May 2012

Everyone says that doctors have the worst handwriting. The fact seems to be part of our cultural knowledge. Have you ever taken a look at your prescription and tried to figure out what medication it says you will be taking for the next two weeks, or perhaps even the rest of your life?

It’s fun to joke about how such an educated and prestigious population has somehow lost the basic handwriting skills we all learn in elementary school – until that quirk becomes a matter of life and death. Medications impact the body in complex ways. Their effects are dose dependent. They interact with one another. They must be taken on a specific schedule. They can save a life, and they can end one just as easily.

No Laughing Matter

Two high profile cases in Washington demonstrate the tragedy that can result from medication errors. Continue reading →

As a Washington resident, there is only a slim chance that you have not heard about the 2012 whooping cough outbreak. There have been 1,300 cases reported so far this year, a 10-fold increase of last year’s cases. The increase in cases is so pronounced that it has been declared an epidemic. But are you aware of the danger your family could be in as a result of the whooping cough epidemic? 

Whooping Cough: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

A stuffy nose, a sore throat, some minor congestion or mild cough: caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, whooping cough initially presents with the same symptoms as a common cold. These seemingly benign irritations, however, are followed 10 to 12 days later by a violent and persistent cough. The name comes from the awful sound of a child trying to breath after a fit of coughing – the forceful inhale often makes a distinct whooping sound.

In adults and older children, the expectation is that the cough will resolve in one to two months. Infants, however, are at a higher risk of whooping cough complications including pneumonia and even death.

Potential complications include: Continue reading →