The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a nationwide alert to warn the public—and law enforcement in particular—about the dangers of fentanyl and its analogues/compounds. The DEA reported that heroin abuse and fentanyl-related seizures is on the rise. Fentanyl submissions increased from 942 to 3,344 between 2013 and 2014, according to data from the […]
Read MoreIt is disturbingly common, dangerously lethal and difficult to diagnose, yet propofol-related infusion syndrome (PRIS) may be detected before it happens, given proper vigilance by anesthesiologists. Indeed, research has found a positive correlation between the duration of propofol infusion and increasing triglyceride (TG) levels, which may indicate onset of the deadly complication. “Obviously, propofol has […]
Read MoreAnesthesia & Analgesia: February 2016 – Volume 122 – Issue 2 – p 462–469 AUTHORS: Ice, Calvin J. PharmD et al BACKGROUND: The reported incidence of hypotension and bradycardia in patients receiving dexmedetomidine for sedation commonly exceeds 50%. In this study, we describe the incidence of, patient- and treatment-specific risk factors for, and clinical significance […]
Read MoreDigital subtraction angiography (DSA) has been touted as a radiologic adjunct to interventional neuraxial procedures where it is imperative to identify vascular compromise during the injection. Transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESI) are commonly performed interventions for treating acute and chronic radicular spine pain. We present a case of instantaneous and irreversible paraplegia following lumbar TFESI […]
Read MoreThe US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) recent announcement that it would re-evaluate its labeling and review policies for opioids seems to be largely a political move designed to fend off congressional critics, say pain management and addiction medicine specialists. The agency’s action plan, announced on February 4, included a call for a re-examination of the risk-benefit […]
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