Health and Medicine
We’ve told you previously about how CBD products are a buyer beware marketplace in Virginia, but it shouldn’t stay that way as WFIR’s Ian Price reports:
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The Virginia Department of Health says more reports are coming in from across the state of men who take over-the-counter male enhancement pills being hospitalized for hypoglycemia – very low blood sugar levels. The pills are commonly sold at convenience stores under the brand name “V8”. Symptoms include a racing heartbeat, anxiety and shakiness. Anyone with those symptoms is advised to seek immediate medical care.
NEWS RELEASE: In mid-August, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) received a report from the Virginia Poison Center of a cluster of patients in the Central Virginia area with severe hypoglycemia (very low blood sugar levels) requiring hospitalization, following use of an over-the-counter pill promoted for male sexual enhancement. The pills are commonly sold at convenience stores and/or gas stations in Virginia. Following the initial report, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) issued a press release advising consumers not to purchase or use a product sold under the name “V8”.
There are reports of similar illnesses across Virginia, in individuals who have reported taking the pills. As of September 16, 2019 VDH has received additional reports of illness associated with V8 in the Eastern Region (one case), Central Region (four cases) and Southwest Region (six cases). Of those, VDH has confirmed seven cases; four remain under investigation.
Symptoms of severe hypoglycemia include sweating, a racing heartbeat, irritability, anxiety, shakiness and altered mental status. Individuals experiencing symptoms of severe hypoglycemia should seek immediate medical attention. Previously reported cases have recovered with timely medical treatment.
Individuals and healthcare professionals should contact one of Virginia’s three Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 about adverse events and side effects of products.
A Democratic Presidential hopeful says if elected President in 2020 they would hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for overdose deaths. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has the story.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia’s death toll from opioid overdoses keeps rising despite state and local governments spending millions on making an antidote available. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that figures through the first three months of this year show Virginia was on pace to record its highest opioid overdose death toll since it began tracking the data in 2007. That’s despite the state health department spending nearly $2 million dispensing the drug naloxone since late 2016, almost three times what it spent on all other harm reduction services combined. Emergency response agencies have spent more. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report last month that the doubling of naloxone prescriptions between 2017 and 2018 resulted in a slight reduction in deaths. Researchers said dispensing levels are still inadequate.
Its not perfect but lets not start all over again – that was US Senator Mark Warner’s advice about the Affordable Care Act as he toured Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital today and then held a round table discussion with doctors and health care providers from the valley. Warner did say he does not expect health care reform to be at the top of the Senate agenda when they are back in session next month.
Nancy Hans with Roanoke Valley Collective Response (G Marrano photos)
On a stop in Roanoke today Governor Northam announced that data-sharing via “Virginia’s Framework for Addiction Analysis and Recovery” – or FAACT, will expand to the Roanoke Valley. In the Shenandoah Valley a pilot program has shown it to be effective in helping fight the opioid crisis. The Roanoke Valley Collective Response that includes the Urgent Love initiative will use the data collected for strategic planning in fighting the opioid crisis.
With students now heading back in school, the Virginia Department of Health is asking parents to talk to their children about the dangers of vaping. The department says use of e-cigarettes like Juuls has been the most common tobacco product used by U.S. middle and high schoolers in the last five years. Many states report severe lung illnesses from using such products.
VDH news release: As students across the Commonwealth head back to school or college, the Virginia Department of Health reminds parents to talk to their sons and daughters about the dangers of e-cigarette use, or “vaping.” Since 2014, e-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco product among US middle and high school students. In fact, between 2017 and 2018 alone, the number of youth who used e-cigarettes went up by 1.5 million nationwide.
While all forms of tobacco use cause disease and death, recently a new danger has been linked to “vaping” or “dabbing” (vaping marijuana oils, extracts or concentrates). Since June 28, 2019, many states have been investigating cases of patients hospitalized with severe lung illness associated with those activities — primarily among teens and young adults.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that as of Aug. 22, 2019, 193 potential cases of severe lung illness. e-cigarette product use had been reported by 22 states. Virginia is reporting three cases, and is investigating additional potential cases. All patients have reported vaping in the weeks to months prior to illness. On Aug. 23, the first death of an individual hospitalized with severe respiratory illness associated with vaping was reported in an Illinois resident.
Symptoms of this illness have included gradual onset of cough, shortness of breath, or fatigue, that gets worse over a period of days or weeks, until the patient has to be admitted to the hospital for treatment. Some patients have also reported vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. If anyone has these symptoms and has a history of e-cigarette use, seek medical attention immediately.