According to a recent study, emergency room doctors are prescribing too many opioids to patients who suffer from migraine headaches. Migraine headaches account for the fifth biggest reason patients visit the emergency room.

Researchers from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, The Bronx, analyzed data that was collected for the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. This data was gathered between the years of 1998 to 2010.

During that time period, millions of patients visited the ER because of migraine headaches. In 2010 alone, there were 1.2 million ER patients with complaints of severe headaches. In 1998, 51 percent of migraine headache patients were prescribed opioids by the attending ER physician for pain relief. In 2010, that number rose to 53 percent, despite study results over the past two decades that other drugs work much better at relieving migraine pain.

According to lead researcher Dr. Benjamin Friedman, frequent use of opioids to treat migraines should not be happening. “Opioids are not as good as other medications in the short-term and they may have long-term effects that are harmful to patients,” said Friedman. The study found that opioids are only necessary in approximately 5 percent of patients. Drugs such as triptan and ketorolac work better and quicker at relieving pain compared to opioids. Yet emergency room doctors prescribe these two drugs to only 10 percent of migraine sufferers.

There is also concern that opioids actually cause harm to a patient by making the migraines worse. Therefore, this then causes the patient to visit the emergency room more frequently. The researchers recommend an investigation be conducted to find out why ER physicians are prescribing such a high amount of opioids.

If you have been prescribed medication that has caused serious side-effects, or a medication has caused your condition to worsen, contact an experienced Westport medical malpractice attorney to find out what compensation you may be entitled to for pain and loss.

Surgical errors are more common in the U.S. than one may think. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine published a report stating how just less than 100,000 people in the U.S. died every year from medical mistakes. However, according to a report issued by the Journal of Patient Safety and as reported by Propublica.org, that number is now estimated between 210,000 and 440,00 patients each year.

The estimate includes patients who suffer any type of preventable harm such as misdiagnosis, surgical error, and patient mix-up. Propublica.org notes how this “would make medical errors the third-leading cause of death in America,” third only to cancer and heart disease (the second and first leading cause of death in the U.S., respectively). Surgical errors are often the most serious of medical mistakes, because they are often irreversible mistakes that result in death.

An article in Medical News Today states how events that should never occur during surgery are known in the industry as “never events,” but these events occur far more often than never. Findings published in Surgery (as reported by Medical News Today) report more than 4,000 “never-events” happening each year in the U.S. And between 1990 and 2010, there were more than 80,000 of these across the country.

Examples of surgical error include extremely severe and identifiable mistakes such as a surgeon leaving a tool inside a patient’s body. By some estimates this happens about 39 times a week. Other surgical errors include a doctor operating on a wrong body part, or performing the wrong surgery. This happens less often, but still at a staggering estimate of 20 times each week. Malpractice claims arising from incidents of surgical error have cost the medical industry more than $1.3 billion between 1990 and 2010, according to Medical News Today.

Submitting a medical malpractice claim can be a long and arduous process. If you suspect that you have been a victim of medical malpractice or surgical error in Connecticut, the most important first step is to seek the counsel of a malpractice attorney. Contact a Westport medical malpractice attorney for a free initial consultation today.

A trip to the hospital can be a scary event. Not only do people worry about possible procedures or tests, they can also be concerned over various situations that can go wrong. Surgical errors, drug mix-ups, and infections that people can catch while admitted in a hospital are just a few of the examples that can complicate what is supposed to be a very simple hospital visit. According to studies, however, one in four patients is affected by some form of hospital error.

If you are going to be admitted into a hospital, there are steps you can take to help ensure your safety. One of the first things you should do is check the ratings of the hospital. A critical statistic in this area is the hospital’s infection rate. Statistics reveal that over two million patients acquire infections from healthcare facilities. For over 100,000 patients, these infections are fatal.

It is important to meet with your doctor some time prior to your hospital stay and review what your procedure will entail and what you should expect. Make a list of any drugs or supplements you are currently taking and find out which ones you should stop prior to your stay. Give your doctor the list for your record and bring copies of it to the hospital when you go.

Other steps you should take include choosing a healthcare proxy – someone who can make medical decisions for you in the event you become unable to do so. You should also prepare a living will. Make sure you have a family member or friend who will be helping you get to the hospital and will oversee your stay and recovery.

When you are admitted to the hospital, make sure to give the staff your drug list. Also, check your hospital wristband to verify your name is spelled correctly and also contains the correct information about you and any allergies you have may to medications. Being prepared for your visit can help make the process go more smoothly, and it may even save your life.

If you suffered from injuries or other serious side effects as a result of medical negligence during a hospital stay, please contact an experienced Westport medical malpractice attorney to find out what compensation you may be entitled to for pain and loss.