Doctors in Florida put him on several medications, including two antidepressants, and soon after the man began hallucinating and showing signs of dementia.
The Food and Drug Administration eased a shortage of the anesthetic propofol last year by allowing foreign importation, for example, and this year approved bringing in several other medications, including two cancer drugs.
And he takes half a dozen prescription medications, including two (Lexapro and Buspirone) that are often used to treat anxiety and one (Lamictal) that is used as a mood stabilizer.
After warning that the rising use of oral sedation was not being adequately regulated, the American Dental Association published guidelines last year recommending that dentists undergo a minimum of 24 hours of training in sedating patients and 10 clinical experiences administering the medications, including three actual cases and one that involves bringing a patient back from deep sedation.
The safety population consisted of 511 patients who received at least one dose of study medication, including two patients who received treatment with budesonide MMX 9 mg, but who were not randomised through the IVRS.
Seven patients died on study (within 28 days of receiving the last dose of study medication), including four patients who died because of disease progression and one patient because of clinical deterioration (49-year-old male, 22 days after the first dose).
Overall, 40 ADEs were identified in hospital records within 1 year after the study period in the group of subjects with medication errors, including two life-threatening ADEs (bradycardia due to digoxin intoxication and acute kidney injury with lactic acidosis associated with persistent metformin use).
He takes 15 medications a day, including two insulin injections.
Seven years ago, inspectors noted numerous examples of missed medical treatments, a continuing lack of nurses and several medication errors, including one that led to a staff member's suspension.
And Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has received similar attention for raising the price of many of its drugs, including two heart medications, Nitropress and Isuprel.
"It makes the whole process so much easier," says Gilbert Slater, an 80-year-old customer from New Hampshire who takes seven or eight medications a day, including three blood pressure pills, a statin, an allergy medication, and baby aspirin.
