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Thursday, November 23, 2006

Doctors issue warning for Botox users

Doctors have issued a warning about dangers of using high doses of the potentially fatal toxin botox in cosmetic treatments.
The journal of the American medical association reports four cases where patients were given doses many times higher than the estimated lethal dose.The treatments were given using toxin intended for laboratory use.Botulism is a rare paralytic illness caused by the botulinum toxins.Left untreated,it may result in respiratory failure and death.Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxicprotein produced by the bacterium clostridium botulinum. It is the most poisonous naturally occurring substance in the world. Though it is highly toxic, it is used in minute doses both to treat painful muscle spasms, and as a cosmetic treatment in some parts of the world. It is sold commercially under the brand names Botox and Dysport for this purpose. The terms Botox and Dysport are trade names and are not used generically to describe the neurotoxins produced by Clostridia species
In the four cases reported to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention,US,the patients were found to have been injected with a highly concentrated,unlicensed preparation of botulinum toxin intended for for laboratory research, and not for human use.
But a doctor at one unnamed clinic gave the three patients-and himself – courses of four to six injections as facial cosmetic treatments.All four reported symptoms of progessive weakness and abnormalities in the nerves that control functions like movement of facial muscles and swallowing.
posted by suzzee, 10:50 AM

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