Intravenous news: The Chicago Tribune reports ‘Baxter International Inc. said medical care providers at a hospital in Delaware and U.S. health officials are investigating whether the deaths of two patients are linked to a brand of heparin blood thinner Baxter sells in intravenous bags.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the situation “appears to be an isolated incident,†agency spokeswoman Karen Riley said this afternoon.
Use of Baxter’s heparin, a diluted form in pre-mixed bags used for a variety of blood thinning purposes, has been suspended by officials at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Del. since Friday. Adverse reactions were reported in five patients who had problems that included internal bleeding in the brainâ€.