Sunday, July 24, 2005

11,600 PA patients got infections IN THE HOSPITAL!

A study of the hospitals in the state by the state of Pennsylvania was recently released that shows “the toll hospital infections take, saying that more than 11,600 patients got infections while in hospitals last year. Those led to an additional 1,500 deaths and $2 billion in hospital charges.” As reported in HealthSentinel (click on title for the article)

Now, of course, the release of this report includes the commitment of the state to fix this huge problem. People go to the hospital to get well not sick. One thousand five hundred deaths in Pennsylvania alone caused by infections caught in the hospital demonstrates that the hospital is a good place to stay out of unless absolutely necessary.

Being in the hospital is a very stressful situation. It is not home, there is often a lot of uncertainty, not to mention the problem that sent you there. This stress leads to Acute Induced Scurvy. This is a condition where your body needs lots of vitamin C to counteract the stress and doesn’t have it. This leads to a state of very high susceptibility to infection. It is not uncommon to hear of someone having a heart attack, being taken to the hospital, surviving the event only to die of pneumonia some weeks later. This is why I have long advocated high-dose C to anyone in the hospital. Specifically, at least 10grams added to every IV bottle for anyone on IV glucose.

If you go to the hospital have someone bring you vitamin C and take lots, but do it secretly, you probably won’t get any cooperation from your doctor or the staff.