What are the Most Common Severe Drug-Induced Anaphylaxis?

Image by James Heilman, MD from Wikipedia Interesting paper came out listing the most common severe drug-induced anaphylaxis . From a database of 333 patients who suffered from anaphylaxis, • Anaphylactic shock (76.6%) • Severe systemic reactions (10.5%) • Acute laryngeal edema (9%) • Severe bronchospasm (2.1%) • Fatal in 6 cases (1.8%) There were 270 cases (81.1%) of ambulatory anaphylaxis. Sixty-three cases (18.9%) occurred during anesthesia. 84 drugs were identified as being …

6/08/2013 0

Continue Reading

Actress Sofia Vergara Underwent Total Thyroidectomy for Thyroid Cancer

Actress Sofia Vergara , best known for her role in the TV hit comedy Modern Family, had her entire thyroid removed for thyroid cancer when she was 28 in 2000. This was followed by radioactive iodine therapy and now takes a daily thyroid hormone replacement for her hypothyroidism. Image by  Jenn Davis  from  Wikipedia Thyroid cancer is typically first suspected on a routine examination if a  neck mass  consistent with a  thyroid nodule  is palpated. An ultrasound of the neck is typicall…

5/04/2013 0

Continue Reading

Patients with Iodine or Seafood Allergy CAN Receive Contrast During CT Scans

It is a prevalent belief out in the medical (and lay public) community that patients with iodine or seafood allergy can not receive contrast when undergoing certain radiological tests like CT or MRI scans. The concern is that contrast contains minute amounts of free iodide and as such, IV administration of this material puts the patient at risk of a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. Contrast is often given in these tests as it traces out bloodflow enabling the physician to see organ a…

5/20/2011 0

Continue Reading