Tag: food poisoning

Master of the Obvious on Proton Pump Inhibitors

~ Pharmer

Proton Pump Inhibitors Linked to C difficile Diarrhea.

Some obvious things need a study to be established as fact.

The acidity of the stomach is good for beginning the digestion of proteins and for protecting the gut from unwanted, microbial, disease causing organisms. It also contributes to immediate and later absorption of vital nutrients such as iron. When the proton pump inhibitors such as prevacid, nexium, protonix first came onto the market, and were said to be much more effective in reducing stomach acid, Pharmer told the retail patients to be careful what food they ate at the picnics and wedding receptions. It would be easier to get bacterial food poisoning while taking a proton pump inhibitor. Pharmer also began mentioning to patients that it would decrease absorption of iron.

Who paid the FDA to put proton pump inhibitors over the counter? (Weren’t the H2 blockers, e.g. cimetidine, famotidine, enough?)

People are chowing down on these strong stomach acid suppressors, using them like Tums. Diarrheal episodes abound. Clostridium difficile (among other beastly buggs) blooms throughout the nursing homes, community, and hospitals. It’s getting more and more difficult to deal with, as resistance to antibiotics increases.

Amazing! There’s an association between use of the proton pump inhibitors and clostridium infections.

Proton pump inhibitors are what you use when life style changes fail and none of the other antacids work. See a physician who isn’t so crazy with the prescription pad.

Think They’ll Start Washing Their Hands After Going To the Bathroom?

~ Pharmer

Germany steps up hunt for deadly E.coli source – Yahoo! News.

Where do you find Escherichia coli?   This is the bacterium most associated with feces.

A particularly virulent strain, (Shiga toxin producer) which is associated with severe food poisoning and sometimes death,  is  causing quite a panic in Europe.

Pharmer hopes that the spread of this organism, (which is transmitted  in the manner of many other organisms associated with food poisoning)  will inspire people to wash their hands after going to the bathroom, and before food handling and preparation.

It might even inspire those in Europe and elsewhere   to attend to the hygiene in their hospitals.  This would benefit ALL the patients.

We have previously seen  governmental wild goose chases looking for the source of  pathogenic organisms where vegetables and food products are grown.  Remember the salsa scare? It would be advisable for people to spend their effort attending to  proper food preparation and personal hygiene.  Hopefully they can still afford the soap and water after the governments have  burned their resources in  futile  attempts to track the organisms, and destroyed massive quantities of good food in the process.