antibiotic warning:erythromycin & clarithromycin linked to sudden deaths-study

[Guest guest]

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MYCOPLASMA REGISTRY REPORTS

for gulf war syndrome & chronic fatigue syndrome

© Dudley & Leslee Dudley 2005. All rights reserved.

MycoplasmaRegistry/ MycoReg@...

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Seven drugs interfere with electrical activity controlling the

heartbeat and may increased risk of sudden cardiac death. (see

article and abstract below: 'Antibiotics linked to sudden deaths'

and 'Non-cardiac QTc-prolonging drugs and the risk of sudden cardiac

death')

Two of the drugs are used to treat mycoplasmal infections:

Etrythromycin is prescribed to treat M. pneumoniae and M. penetrans.

Clarithromycin is prescribed to treat M. pneumoniae, M. penetrans and

M. purim.

RISK LIST:

1. Erythromycin (Brand names: E-Base; E-Mycin; E.E.S.;

Ery-Tab; ERYC; EryPed; Erythrocin; Ilosone)

2. Clarithromycin. (Brand name: Biaxin)

3. Cisapride (Brand names: Propulsid, Prepulsid)

4. Domperidone (Brand names: Motilium®)

5. Chlorpromazine (Brand name: Largactil, Thorazine)

6. Haloperidol (Brand names: Haldol, Haldol Decanoate,

Apo-Haloperidol, Haldol, Haldol LA, Novo-Peridol,

Peridol, PMS Haloperidol)

7. Pimozide (Brand name: Orap)

Dudley & Leslee Dudley © 2005 .

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Antibiotics linked to sudden deaths

Daily Mail - UK, UK - May 11, 2005

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?

in_article_id=348255 & in_page_id=1774

A range of commonly prescribed drugs including antibiotics may be

responsible for around 15,000 sudden deaths each year in Europe and

the United States, researchers claim.

The drugs interfere with electrical activity controlling the

heartbeat. A study in the Netherlands found they were associated with

a three-fold increased risk of sudden death due to cardiac arrest.

Two of the drugs are the antibiotics erythromycin and

clarithromycin. Others on the risk list are cisapride domperidone

used to treat gastro-intestinal conditions, and the anti-psychotic

medications chlorpromazine, haloperidol and pimozide.

All prolong the heart's QTc interval - a measurement of the

electrical activity linked to the contraction of heart muscle cells.

Drugs that increase the QTc interval can cause life-threatening

disruptions of heart rhythms.

Widespread research

The findings emerged from a study of 775 cases of sudden heart death.

Researchers found that the seven drugs were probably responsible for

320 of these deaths.

This equated to about 15,000 deaths per year across Europe and the

United States.

But the study's senior author, Dr Bruno Stricker, from the Erasmus

Medical Centre in Rotterdam, said that although the findings were

significant, it was important to keep them in proportion.

It was normal to expect one or two sudden cardiac deaths per thousand

of the population each year in Western countries.

The risk for people taking the drugs rose to around three per

thousand.

Vital treatments

" These drugs are vital treatments for serious conditions in many

cases, so it is essential that patients should not stop taking them

on their own initiative, " said Dr Stricker, who is also a senior

medical officer at the Inspectorate for Healthcare in The Hague.

" If they are concerned they should talk to their doctor. "

The drugs have all previously been implicated in abnormal heart

rhythms (arrhythmia). But the new study is thought to be the first to

investigate links with sudden death.

The findings appeared in the European Heart Journal.

2005 Associated Newspapers Ltd · Terms & Conditions ·

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Non-cardiac QTc-prolonging drugs and the risk of sudden cardiac death

http://eurheartj.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ehi312v1

European Heart Journal Advance Access published online on May 11,

2005. European Heart Journal, doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehi312

European Heart Journal © The European Society of Cardiology 2005; All

rights reserved. Received February 6, 2005, Revised April 1, 2005,

Accepted April 7, 2005

Sabine M.J.M. Straus 1, Miriam C.J.M. Sturkenboom 2, Gysèle S.

Bleumink 3, Jeanne P. Dieleman 2, Johan van der Lei 4, Pieter A. de

Graeff 5, Jan Herre Kingma 6, and Bruno H.Ch. Stricker 7*

1 Pharmaco-Epidemiology Unit, Departments of Epidemiology and

Biostatistics and Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box

1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Medical

Informatics, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The

Netherlands; Medicines Evaluation Board, The Hague, The Netherlands

2 Pharmaco-Epidemiology Unit, Departments of Epidemiology and

Biostatistics and Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box

1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Medical

Informatics, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The

Netherlands

3 Pharmaco-Epidemiology Unit, Departments of Epidemiology and

Biostatistics and Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box

1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Inspectorate for Health

Care, The Hague, The Netherlands

4 Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 DR

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

5 Medicines Evaluation Board, The Hague, The Netherlands; Department

of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The

Netherlands

6 Inspectorate for Health Care, The Hague, The Netherlands;

Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Groningen,

Groningen, The Netherlands

7 Pharmaco-Epidemiology Unit, Departments of Epidemiology and

Biostatistics and Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box

1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Inspectorate for Health

Care, The Hague, The Netherlands

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Bruno H.Ch. Stricker, E-mail: b.stricker@...

ABSTRACT

Aims: To assess the association between the use of non-cardiac QTc-

prolonging drugs and the risk of sudden cardiac death.

Methods and results: A population-based case-control study was

performed in the Integrated Primary Care Information (IPCI) project,

a longitudinal observational database with complete medical records

from more than 500 000 persons. All deaths between 1 January 1995 and

1 September 2003 were reviewed. Sudden cardiac death was classified

based on the time between onset of cardiovascular symptoms and death.

For each case, up to 10 random controls were matched for age, gender,

date of sudden death, and general practice. The exposure of interest

was the use of non-cardiac QTc-prolonging drugs. Exposure at the

index date was categorized into three mutually exclusive groups of

current use, past use, and non-use. The study population comprised

775 cases of sudden cardiac death and 6297 matched controls. Current

use of any non-cardiac QTc-prolonging drug was associated with a

significantly increased risk of sudden cardiac death (adjusted OR:

2.7; 95% CI: 1.6-4.7). The risk of death was highest in women and in

recent starters.

Conclusion: The use of non-cardiac QTc-prolonging drugs in a

general population is associated with an increased risk of sudden

cardiac death.

antibiotic warning:erythromycin & clarithromycin linked to sudden

deaths-study

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[Guest guest]

Hi Margie:

It would certainly be a very sad day for all of us if your hypothesis

is true. Let's hope your observations are not correct, though I too

have been around long enough to know that anything is possible when

it comes to Lyme Politics.

With that said, I also know our Lyme Patient Population is very

medically mismanaged. We take tremendous risks because we are so

very ill and desparate.

We tend to attribute very serious IV Antibiotic complications -- to

merely being a HERX, which I think is very foolish on our part.

I can personally attest to the fact that I attributed my heart

pains/palpatations, nausea, lightheadedness, etc. to Herxing.

It turned out I had an infected CVC (Staph Aureus), and ended up with

a clotting cascade that nearly took me out of the game.

The problems are ...

The typical Medical Staff at Hospitals are LYME ILLITERATE.

Our Primary Care and LLMD's fail to monitor the basics and also

attribute all of our complaints to being Lyme or Herx related.

To top it off ... we as a patient population are so dessenitized,

that we no longer are appropriately alarmed when we experience very

serious side effects and symptoms.

Instead ... we just tell our selves ... it's a Herx.

A good friend of mine's daughter ... just ended up with open heart

surgery ... caused by IV Antibiotic Therapy (ie infected line or Bb

in heart). For weeks she was in and out of ER complaining ... only

to be told (basically it's all in her head).

When they opened her up ... Her heart was covered with gooey

bacteria.

So ... the point is ... though YES we need to have access to

Antibiotic Therapy ... the larger issue is that we are EXTREMELY

POORLY MANAGED, and as a result we take enormous risks.

We sit there in our own home admisitering heavy duty IV Antibiotics

through our PICC or CVC lines ... for months sometimes years, like it

is as normal/common as making a cup of coffee in the morning.

Honestly, as a patient population, I think we have lost perspective,

and tend to over compensate by minimizing the risks.

Who amoung us can say with any certainty that they can absoultely

distinguish between a HERX and Serium Sickness, or a valid Heart

malfunction.

How many of us have Cabinets full of supplements, injectibles, Rx's,

IV Supplies ... mixing them together without knowing or understanding

the consequences ... until it's too late.

I know we are fighting for proper medical treatment (ie long term

antibiotic therapies) ... but I think we also have to mature into

understanding that these are very serious medications, which also

carry serious consequences.

Please understand ... I am saying " Don't do ABX therapy " . I am

saying we need to understand the dangers, so that we can manage our

risks.

Sincerely,

is

[Guest guest]

> We tend to attribute very serious IV Antibiotic complications -- to

> merely being a HERX, which I think is very foolish on our part.

>

> I can personally attest to the fact that I attributed my heart

> pains/palpatations, nausea, lightheadedness, etc. to Herxing.

My main problems were heart related and why I will NOT do IV and do not

condone people with heart problems ( either pre or post abx) doing so. It is

way to risky. I go up on abx very slowly and while I do want a herx, I do

not want to incite a cardiac 'herx' , if my arrythmias come back, I go down

on abx. I only have one heart and have grown rather attached to it over the

years *-)

[Guest guest]

I went through the same thing last yr, got staph in my hickman, ran serious

fever for three wks/anaphiletic shock before it was was pulled. I had told

the homehealth care about what was happening, they didn't act concerned (had

just switched to new one) I was thinking it was a herx/allergic

reaction/something They never called the doc, even had a nurse at my house for

IVIG during this.............Almost bought the farm on that one.

I agree with what you are saying.

walyme <walyme@...> wrote:

Hi Margie:

It would certainly be a very sad day for all of us if your hypothesis

is true. Let's hope your observations are not correct, though I too

have been around long enough to know that anything is possible when

it comes to Lyme Politics.

With that said, I also know our Lyme Patient Population is very

medically mismanaged. We take tremendous risks because we are so

very ill and desparate.

We tend to attribute very serious IV Antibiotic complications -- to

merely being a HERX, which I think is very foolish on our part.

I can personally attest to the fact that I attributed my heart

pains/palpatations, nausea, lightheadedness, etc. to Herxing.

It turned out I had an infected CVC (Staph Aureus), and ended up with

a clotting cascade that nearly took me out of the game.

The problems are ...

The typical Medical Staff at Hospitals are LYME ILLITERATE.

Our Primary Care and LLMD's fail to monitor the basics and also

attribute all of our complaints to being Lyme or Herx related.

To top it off ... we as a patient population are so dessenitized,

that we no longer are appropriately alarmed when we experience very

serious side effects and symptoms.

Instead ... we just tell our selves ... it's a Herx.

A good friend of mine's daughter ... just ended up with open heart

surgery ... caused by IV Antibiotic Therapy (ie infected line or Bb

in heart). For weeks she was in and out of ER complaining ... only

to be told (basically it's all in her head).

When they opened her up ... Her heart was covered with gooey

bacteria.

So ... the point is ... though YES we need to have access to

Antibiotic Therapy ... the larger issue is that we are EXTREMELY

POORLY MANAGED, and as a result we take enormous risks.

We sit there in our own home admisitering heavy duty IV Antibiotics

through our PICC or CVC lines ... for months sometimes years, like it

is as normal/common as making a cup of coffee in the morning.

Honestly, as a patient population, I think we have lost perspective,

and tend to over compensate by minimizing the risks.

Who amoung us can say with any certainty that they can absoultely

distinguish between a HERX and Serium Sickness, or a valid Heart

malfunction.

How many of us have Cabinets full of supplements, injectibles, Rx's,

IV Supplies ... mixing them together without knowing or understanding

the consequences ... until it's too late.

I know we are fighting for proper medical treatment (ie long term

antibiotic therapies) ... but I think we also have to mature into

understanding that these are very serious medications, which also

carry serious consequences.

Please understand ... I am saying " Don't do ABX therapy " . I am

saying we need to understand the dangers, so that we can manage our

risks.

Sincerely,

is

Questions and/or comments can be directed to the list owner at

-Owner

[Guest guest]

teresa lucher: I believe that there needs to be a

nurse calling every week to ask about how things are

going and what kind of herxes we are experiencing,we

are giving heavy duty antibiotics and not seeing the

doctor for three to four months, we are told to have

our blood checked every month but how do we know that

they are getting to the doctor.the other thing that

must change in the doctor area is how we are treated

as patients. and that is the relationship of the

doctor to the patient.they need to be more hands on

and not run when the patient is getting worse.this

happens all the time.some of us are in bad shape..I

hate to say it but some of the best dr that we have

will drop you if you call in to much and that is sad

because not everyone is going to hve a smoothride..

eric

--- Lucher <lucher@...> wrote:

> I went through the same thing last yr, got staph in

> my hickman, ran serious fever for three

> wks/anaphiletic shock before it was was pulled. I

> had told the homehealth care about what was

> happening, they didn't act concerned (had just

> switched to new one) I was thinking it was a

> herx/allergic reaction/something They never called

> the doc, even had a nurse at my house for IVIG

> during this.............Almost bought the farm on

> that one.

> I agree with what you are saying.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello, Group

I don't know if I caught all the posts on this issue, but I just thought

I would mention my own experience.

I was in the hospital last Aug. for a week with 3rd degree heart block

after being diagnosed with Lyme's. They started me on the IV

Ceftriaxone/Rocephrin and in about 6 days, my heart block was gone and I

was able to return home (for continued IV).

But I'm uncertain whether this is what you all are referring to here.

Are you speaking of the IV for dealing with Lyme's (and its possible

heart-related symptoms), or are you speaking of IV treatment that affects

the heart strictly as an adverse/herx reaction ?

Thanks

(the Lurker)

On Sun, 15 May 2005 17:02:53 -0500 " /Rodney " <rod@...>

writes:

> > We tend to attribute very serious IV Antibiotic complications --

> to

> > merely being a HERX, which I think is very foolish on our part.

> >

> > I can personally attest to the fact that I attributed my heart

> > pains/palpatations, nausea, lightheadedness, etc. to Herxing.

>

>

>

> My main problems were heart related and why I will NOT do IV and

> do not

> condone people with heart problems ( either pre or post abx) doing

> so. It is

> way to risky. I go up on abx very slowly and while I do want a herx,

> I do

> not want to incite a cardiac 'herx' , if my arrythmias come back, I

> go down

> on abx. I only have one heart and have grown rather attached to it

> over the

> years *-)

[Guest guest]

Hi All...I haven't posted for awhile - I'll share my past 2 Lyme months with the

group in another post later this week. Anyway, I agree with everything Margie

T. writes below. One day at a time...Tom

Re: [ ] antibiotic warning:erythromycin & clarithromycin

linked to sudden deaths-study

You know....while we have to listen to these warnings and make our own

decisions....I have some thoughts on all this.

In general " they are trying to keep antibiotics away from us...for what ever

reasons. Biaxin (clarithromyacin) is one of the very effective drugs used for

lyme and mycoplasma. I would question these studies which show it to be so

dangerous. Of course I am only one person but I have been on it for years and it

has regulated my hearbeat...most likely because it is killing the lyme.

This may sound conspiratorial but I've been watching as they take other drugs

off the market due to supposed dangers and it seems to be the drugs which

perhaps help folks the most and maybe have the least dangers. You don't see them

taking many SSRIs off the market...or Ritalin...or aspartame. It's almost as if

many times we should believe the opposite of what we are being told by the

" authorities " . Many times scare tactics are used in order to get us to demand

the very solutions that the corporations want us to demand and we end up

thinking it was our idea. Of course all drugs have side effects. I'm not saying

that it is good to take them indescriminately.but....the drug companies are

keeping natural treatments from us along with certain drugs....becasue they work

to produce more of a cure...which means a loss of income for the drug companies.

It should be interesting to see if they come out soon with warnings about

doxycycline. Also be on the alert for more scare tactics concerning antibiotics.

Lyme and mycoplasma....in general are much more dangerous than these drugs...in

my opinion anyway.

What does everyone else think?

Margie T

[Guest guest]

> I was in the hospital last Aug. for a week with 3rd degree heart block

> after being diagnosed with Lyme's. They started me on the IV

> Ceftriaxone/Rocephrin and in about 6 days, my heart block was gone and I

> was able to return home (for continued IV).

>

> But I'm uncertain whether this is what you all are referring to here.

> Are you speaking of the IV for dealing with Lyme's (and its possible

> heart-related symptoms), or are you speaking of IV treatment that affects

> the heart strictly as an adverse/herx reaction ?

I had second degree heartblock, Bradycardia and PVCs. Yes I was talking

about taking IV's while having heart problems ( IF the heart problems are

Lyme caused) Dr and I are concerned about having a massive die off in the

heart. Part of my problem, actually most, is that the local hospitals are

idiots and I would rather go to the Vet ( really) I have been to the ER 2x

and both were horrible experiences. I used to have a very , very low HR and

BP, a couple years ago that changed. I know that by doing only oral abx I

will be in this for the very long haul ( went 17 years misdiagnosed) but I

will not risk IV.

[Guest guest]

> From: Marjorie Tietjen <daystar1952@...>

> Biaxin (clarithromyacin) is one of the very effective drugs used for

> lyme and mycoplasma.

1. I didn't know Biaxin was useful for mycoplasma. That's one of the 4

infections i have. No one has ever actually told me we were using on of the

drugs or herbs to deal with that.

2. Went to refill a Biaxin Rx last night and the pharmacy told me it was now

available as a generic. Bbut she couldn't find it in stock and will research

to see if it's so new that CVS doesn't actually have it to sell yet.

My question: has anyone switched over from Biaxin to the generic

clarithromycin? Is it as effective? Are any LLMD's saying it's just as

good? Any other info.

I know that in some cases, a doctor will say that there *is* a difference

between a brand (e.g., Synthroid) and a generic.

Thanks for any info you might have on this subject.

Deanna