On The Road For Memorial Day Weekend - Watch Your Medications

Jean Martin — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:11:54 GMT

Many Americans will be on the road traveling this Memorial Day weekend. Unfotrunately, as we all know, holiday weekends with holiday travel present more risk for traffic accidents. We have all heard the warnings to slow down, be patient, leave plenty of room between you and the car in front of you, check your tire pressure, etc. But perhaps we should also warn people to check their medications.

First, as you head out for the holiday weekend, you want to make sure that you remember your medicines. If you are diabetic or have high blood pressure or another chronic disease, you do not want to miss your medications. So in those circumstances, your medicines should be the first thing you pack.

But if you have been taking Chantix in order to quit smoking, I would encourage you to leave that one at home, particularly if you are doing the driving this weekend. Over 170 serious events described as accidental injury, including more than 30 traffic accidents and 77 falls, have been reported with use of Chantix. The resulting injuries from the falls have included fractures of ribs, hands, arms, facial bones, spine and lower limbs. According to the manufacturer's own study, there is a doubling of the risk of accidental injury at at .5 mg does. In the 4th quarter of 2007, Chantix accounted for 988 serious injuries in the United States - more than any other individual drug.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not allow pilots flying commerical planes or air traffic controllers to use Chantix. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has warned medical examiners not to prescribe Chantix for commerical drivers. The reason? Chantix is being blammed for blackouts and seizures. I don't have to tell you that the consequences of experiencing a blackout or seizure while driving can be deadly.

You have valuable cargo in your car this weekend, keep them and yourself safe - leave the Chantix at home!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin

What Would Cause Someone to Blackout While Driving? Maybe It's the Chantix.

Jean Martin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:14:00 GMT

My InjuryBoad Colleague Randy Appleton recently reported about an accident that occurred when a woman blacked out while driving. Too often accidents happen and the driver doesn't remember a thing. The police officer investigating the accident determines that the driver suffered a blackout and that led to the accident.

Not only is is tragic circumstances when the accident results in someone being injured, now the driver is left with the scary questions as to what caused the blackout. Doctors will look for a medical condition - seizure, epilepsy, heart problems, diabetes, etc - that caused the blackout. But now there may be another answer - Chantix.

Chantix is a medication that is used to help people quit smoking. While many people say that is has helped them in this regard, the side effects experienced were worse than the smoking habit. Chantix has been linked to seizures, suicides, heart problems, and diabetes. There have also been numerous reports of traffic accidents due to blackouts while the affected driver was taking Chantix. I think that it is telling that the Federal Aviation Administration will not allow pilots to be taking Chantix and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has banned operators of tractor trailer trucks from using this prescription drug.

If an accident happens due to a driver blackout, Chantix needs to be added to the list of consideration for potential causes.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin

Wilmington Personal Injury Lawyer - tractor trailer

On The Road For Memorial Day Weekend - Watch Your Medications

What Would Cause Someone to Blackout While Driving? Maybe It's the Chantix.