My husband received a email from a retired military friend he works with, he left work the other day not feeling well.
Just wanted to share the contents of that mail.

Well, I'm back home and am very fortunate to have no coronary problems. After spending the last day and a half in cardiology, all test went very well and came back with negative results. However, the cardiologist is convinced that the medications that the Naval Clinic prescribed, to clear the sinus infection, caused a really bad interaction with the blood pressure medication I take. The Guaifenesin Pseudoephedrine, prescribed by the Naval Clinic, when mixed with Altace (Bp medication) triggers spasms within the coronary artery. It creates pain in the chest, numbness in the arm and spasms in the neck. It also sends the heart out of rhythm and can potentially damage the heart. This is not some thing I want to go through again. Fortunately, I have no apparent damage and all seems to be working well. The cardiologist was troubled by the fact that a physician would prescribe the Guaif/Pseud to someone on BP medication and said a good pharmacist should have caught it and double checked with the doctor before issuing the medications.

The cardiologist has the Naval Clinic phone number and I'm contacting their patient representative this morning. So, I'm going to wait and see what action the Naval Clinic takes, before I push it up the chain of command.

When I questioned awhile back about some of my own medications, I was told the computer system would catch any & all interactions at the pharmacy level.....evidently not.

Some have said it's due to the war in Iraq, not enough personnel. In my personal opinion I have not see any less personnel in the pharmancy ot clinic that I visit.



Brenda