FDA is notifying healthcare professionals about the risk of potentially fatal hyponatremia in certain patients treated with desmopressin, an antidiuretic that is sometimes used to treat nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting). It works by reducing water loss in the urine. FDA has reviewed 61 reports of hyponatremic seizures associated with the use of desmopressin. Twenty-five cases occurred in children taking the drug intranasally, most of them for bedwetting. Because of this, the intranasal form of desmopressin is no longer indicated for treating nocturnal enuresis. It should not be used for any indication in hyponatremic patients or those with a history of hyponatremia. Patients taking desmopressin who consume excessive fluids are at higher risk of developing hyponatremia. And so all forms of desmopressin should be used cautiously in patients with polydipsia and in patients taking drugs that may cause increased fluid intake. When using desmopressin tablets, fluid intake should be restricted starting one hour before taking the drug and continuing for 8 hours afterwards. Interrupt treatment for nocturnal enuresis if the patient significantly increases water intake, or when fluid or electrolyte imbalance are apt to occur, as with fever, recurrent vomiting, diarrhea or vigorous exercise. Patients or their caregivers should watch for circumstances that could lead to excessive fluid intake, again such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea and strenuous exercise, but also during hot weather and when taking certain medications that produce dry mouth. They should contact their doctor if symptoms of hyponatremia occur, such as severe headache, confusion, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, muscle cramps or weakness. FDA Patient Safety News: March 2008 For more information, please see our website: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/psn/transcript.cfm?show=73#6

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http://www.cracked.com/ Today's edition covers NASA, the FDA, and the Week in Douchebaggery with Kiefer Sutherland, Morgan Spurlock, the CIA, and more!

From Boston - The use of Induced Pluripotent Stem cells, a technique using differentiated skin cells as a source of stem cells, has been used to treat sickle cells disease. The technique, hailed as a significant breakthrough only weeks ago, was used to treat mice with sickle cell anemia. In mice with the disease, a type of blood disorder that is seen in 10% of African-Americans, normal red cells were produced following the procedure. From Maryland - The FDA is warning that seizures may be a side effect of the bedwetting drug desmopressin. The medicine, commonly marketed as DDAVP, lowers the amount of water that is excreted in the urine. However, it can also cause dangerously low levels of sodium in the body. The medicine has been linked to 61 cases of seizures and should no longer be used to treat bedwetting in children. And finally, from Toronto - YouTube may contain biased and medically inaccurate information. Over half of videos tagged with the words "immunization" and "vaccination" portrayed routine childhood HPV and flu vaccines in a negative manner. In addition, the videos frequently undermined recommended vaccination guidelines. For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Petra Joller.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices recently alerted practitioners that although many nasal sprays are intended to be administered in both nostrils, there are some medications meant to be sprayed into just one nostril. These include calcitonin salmon, butorphanol, desmopressin, sumatriptan and zolmitriptan. If a patient misunderstands the directions and sprays the prescribed amount of one of these drugs into each nostril, he or she could be getting a two-fold overdose. Patient error may be only a part of the problem. Some electronic prescribing systems are preprogrammed to print directions saying "spray in each nostril" whenever a nasal spray is prescribed. ISMP says that for nasal sprays intended for one nostril, the patient needs explicit verbal directions and written instructions in order to prevent "double spraying." Additional Information: ISMP Medication Safety Alert -- One or Both Nostrils? June 29, 2006. http://www.ismp.org/newsletters/acutecare/articles/20060629_2.asp

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