Selma Blair’s lawyer cites missed medication, head injury after in-flight arrest: What doctors say
“For instance, patients with MS may have bladder difficulties, or they’ll develop depression or neuropathic pain,” he said. “And so we prescribe medications that don’t treat the MS itself, but they deal with the symptoms related to MS.”
Dr. Yoshua Quinones, board-certified internist with Medical Offices of Manhattan, reiterated that there are different classes of MS medications.
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“Disease-modifying therapy reduces relapses, new MRI lesions and long-term disability accumulation,” Quinones, who also did not treat Blair, told Fox News Digital.
Other medications are used to treat acute relapses or manage symptoms such as fatigue, walking difficulties, spasticity and bladder problems.
Actress Selma Blair and her son Arthur Saint Bleick attend the 26th annual Race to Erase MS Gala at the Beverly Hilton hotel on May 10, 2019, in Beverly Hills. (Getty Images)
Disease-modifying therapies themselves fall into several categories, according to the doctor.
Immunomodulators help regulate the immune system, while anti-trafficking drugs prevent certain immune cells from reaching the brain and spinal cord. Cell-depleting therapies, which are generally considered highly effective treatments, target and remove specific immune cells.
Risks of skipping doses
It’s essential for patients to be compliant with their MS medications, according to Murray.
“If an MS medication dosage is missed, the patient runs the risk of having an MS relapse, which can result in acute or new changes neurologically,” he said. “There’s a host of different symptoms that can occur.”
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Potential effects of a relapse may include balance difficulties, vision loss, dizziness, bowel or bladder dysfunction, or weakness, numbness or tingling on one side.
In Blair’s case, Murray said, “If the Nuedexta was being used to treat pseudobulbar palsy secondary to her MS, missed doses could result in uncontrolled crying or laughter and emotional lability (rapid or unpredictable changes in emotion or mood).”
“I have never seen a missed dose of Nuedexta cause physical aggression,” he added.
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If a patient with multiple sclerosis has missed doses of medication and begins to develop new neurological deficits, they should seek medical attention to determine whether they are in an active MS flare, the neurologist advised.
“Recognizing that and being able to quickly get on high-dose steroids can reverse some of the symptoms the patient may be experiencing,” he said.
It’s essential for patients to be compliant with their MS medications, according to a neurologist. (iStock)
Although steroids can speed recovery from an MS relapse, they have not been shown to improve long-term outcomes, according to the MS Society.
Quinones agreed that skipping medications will reduce disease control.
“Poor compliance will increase the risk of relapse and MS-related hospitalizations,” he said. “For example, if you stop any anti-trafficking medication, it carries a high risk of rapid disease reactivation. Abrupt cessation of this class can even trigger a rebound worse than baseline.”
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Cell-depleting agents can act over months, so a single missed or delayed dose is less immediately impactful, Quinones added.
“A single dose of disease-modifying therapy is not catastrophic — however, if constantly missed, it can raise a relapse risk.”
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The risks of missing medication depend on the specific drug, how long treatment is interrupted and the patient’s individual circumstances, according to doctors.
Fox News’ Tracy Wright contributed reporting.
Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/selma-blair-lawyer-cites-missed-medication-head-injury-in-flight-arrest-what-doctors-say