A few examples of iatrogenic events include:
- If you were to become infected because a healthcare provider didn't wash his or her hands after touching a previous patient, this would be considered an iatrogenic infection.
- If you had surgery and the wrong kidney was removed, or the wrong knee was replaced, this would be considered an iatrogenic injury.
What is meant by iatrogenic causes?
Iatrogenic causes are the origins of iatrogenic reactions. They are the medical care, therapy, or intervention which led to a patient's disease, il...
What is an example of iatrogenic disease?
An example of iatrogenic disease is a patient getting diagnosed with cancer due to repeated exposure to radiation during diagnostic imaging
What does iatrogenic mean in medical terms?
Iatrogenic, or "healer-origin" from the Greek root words, means a negative effect stemming from medical care or intervention. These effects can be...
What is iatrogenic disease?
An iatrogenic condition is a state of ill health or adverse effect caused by medical treatment; it usually results from a mistake made in treatment, and can also be the fault of a nurse, therapist or pharmacist. The risk of iatrogenesis in individuals over the age of 65 is twice as high as that of a younger person (Gurwitz et al 1994).
What are the factors that increase the risk of the elderly suffering an iatrogenic condition?
A host of factors, many of which are hallmarks of aging , increase the risk of the elderly suffering an iatrogenic condition. The presence of multiple chronic diseases potentiates the possibility that the treatment of one problem may have a negative impact on another. For example, the use of a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medication in the treatment of arthritis may exacerbate heart failure or chronic gastritis. Fragmentation of health delivery into many specialties may lead to changes being made in therapeutic interventions without adequate communication among caregivers.
What is Nelson's syndrome?
Nelson's syndrome refers to the clinical situation wherein a corticotroph adenoma will manifest or, more commonly, will progress following bilateral adrenalectomy. An iatrogenic condition, the syndrome will eventually develop in at least 10–15% of Cushing's disease patients who undergo bilateral adrenalectomy (Assie et al 2007; Fleseriu et al 2007; Gil-Cardenas et al 2007; Kasperlik-Zaluska et al 2006; Thompson et al 2007 ). Although corticotroph adenomas occurring in the setting of Nelson's syndrome are morphologically indistinguishable from those responsible for Cushing's disease, the former are notoriously more aggressive. Most are macroadenomas, typically fast growing and grossly invasive of surrounding structures. The syndrome is easily recognizable, beginning with a history of hypercortisolemia in which the corticotroph adenoma was either unsuspected, undetected, or incompletely resected. Thereafter, hypercortisolemia would have been treated with bilateral adrenalectomy, producing a temporary remission, only to be followed by aggressive tumor growth and the neurologic sequelae of an expanding sellar mass. Typically, these tumors exhibit tremendous secretory activity, producing dramatic elevations in ACTH levels, together with elevations of other proopiomelanocortin related peptides, such as melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Elevations of the latter are presumably responsible for the hyperpigmentation that typifies the syndrome.
What is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome?
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is the most serious complication resulting from the medical manipulation of the ovary. It occurs in anovulatory patients wanting to conceive who need full ovulation induction (OI), and in controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in women undergoing assisted reproduction technologies (ART) in whom the retrieval of a certain number of oocytes is desired. Thus, OHSS is an iatrogenic condition, which affects young healthy individuals mainly as a consequence of fertility treatments.
What is multiple drug intolerance syndrome?
Multiple drug intolerance syndrome (MDIS), defined as three or more unrelated drug intolerances reported in the medical record, is primarily an iatrogenic condition. All medications are associated with adverse reactions, these reactions are commonly misclassified as “allergies,” females are more likely to report adverse reactions than males, and drug “allergies” are very rarely confirmed or removed for the medical record. Thus, MDIS is most commonly found in elderly females with relatively high levels of healthcare and medication utilization. Immunologically mediated multiple drug hypersensitivity is extremely uncommon in individuals with multiple drug intolerance syndrome. The management of MDIS relies on avoidance of unnecessary drugs, substitution of alternative drugs when possible, and rechallenges when needed.
What are the symptoms of OHSS?
OHSS consists of a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms that include abdominal distention and discomfort, enlarged ovaries, ascites, and other complications of enhanced ovarian vascular permeability [1,2]. In its severe form, OHSS is a life-threatening condition because it can cause renal failure and venous or arterial thromboembolic events, which include stroke and loss of perfusion to an extremity. It has also been associated with maternal death [3]. In addition, there is an important economic burden associated with OHSS due to absence from work, bed rest, and hospitalization, as well as the intensive medical management of severe cases.
What are the five categories of conditions that can be addressed for prevention?
Five categories of conditions can be addressed for prevention: diseases (primary, secondary, and tertiary), frailty, psychosocial illness, injuries, and iatrogenic problems.
What is an Iatrogenic Reaction?
An iatrogenic reaction is a negative disease, illness, or reaction caused by medical therapy. It can be caused by a prescription drug, the physician, or other medical therapies. Iatrogenic complications can either be caused by unintentional error or medical negligence.
Where does the word "iatrogenic" come from?
Iatrogenic. The word iatrogenic comes from the Greek words iatros, or healer, and genic, or origin. So if we think of something as coming from healer-origin, it means anything coming from or pertaining to medical care.
Why is iodine used in diagnostics?
In contrast diagnostic procedures, a radioactive element, such as iodine, is injected into the patient in order to study metabolism or thyroid function. Due to its radioactive nature, this procedure has inherent iatrogenic risks such as allergic reaction, cardiovascular complications, and kidney damage.
What is a HAI in medical terms?
Also known as an HAI, these are incidences where a patient suffers an infection due to a lack of hygiene on the part of the medical staff or resources.
Is ADHD a drug-induced iatrogenic disease?
Drug-Induced Iatrogenic Disease. A young patient has been prescribed stimulant medication for ADHD. The patient has been prescribed this medication for years now and her doctor has recently increased the dose due to increased tolerance.
Can prescription drugs cause iatrogenic reactions?
Prescription medications often come with a long list of known risks. These risks are exacerbated by existing disease or interaction with other prescribed drugs. If these risks are not communicated, or if they are prescribed without taking contraindications into account, iatrogenic reactions could transpire due to medical negligence. In addition, because drugs are metabolized and excreted in the body by the liver and kidney respectively, there is the possibility for hepatic and renal disease to occur as a result of prescription medication. Furthermore, some drugs can worsen mental states or offset an underlying mental disorder. These are all pathways through which prescribed medications can result in an iatrogenic reaction.
Which patient groups have a greater sensitivity to radiation?
Radiation to womb area in child-bearing age women. Pediatric patients . These patient groups have a greater sensitivity to radiation because of the rapid rate of cell division in a growing body.
How are iatrogenic diseases influenced?
Iatrogenic disease syndromes are significantly influenced by different routes of infection.29 Introduction of the infectious agent into the brain parenchyma, directly or via the optic nerve, produces an illness that is in all respects similar to sporadic CJD ( Table 43‐6 ). Introduction of the agent into the brain by a peripheral route of infection (hormone therapy) produces a distinctively different illness that begins with ataxia and even in its later stages may not include significant mental deterioration; this syndrome is strongly reminiscent of kuru, which was also acquired through peripheral routes of infection. Application of the agent to the brain surface through dura mater grafts produces an illness with intermediate characteristics, comprising either prominent cerebellar/visual or demential features. The duration of illness is unrelated to the route of infection, and the disease runs a course similar to that of sporadic CJD.
What is iatrogenic disease?
An iatrogenic condition is a state of ill health or adverse effect caused by medical treatment; it usually results from a mistake made in treatment, and can also be the fault of a nurse, therapist or pharmacist. The risk of iatrogenesis in individuals over the age of 65 is twice as high as that of a younger person ( Gurwitz et al 1994).
How many deaths from iatrogenic events in 2009?
From 2007 to 2009, 708 642 patient safety events were reported to have contributed to the deaths of 79 670 hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries in the United States of America ( Healthgrades, 2011 ). Iatrogenic events have been estimated to affect 65% of nursing home residents annually and are likely to have negative impacts on older individuals residing in assisted living facilities as well ( Mitty, 2010 ). Adverse drug reactions from prescription medications result from incorrect ordering and administration of dosages, and from polypharmacy in the elderly. Other problematic errors may be based on misreading test results, or on the ambiguous presentations of symptoms, a hallmark of aging ( Lantz, 2002; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2004; Mitty, 2010 ). For 2011, 874 116 adverse event reports for drugs and therapeutic biologic products were received by the Food and Drug Administration, up from 370 240 reports in 2003 ( FDA, 2012 ). It is estimated that 27% of adverse drug events in primary care and 42% in long-term care are preventable ( American Geriatrics Society, 2012 ).
What are the factors that increase the risk of the elderly suffering an iatrogenic condition?
A host of factors, many of which are hallmarks of aging , increase the risk of the elderly suffering an iatrogenic condition. The presence of multiple chronic diseases potentiates the possibility that the treatment of one problem may have a negative impact on another. For example, the use of a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medication in the treatment of arthritis may exacerbate heart failure or chronic gastritis. Fragmentation of health delivery into many specialties may lead to changes being made in therapeutic interventions without adequate communication among caregivers.
What is iatrogenic neuropathy?
Iatrogenic neuropathies are unintended peripheral nervous system (PNS) complications that occur during the course of a patient's medical care. The term iatrogenic is derived from the Greek words iatros (healer) and genic (origin). The lesions can be caused directly or indirectly by anyone involved in the patient's care.
Why are iatrogenic diseases important?
Iatrogenic diseases are an increasingly important subgroup as powerful drugs often have undesirable side effects, either predictably in a dose-dependent fashion or in an unpredictable idiosyncratic manner.
Why do older patients come to hospital without medication?
Surgical and medical interventions may lead to complications because of anesthesia or fluid overload ( Merck Manual, 2013 ). Older patients often arrive at hospital without medications or an appropriate list of prescribed drugs, meaning that scheduled doses may be missed for hours or days.
