In this article, The Medical Experts @ The Health Standard, share their expert insights of the findings and provide North Carolina residents with evidence-based recommendations for protecting their health.
Why This Matters to You
A new study is has uncovered that some commonly prescribed medications may pose a higher risk of causing severe liver injury than previously thought.
This finding is particularly relevant for residents of Buncombe County, as many of you are on medicines like Stavudine, Chlorpromazine--and even commonly used antibiotics like moxifloxacin and azathioprine.
What This Means for Your Health
The study suggests:
Some medications previously considered relatively safe for the liver may actually pose a higher risk to liver and overall health. Conversely, certain medicines thought to be more harmful may be safer for liver health than previously believed. The current methods for monitoring liver injury caused by medications are inconsistent and fragmented.
For Buncombe County residents, this could lead to changes in how healthcare providers monitor patients taking certain medications. In turn, this will potentially improve early detection of liver damage and overall patient safety.
Your liver acts as your body's 'filter,' processing medications and removing toxins. When medications harm the liver, this may lead to a condition called acute liver injury (ALI). ALI can range from mild to severe--and, it may potentially lead to long-term health issues or even liver failure. [CDC Resource]
Doctors' Expert Insights and Actionable Steps to Protect Your Liver Health
The medical experts on our panel shifted their focus to offering practical guidance for residents of Buncombe County.
Monitor liver function: "Let's talk about monitoring liver function," Dr. Puja Uppal, DO, began. "If you're already being prescribed a medication that's known to have a high risk for potentially causing a liver injury-- such as certain antibiotics--your doctors are already recommending more frequent liver function tests. So, please don't skip these important check-ups during the course of your treatment."
Know the warning signs: Dr. Adriana Davis, Family Medicine, cautioned: "Be aware of symptoms like jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes), dark urine, or unexplained fatigue. If you experience these while taking your medications, it's time to contact your healthcare provider immediately. And, do not hesitate from going to the ER."
Review your medications: The discussion then shifted to the importance of medication review. "I can't stress this enough," one of the panelists interjected. "Schedule an appointment with your primary care provider or your local pharmacist to review all your medications. They can help identify any potential risks based on this new information."
Lifestyle modifications: Dr. Shelandra Bell, another expert at The Health Standard, advises: "Maintain a healthy liver by limiting alcohol intake! Simple things like fiber, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly--all of these things improve your body and liver function.
You should know that drug-induced liver injury (both from prescribed and illicit medicines) is a major cause of liver failure which leads to severe health complications.
Understanding which medications carry the highest risk allows doctors to better monitor patients. The findings suggest that relying solely on published case reports may underestimate the true risk of certain medications.
Keep in mind, more research will be ongoing. The findings of this study are not fully conclusive. Interim, practicing good healthy living with some caution yields the best results.
You can find a comprehensive list of medicines the researchers investigated in the study source.
Use your local health resources: You should know that Buncombe County, as part of it's public health protocol, advices that people be also tested for Hepatis-C. A proactive approach can help in manage your liver health.
The good news for North Carolina residents is that adopting these proactive habits can benefit your liver health. By following these recommendations, you can help your liver process medications more effectively and potentially reduce your risk of drug-induced liver injury.
Key Findings
- Real-world data reveals different risks: The study used healthcare data from nearly 8 million people to measure actual rates of severe acute liver injury (ALI) after starting medications. This investigation provided a more accurate picture than traditional case report methods.
- Antimicrobials top the list: 64% of the medications with the highest rates of severe liver injury were antimicrobials, including some commonly prescribed antibiotics.
- Case reports don't tell the whole story: The study found that categorizing a medication's potential for liver toxicity based on the number of published case reports "did not accurately reflect observed rates of severe ALI."
- 64% of the medications with the highest observed rates were not categorized as highly hepatotoxic in previous case reports.
The Bottom Line
These new findings highlight the need to re-evaluate current practices in identifying hepatotoxic medications to significantly improve patient safety across Buncombe County, and America.
Of note, while these findings are significant, it's important to remember that properly prescribed medications usually have more benefits than risks. Always talk to your healthcare team before making any sudden changes to your medications.
For more information on liver health or to access local resources go to Buncombe County's public health website.
Remember, your liver health is crucial to your overall wellbeing, and with these new insights, you're better equipped to protect it.
Read the Study at JAMA Network. (Touch/Click Here)
Read More: Eating fast food can lead to liver disease. Doctor Explains
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Health Standard Newswire: Junk food can contribute to liver health damage.
Key Health and Medical Statistics of Buncombe County, North Carolina
Did you know there were 1879 deaths from chronic liver disease/cirrhosis in North Carolina in 2021?
28.4% of you in Buncombe County have been screened for cholesterol in the past 5 years.
16.6% of you in Buncombe County are smokers.
29.7% of you in Buncombe County are obese.
30.5% of you in Buncombe County are sleeping less than 7 hours per night.
Health Facts That Matter: The health data mentioned above have a direct impact on your physical well-being and play a crucial role in determining your overall health outcomes.
The Health Standard Newswire.
