Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1143172
Working Nurse l WorkingNurse.com 9 July 15–August 19, 2019 New Treatment for Hospital-Acquired Infections Drug approved for HABP and VABP T here's a new tool for fighting hospital-acquired infections: The FDA recently approved the med- ication Zerbaxa to treat healthcare-associated bacterial pneumonia. Zerbaxa Approval If you've worked in the ICU, you may be all too familiar with the risks of ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP). By some estimates, as many as 27 percent of patients on mechanical ventilators suffer VABP, with typi- cal mortality rates of 10 percent or more. The danger is particularly acute with antibiotic-resistant infections, which are harder to treat. In June, the FDA granted approval for a new treatment for VABP and other hospital-acquired bacterial pneumo- nias in adult patients: Zerbaxa, a drug manufactured by Merck that was previously approved for treating compli- cated intra-abdominal and urinary tract infections. "Hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia are serious infections that can result in death in some patients," says FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernethy, M.D., Ph.D. "New therapies to treat these infections are important to meet patient needs because of increased antimicrobial resistance." No Substitute for Hand Hygiene Although the FDA says Zerbaxa is as safe and effective as existing treatments, the drug still requires careful stew- ardship to avoid developing resistant bacterial strains. Zerbaxa is also contraindicated in renally impaired patients and can cause severe diarrhea. Ultimately, preventing VABP infections is still just as important as fighting them. "Nurses are the first line of defense in preventing bac- terial colonization of the oropharynx and gastrointestinal tract," wrote Beth Augustyn, RN, MSN, ACNP, CCRN, in an oft-cited study in the journal Critical Care Nurse, noting that "meticulous" hand hygiene by nurses and other clini- cians is a vital step in avoiding cross-contamination and reducing infection risk. WN Dietary Supplements New advisory list steers consumers away from certain ingredients I f you or your patients regularly take dietary supplements, the FDA has a new link for you to bookmark: an advisory list warning consumers to avoid supplements containing certain specific ingredients. Introducing "The List" Back in February, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., announced that his agency would be taking steps to tighten federal regulation of dietary supplements. By Gottlieb's estimates, between 75 and 80 percent of all Americans take at least one supplement, which has created a burgeoning $40 billion market. "I'm concerned that changes in the supplement market may have outpaced the evolution of our own policies and our capacity to manage emerging risks," he said. The latest step in the ongoing campaign is the new Dietary Supplement Ingredient Advisory List. "The List," as FDA offi- cials have dubbed it, is a regularly updated catalog of ingredi- ents the agency believes may not be lawful for dietary supple- ment use. Ingredients to Avoid The initial advisory list includes four ingredients: • andarine, used in some fitness supplements to reduce muscle wasting and osteoporosis • higenamine, a stimulant marketed for weight loss • hordenine, sometimes marketed as a fat-burner • 1.4-DMAA, a stimulant found in sports supplements. Different manufacturers may list these ingredients under a variety of chemical names, so the advisory includes a laundry list of common aliases for each. FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response Frank Yiannis stresses that these ingredients aren't necessar- ily unsafe. However, he recommends that consumers shy away from products containing these ingredients — and that manufacturers avoid offering them until they can establish that the ingredients are being lawfully used. You can find this advisory list (and other related informa- tion) on the FDA website at www.fda.gov/Food/Dietary Supplements/ProductsIngredients. WN