The Happy Hospitalist - Latest Comments in http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/01/taking-informed-to-new-level.html

Re: http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/01/taking-informed-to-new-level.html

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 03:15:00 -0000

I've been burned too many times by the drug info sheet given to pts re: amiodarone and have had them either not take it or stop taking it once they were sent home after being loaded in-house. I now have a canned speech listing the litany of side effects and testing involved. When they ask about the alternatives (usually my pts are not candidates for class 1 drugs), I tell them they can chose not to take the drug and stay in afib and feel like *hit. They usually will take the amio.
Once had a pt say that he would not read the drug info sheet given by the pharmacy because he did not want to get scared. Gotta love pts like that.
CardioNP

Re: http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/01/taking-informed-to-new-level.html

Old MD Girl — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:50:00 -0000

I had a patient with Lupus ask for PDRs for the various DMARDs. She thereafter refused to take them. Too bad her kidney disease will probably ultimately kill her....

Re: http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/01/taking-informed-to-new-level.html

Melissia — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:05:00 -0000

I have asked for a PDR before. As a patient who takes an MAOI twice a day, I love it when the day I have have surgery, fresh from post op, someone brings me my Eldepryl to take. The same med that has been on hold for two weeks so that I can have anesthesia! Thanks to computerized med lists, etc these thing happen.
So due to interactions, if I don't know a drug and since I can't trust the pharmacy or nursing staff, I insist.
I have also had demerol ordered and brought to me for pain even though I take an MAOI twice a day for the last 8 years. This has happened twice at the same hospital. Both times IV. How it got through the computerized checks and balances I do not know. Both times were post surgical and now my doc and I have just listed it as an allergy in hopes that this will avoid a deadly hypertensive drug interaction.

Re: http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/01/taking-informed-to-new-level.html

SteveC — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0000

I was on Amiodarone for three years, nasty stuff. I *loved* the eye tests and the breathing tests!

But it worked for me, and that's what matters.

Re: http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/01/taking-informed-to-new-level.html

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:15:00 -0000

A sure sign he is ready for discharge. Even more so than complaining about the food.

Re: http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/01/taking-informed-to-new-level.html

Braden — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:23:00 -0000

...or the half life...