Hospital pharmacy responsible for Heparin overdose in 17 infants
2008-07-11 14:29:54 (GMT) (Caymanmama.com - Health News News)McAllen, Texas: On Thursday, the Christus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi reported that an error which led to overdose of blood thinner in 17 infants was due to its pharmacy’s mistake. In the incident, two babies died.
The Chief Medical Officer from the Health System, Dr. Richard Davis, said that the mistake was not related to the product packaging or labeling of the pediatric drug Heparin. The drug is useful in flushing the intravenous lines of the patient and prevents blood clotting.
Two employees of the hospital’s pharmacy went on voluntary leave this week while the investigations were going on. It was not immediately clear what will be their status after the confirmation. The error is supposed to have taken place on July 3 and the batch of Heparin was initially administered in the neonatal intensive care unit on July 4.
On Sunday, nurses observed the overdose during regular blood work. They immediately stopped using the drug and gave medication to the patient to counter its effects. Two infants, a twin sister and brother died, though the physician is not finding any direct link between their deaths and a Heparin overdose.
Twelve other babies were given the overdose and three others were overdosed just before being released from the hospital. There have been no side effects reported in those three babies. Davis earlier said that the other 12 infants have also shown no ill effects but they have been retained in the hospital for other reasons not related to the drug overdose.
The two babies which passed away, Kaylynn and Keith Garcia, were born premature in the Christus Spohn Hospital and were transferred for advanced care. The officials of the hospitals said that autopsies are being conducted and a review has been conducted by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
CaymanMama.com - Press Release Distribution Service
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