Mind Your Meds 1.5 Million "Mistakes" Every Year The news is more than scary: Every year, 1.5 million Americans get sick, injured, even killed because of medication errors...and about 1/3 of those errors take place in hospitals. The latest report found that this comes out to one mistake per hospital patient per day. In the medical world, there's been a lot of finger pointing. That's because there's plenty of blame to go around: Miscommunication among medical professionals, system problems when packing prescriptions and handing them to patients, illegible handwriting, pills that look an awful lot alike, and just plain carelessness. Some hospitals have turned to technology for the solution. In fact, a Salt Lake City hospital was able to slash these kinds of mistakes by almost 66 percent over the past 10 years by simply using a computerized system. Same in Boston, where turning to computers cut down their medical mistakes by over 55 percent. So why doesn't every hospital use this safer system? Well, it costs a lot of money to set up, and even more to train employees -- with a total price tag of up to $20 million for large medical centers. But even in hospitals that can afford it, there are still plenty of mistakes. After all, a 66 percent reduction still means there are mistakes at least 34 percent of the time... so now your odds of getting the wrong medication are down to 1 in 3, instead of a sure thing. Not much comfort, is it? Figures like these are staggering, and they can make you feel hopeless. But you can make a difference in your own healthcare. Speak up if you think something is wrong. Tell every new doctor and nurse that you see what you're allergic to. Look at your pills before you take them -- if they look any different (bigger, smaller, yellow when you're expecting blue), don't take them without talking to someone. And, remember, only 1/3 of the total problem takes place inside the hospital, so you need to be careful every time you get a prescription. When you get a new prescription, ask the doctor for the name of the drug (both brand name and generic) and what dosage you're supposed to be getting. Confirm that with the pharmacist before you leave the pharmacy. Even when you're just refilling a prescription, look at the medicine before you take it -- if it doesn't look the same as always, bring it back. It's hard to manage all that when you're already not feeling well, especially if your doctor (or nurse or pharmacist) seems bothered by your questions. If you don't think you can do it on your own, bring a friend or relative with you to help you do the asking. But make sure to ask those questions -- your life may depend on it. Up Your Nose What's one of the very best ways to clear up your sinuses? Flood them with salt water...known in medical circles as "nasal irrigation." For thousands of years, Ayurvedic practictioners (ancient east Indian traditional medicine) have used this rinsing method to get irritants out of the nasal passages. Now more and more American medical professionals are recommending it to their patients, with good reason: Nasal irrigation can get bacteria away from your sinus area, wash away allergens, thin nasal secretions so it's easier to get them out, and even reduce the chest condition that comes on when you've got post-nasal drip. Plus, this method doesn't pose any of the nasty side effects that you may find in commonly used decongestants and antihistamines. Here's how to treat your stuffy nose: - Mix together 2 cups of warm water and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt (yes, it has to be kosher salt, not regular table salt), and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Fill a large bulb syringe (you can get these at any pharmacy) with the mixture.
- Lean over the sink, put your head down, and inhale the syringe contents through one nostril.
- The mixture will flow out through your other nostril and your mouth (don't worry -- it's supposed to).
It sounds uncomfortable, and it is, but only slightly and only for about five minutes. But the effects are worth it: You'll feel less stuffy right away, and breathing will come more easily. Doing this just once or twice a day for about 10 days will get your nasal passages back in good shape. Return of the GI You heard it here last year (more than once): One great way to manage your weight and health is to strive for a diet that's low on the glycemic index scale. The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly individual foods release sugar and insulin into your body. Higher numbers on the scale mean a food causes a bigger surge in blood sugar, and you might be surprised by some of the top offenders: Certain foods typically considered "healthy," like potatoes and rice cakes, rank high on the GI. (Of course, soda, candy, and other sugary treats come in at the top of the list as well.) Now, scientists are jumping back onto our side, agreeing that a low-glycemic-index diet seems to be the best way to lose weight. Australian researchers compared this way of eating to diets that scored high on the glycemic scale and to high-protein diets. They recruited 129 overweight participants, and put each on one of four diet plans. Though all of the diets provided the same total calories, with only 30 percent of the total intake from fat, those with a lower glycemic load provided the best results. For example, the subjects on a high-carb, but low-glycemic diet lost double the fat (though about the same amount of weight), and showed a decrease in both total and LDL cholesterol levels.
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