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Mortal mistake The patient dies after confusion with the medication in the hospital
In one Austrian hospital, one patient died because he received "special" infusion, a calcium chloride magnesium chloride infusion, instead of a potassium / magnesium. Even in Germany, there were already deaths in hospitals due to confusion.
More and more treatment errors
Medical errors in medical practices or hospitals are unfortunately not uncommon. According to an earlier report from the medical service of the Kassen-Spitzenverband (MDS), more and more patients are affected. A particularly dramatic case was reported last year from Duderstadt in Lower Saxony. There a patient had died because of wrong blood preserves. Also in Austria it came now to a deadly confusion.
In Austria, a patient received in a clinic instead of a potassium / magnesium "special" infusion, a calcium chloride magnesium chloride infusion. The confusion of medicines cost him his life. (Image: dplett / fotolia.com) Infusion confused
In the provincial hospital Kirchdorf an der Krems (Upper Austria) there was a regrettable death due to a confusion of drugs.
As the Oberösterreichische Gesundheits- und Spitals-AG gespag, to which the LKH Kirchdorf belongs, writes in a press release, the deceased patient received a calcium chloride magnesium chloride infusion instead of a potassium / magnesium "special" infusion.
The 61-year-old patient died in a Viennese clinic because of the consequential damage caused by the wrong medication.
Initially, an allergic reaction was suspected
According to the information, the patient was admitted to the LKH Kirchdorf for atrial fibrillation on 30 September and subsequently transferred to the intensive care unit. The laboratory findings showed, among other things, a potassium deficiency.
Thereafter, the medical prescription of potassium / magnesium "special" in addition to other drugs for atrial fibrillation.
After starting the infusion by a nurse, the patient complained of burning in the mouth, face, and both hands, and had an increased heart rate.
At this time, there was a suspicion of an allergic reaction, which is why a certain drug was discontinued. However, potassium / magnesium infusion was continued and given in its entirety.
A little later, the patient was found to have elevated calcium levels and initiated a counter therapy.
The general condition of the Upper Austrian initially improved, but the following night a beginning acute renal failure was noted. Because of an acute respiratory distress syndrome, the 61-year-old was intubated and artificially ventilated.
The patient was finally transferred by helicopter to a special department in Vienna, where he died on 3.10.2017.
Other patients affected by drug confusion
According spamming research was discovered in the clinic, that obviously a drug confusion is present.
In addition, internal research can not rule out that two other patients are affected by the same drug confusion, but have not suffered any health consequences.
Another seriously ill patient who has also been treated with the drug can not be ruled out as having died of it.
The responsible prosecution was informed about the respective facts and will initiate investigations.
people make mistakes
"Regrettably, mistakes can happen where people work, including in a hospital. Unfortunately, we can not exclude them 100% ", explained the two spokesman Dr. rer. Harald dude and Mag. Karl Lehner.
"But what matters is that mistakes of this kind do not happen again," Dr. Harald dude.
The company claims to have taken the first immediate steps to improve the distinctiveness of the drugs, as well as "instructed to re-sensitize all employees to closely examine each drug prior to administration," said Drs. Harald dude.
"It is important to note at this point that we have the utmost confidence in our employees. They are all working with great commitment to the patients every day, but they work in a high-risk environment where mistakes can unfortunately have a fatal effect, "emphasized Mag. Karl Lehner. (Ad)