Potency of Some Cancer Drugs Reduced when Combined with Common Medications

A study recently presented at a meeting of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics has found that many patients taking oral cancer drugs are also taking other medications that may either lower the effectiveness or increase the harmful side effects of the cancer drug.

The research, conducted by Medco Health Solutions, included pharmacy claims of roughly 11,600 patients who were taking one of nine kinase inhibitors, or oral cancer drugs. The drugs included Nexavar, Gleevec, Tasigna, Sutent, Tarceva, Sprycel and Tykerb.

Of the patients taking Gleevec, a drug used for leukemia, 43 percent were also taking another medication that could possibly lower the potency of the cancer drug. Sixty-eight percent were also taking a drug that could increase the level of toxicity of Gleevec.

The types of medications that were found to cause potentially dangerous effects when combined with the cancer drugs included proton pu,p inhibitor (PPI) heartburn drugs (i.e. Nexium and Prevacid), calcium channel blockers used for blood pressure and the heart, and certain antibiotics, antifungal treatments and steroids.

In most cases, the cancer drugs were prescribed to patients by their oncologists, and the other medications were prescribed by the patient’s primary care physician. Study authors stressed the importance of communication between the patient’s doctors. Better physician communication can help prevent dangerous combinations of prescription drugs, improving overall patient safety.

When physicians negligently prescribe a drug that has a bad interaction with another medication, patients can be seriously hurt. If you or a loved one were harmed by a doctor’s negligence, call or email the prescription malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos. We have over 30 years of experience helping clients with medical malpractice and personal injury matters. Call or email us today to discuss your possible Bronx medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice or Long Island medical malpractice case.
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Many Local Hospitals Receive Low Rating by Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports recently released their list of the 50 worst hospitals in the nation, with 30 local medical centers landing themselves among lowest rated.

The report rated hospitals based on the number of patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, the number of patients that developed an infection while at the hospital, and the quality of instructions given regarding medication and discharge. Report authors used these criteria to rate 1,045 of the over 4,000 hospitals nationwide.

Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx received the lowest score in New York, followed by Nassau University Medical Center on Long Island. The 30 lowest-scoring area hospitals were ranked as follows:

1. Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY
2. Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY
3. Forest Hills Hospital, Forest Hills, NY
4. St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Yonkers, NY
5. St. John’s Riverside Hospital, Yonkers, NY
6. Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
7. Lawrence Hospital Center, Bronxville, NY
8. Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY
9. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Jamaica, NY
10. Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
11. Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
12. New York Westchester Square Medical Center, Bronx, NY
13. Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing, NY
14. St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY
15. Sound Shore Medical Center of Westchester, New Rochelle, NY
16. Lincoln Hospital, Bronx, NY
17. New York Community Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
18. St. Michael’s Medical Center, Newark, NJ
19. St. John’s Episcopal Hospital – South Shore, Far Rockaway, NY
20. Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
21. New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
22. JFK Medical Center, Edison, NJ
23. Harlem Hospital Center, New York, NY
24. Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY
25. New York Hospital Queens, Flushing, NY
26. Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, NJ
27. Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center, Patchogue, NY
28. Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY
29. St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, NY
30. Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre, NY

New York’s highest scoring hospital was NYU Langone Medical Center; however it was still reported to be 10 percent below the national average for patient safety.

Although many hospitals disputed the report, stating that the ratings were misleading, as they were based on outdated information, it still raises concern about the safety of patients being treated in New York area hospitals.

When a hospital provides substandard care, they put their patients at risk of serious injury or death. If you or a loved one has been hurt by the negligence of a doctor or hospital in New York, call or email the medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos today for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys have been helping clients with Bronx medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice and Long Island medical malpractice cases for over 30 years.

Call us toll-free 1-877-ASK4SAM