News: Aprotinin: Deadly? - myDNA

News: Aprotinin: Deadly? - myDNA: "Doctors, consumer advocates and at least one medical research group are calling for the elimination of a drug commonly used during heart surgery because it was recently found to have serious, potentially deadly side effects." [MyDNA.com]

Bayer's Plischke sees likely slowdown in blood loss drug Trasylol sales growth

Bayer's Plischke sees likely slowdown in blood loss drug Trasylol sales growth: "Bayer AG can expect a slowdown in the growth in sales of its blood loss drug Trasylol, after an independent study showed that the drug was associated with health risks, board member Wolfgang Plischke said after the full-year results news conference." [Forbes]

Trasylol Patients and Clinical Trial Subjects Beware

Trasylol Patients and Clinical Trial Subjects Beware: "Thirteen years ago, the FDA approved Trasylol (aprotinin) for use in patients undergoing heart bypass surgery. In January 2006, doctors, consumer advocates and a medical research group called for the removal of the drug from the market after a study found it to have deadly side effects." [OpEdNews]

ABC News: Study: Tequin Tied to Blood-Sugar Problems

ABC News: Study: Tequin Tied to Blood-Sugar Problems: "Serious blood-sugar complications among people taking the antibiotic Tequin are more common than had been believed, a new study in older people suggests.

The research, released Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine, is further evidence the drug may pose special risks for diabetics. The study found hazards for others as well." [ABC News]

Antibiotic Tequin risky to diabetes patients

Antibiotic Tequin risky to diabetes patients: "Tequin (gatifloxacin), one of a group of broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat lung, sinus and urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases, may raise or reduce blood sugar to a dangerous level in diabetics, found a new study scheduled to appear in the March 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Previous studies have already found that gatifloxacin is associated with both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia." [Foodconsumer.org]

Antibiotic gatifloxacin (Tequin) poses health risks - MayoClinic.com

Antibiotic gatifloxacin (Tequin) poses health risks - MayoClinic.com: "What happened? A study in the New England Journal of Medicine reports that the antibiotic gatifloxacin (Tequin) may increase the risk of both low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) during or after its use. These fluctuations in blood sugar may be severe enough to require hospitalization.

Gatifloxacin is in a class of popular broad-spectrum antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. The antibiotic is used to treat many different bacterial infections — including pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections and certain sexually transmitted diseases. Other antibiotics in the same class include ciprofloxacin (Cipro, others) and levofloxacin (Levaquin, others)." [Mayo Clinic]

Tequin linked to blood sugar problems

Tequin linked to blood sugar problems: "Two Canadian studies indicate patients taking the antibiotic Tequin run a sharply higher risk of serious blood sugar problems.

The studies examined medical histories of 1.4 million older Canadians, The Wall Street Journal said.

One study said that patients receiving Tequin, already under heightened regulatory scrutiny, were nearly 17 times as likely to seek hospital treatment for high blood-sugar, compared with patients taking other antibiotics." [UPI]

Tequin usage associated with 17 times more risk of high blood sugar

Tequin usage associated with 17 times more risk of high blood sugar: "'What we found was that people taking gatifloxacin had more than a fourfold increase in the risk of being treated in hospital for low blood sugar than people who were on other antibiotics,' said Dr David Juurlink, a clinical pharmacologist at Sunnybrook and a co-author of the paper that is to be published in the New England Journal of Medicine later this month. 'And the people on gatifloxacin had almost 17 times more risk of developing high blood sugar,' he added." [Earthtimes]

Health Canada Issues Tequin Antibiotic Warning

Health Canada Issues Tequin Antibiotic Warning for Diabetics: "The antibiotic Tequin can have life-threatening side-effects in people with diabetes, a study by Canadian researchers has found. The antibiotic gatifloxacin is sold under the brand name Tequin by its manufacturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb. Health Canada is urging doctors to stop prescribing the antibiotic for patients with diabetes as a precaution." [CBC News]

Study reveals risk to Tequin patients -- Newsday.com

Study reveals risk to Tequin patients -- Newsday.com: "Six years and 20 million patients later, a popular antibiotic has been found to cause life-threatening changes in blood glucose, according to a study." [Newsday]