News tagged with 'Prescription Medication'

When Nick Christie was taken into custody in Fort Myers for trespassing last March, his wife knew he was experiencing a manic episode from medication. His jailers didn't and instead pepper sprayed him into compliance. Then he died. His death has been ruled a homicide, the officers involved cleared and notice of a federal lawsuit has been filed.

The safety of drugs taken during pregnancy will be studied at 11 research centers. At least two-thirds of women who deliver have taken at least one prescription medication.

OxyContin may be reformulated making it more difficult for addicts to dissolve the painkiller in water and inject it for a heroin-like effect. FDA advisors will consider the application Thursday.

Court documents released Monday help tell the story of a cocktail of drugs and half dozen doctors attending to Michael Jackson to help him fight insomnia. Propofol and a dozen other drugs led to his death, and Jackson becomes one of more than 20,000 deaths a year due to prescription drugs.

Pitchman Billy Mays had cocaine in his system, an autopsy finds, which contributed to the development of heart disease. He also had prescription amounts of painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs.

A number of doctors warn that the sedative drug, Diprivan, is not for home use. A study two years ago found a 100 percent death rate for most abusers. Michael Jackson's dermatologist tells CNN he never gave it to Jackson, although Diprivan was reportedly found in the home at the time of his death.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, combed through 50 million death certificates from 1984 to 2004 and found a 360 percent increase in accidental drug overdoses of prescription medication. Partially to blame is the availability of prescription drugs, especially painkillers. 25 years ago, they were available only in the hospital. Now about a quarter of people exchange them.

Evidence is accumulating against the use of kids cough and cold medications. In CDC data, more than 7,000 kids were rushed to the ER. Data was collected  from 63 emergency rooms in 2004 and 2005.