Discontinuation of donepezil and olanzapine, aggressive intravenous hydration, intravenous dantrolene, and bromocriptine via a nasogastric tube. The patient was also administered intravenous antibiotics for aspiration pneumonia, and carbidopa-levodopa for residual parkinsonian features.
The findings of this study confirm the need for provider education about the appropriate use of levodopa and dopamine agonists in patients with RLS. Appropriate use of these drugs may help decrease unnecessary adverse effects, complications, and costs.
A 74-year-old man with a past medical history of chronic low back pain presented with two to three weeks of progressive weakness starting in the lower extremities and then spreading to the upper extremities. Distal muscles were more affected than proximal muscles; weakness was accompanied by numbness and paresthesias. There was no preceding acute viral, respiratory, or gastrointestinal illness. Initial workup revealed hepatitis C antibody reactivity, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed albuminocytologic dissociation. MRI demonstrated multilevel degenerative changes and diffuse enhancement of the cauda equina nerve roots compatible with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Repeat testing confirmed ongoing hepatitis C infection with increasing quantitative hepatitis C virus (HCV) levels. This case illustrates an interesting presentation of GBS potentially triggered by hepatitis C reactivation. This is the first case, to our knowledge, with serologic evidence demonstrating acute hepatitis C reactivation concurrent with GBS which presented in the absence of immunomodulatory interferon treatment. The patient continues to recover with ongoing rehabilitation at the time of this case report.
Medications are the primary therapeutic intervention in many health care settings. As prescription drug use continues to grow, and medication therapies become more complex, our health care systems have become more prone to medication errors and adverse drug events. Medication Therapy Management services provided by pharmacists have been shown to help reduce medication errors, adverse drug events, and costs. Such services need to be integrated into the health care system and not be regarded as optional. This article is intended to provide pharmacists, pharmacy leaders, and health care policymakers the information needed to broach this topic at the health care policy level.
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