exercise."

Chauncey Depew

"The trouble with jogging is that by the time you realize you're not in shape for it, it's too far to walk back."

Franklin Jones

"I have to go jogging early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing."

"For every mile you jog, you add one minute to your life. This enables you, at the age of 85, to spend an additional five months in a nursing home at $5,000/month."

Shampoo Warning!

I don't know why I didn't figure this out sooner...

I use shampoo in the shower.

When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body, and printed very

clearly on the shampoo bottle label is this warning:

"FOR EXTRA BODY

AND VOLUME."

No wonder I have been gaining weight!

Well...I got rid of that shampoo and I am going to start showering with Dawn dish-washing soap instead. Its label reads:

"DISSOLVES FAT

THAT IS OTHERWISE

DIFFICULT TO REMOVE."

Problem solved!

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