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CTV News
41 minutes ago
- CTV News
Are you overdoing it on electrolytes? Quebec poison control says calls are on the rise
Electrolyte drinks may quench your thirst on a hot day or after a gruelling workout, but Quebec's poison control centre is warning they're not without risks. Centre antipoison du Québec is reporting a sharp increase in exposure cases related to electrolyte supplements. The number of reported cases has increased by 30 per cent in the province over the past four years. According to data from the centre, cases involving electrolyte and mineral supplements increased to 763 as of 2024, up from 584 in 2020. Children under the age of five make up a significant portion of calls received by the centre, rising to 121 cases last year from 89 in 2020. Dr. Josh Wang, a toxicologist at the poison control centre and incoming president of the Canadian Association for Clinical Toxicology and Poison Centres, said the reason for the uptick is still unclear. 'It's hard to speculate. The numbers certainly show an increase in reporting to the poison centres,' said Wang, who also works as an emergency room physician at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). 'It's not clear to me from the data that we have what the reason is, however.' Generally safe, but don't overdo it While many products, including well-known brands like Gatorade and Pedialyte, are generally safe, Wang said problems can occur when people overdo it or take them without proper guidance. 'As an emergency physician, I frequently advise patients who are dehydrated to take these,' he said. 'But when [people] take it upon themselves to take supplementation, it's important to know what their medical problems are, and perhaps [seek] counsel from a pharmacist or doctor if there's any doubt in terms of the safety, for overdose or interactions.' He mentioned that one popular hydration drink, Prime, contains 700 milligrams of potassium, 'the same as two bananas.' That could pose a risk for people with kidney issues. 'If [people] have kidney problems, difficulty eliminating, extra potassium in their diet or from beverages could be potentially a risk,' he said. So, if you feel parched, should you choose an electrolyte drink or stick to the old standby — water? Wang assured that most products are safe when used as directed, but said to keep it simple. 'Generally, if you're thirsty, you should drink water. I think that's a good rule of thumb,' he said. If you opt for electrolyte drinks, he noted that 'it's easy to go over, make arithmetic errors, and too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.' Symptoms depend on the mineral Symptoms of overdoing it vary depending on the mineral. 'Some of them can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting. In more extreme cases, they can cause decreased mental status,' Wang said, pointing to magnesium. 'Calcium... can be associated with constipation.' Potassium, he said, is 'my most respected electrolyte in terms of overdose risk, danger for cardiac disturbances and dangerous cardiac rhythms that could lead the patient to present to the emergency department.' Advice for parents He also urged parents to keep all supplements safely stored away. 'Keeping supplements and medications out of lock and key, away from the reach and away from the curious eyes and fingers of little ones,' he said. 'I continue to encourage it to all my patients and all the people that ask me about it.' Wang said the Quebec poison centre is a great resource, and when in doubt, people can call the team at 1-800-463-5060. 'Specifically, in regard to overdose, we provide very efficient, very rapid advice,' he said.
CBC
42 minutes ago
- CBC
Alberta measles cases could pose risk for N.W.T., says territory's public health officer
The province has reported over 1,500 cases this year. Only one case detected in the N.W.T so far. Sarah St-Pierre has more.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
St. John's morgue octuples its storage capacity with new facility
New Ron Johnson doesn't believe unclaimed bodies will be problem again Newfoundland and Labrador has vastly increased the number of bodies it can store in a new morgue facility in St. John's, say health authority officials. Daniel Parsons, senior director of provincial capital planning and engineering with Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services, said this new facility consists of two fridge units and two freezer units, which is located off a hallway in the parking garage of the Janeway Children's Hospital. He said the original morgue facility was constructed in the 1970s and had a capacity of 12 bodies. The new facility can store 96 bodies. "What we've done here is significantly increased our capacity," he told reporters on Friday during a tour of the facility. Ron Johnson, chief operating officer of the health authority's eastern-urban zone, said having this expanded facility is a boon, including for those who work there, but it's also a matter of "perception." "We wanted to ensure that … people's bodies and families and others were dealt with in a very professional way. In a very caring way and empathetic way," said Johnson. "So I think this new facility does that." Johnson said the new facility came online in early June. Corey Murray, senior director of pathology and laboratory medicine, said the new space is ergonomically designed and is safer for staff. "The older space again was very confined. We had a very limited capacity. So it was difficult at times to be retrieving a decedent, either for the funeral home or for autopsy services," said Murray. Unclaimed bodies won't 'pile up' CBC News first reported 28 bodies were being stored in freezer units outside of the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's due to a lack of space in the morgue in March 2024. The morgue doubles as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The freezers were later relocated to the hospital parking garage — where the new, expanded morgue has been constructed. The provincial government amended legislation, which was filed on Dec. 24 and came into effect on Jan. 1, that empowered the health authority to bury unclaimed remains after two weeks of searching for next of kin and then five days after the identity of the person is posted online on a dedicated website. Between legislation and the expanded facility, Johnson said he doesn't anticipate they will have to tackle a growing number of unclaimed remains again. However, he said there may be other reasons they would need more storage, like a "mass event" that causes numerous deaths.
