Selma Blair's lawyer cites missed medication and head injury after in-flight arrest: what doctors say
Selma Blair's lawyer claims she missed doses of a powerful MS drug, triggering severe neurological symptoms before her in-flight arrest.
Losing MS medication may have hidden dangers, neurologist warns
Dr. Lee Murray, a board-certified neurologist practicing in Jackson, Tennessee, shared the potential health effects that can occur if a patient with multiple sclerosis misses necessary medication doses.
Salma Blair's recent in-flight arrest has raised questions about the potential effects when a person with multiple sclerosis misses prescribed medication.
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The attorney added that Blair hit her head during the flight out of Los Angeles and was in a "state of extreme confusion and confusion." He also suggested that altitude may be a factor.
He claimed that this incident was the result of a "medical emergency" and not a criminal offense.
According to Dr. Lee Murray, a neurologist at West Tennessee Health in Jackson, Tennessee, there are three primary treatments for multiple sclerosis.
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These drugs often involve an IV infusion, but they can come in pill form or as an injection that the patient gives himself.
"These are often medications that people have been taking for many years," Murray said. "The hope is to suppress the MS and prevent [the patient] from having MS attacks."
When patients experience MS relapses, doctors may prescribe high-dose steroids orally, or intravenously, to reduce inflammation and help speed recovery, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Murray noted that patients with multiple sclerosis often have other health problems.
"If a dose of MS medication is missed, the patient is at risk of MS relapse."
For example, patients with MS may have bladder problems or develop depression or neuropathic pain, he said. So we prescribe drugs that don't cure MS itself, but deal with the symptoms associated with MS.
Dr. Yoshua Quinones, a board-certified internist at Manhattan Medical Practice, reiterated that there are different classes of MS drugs.
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Other drugs are used to treat acute flare-ups or to manage symptoms such as fatigue, walking problems, spasticity, and bladder problems.
According to the doctor, the treatments that modify the disease are divided into several categories.
Immunomodulators help regulate the immune system, while anti-trafficking drugs prevent certain immune cells from reaching the brain and spinal cord. Cytotoxic therapies, generally considered highly effective treatments, target and eliminate specific immune cells.
Adherence to MS medications is essential for patients, according to Murray.
"If a dose of MS medication is missed, the patient is at risk of MS relapse, which can lead to acute or new neurological changes," he said. A variety of symptoms may occur.
Potential effects of a relapse may include balance problems, vision loss, dizziness, bowel or bladder dysfunction, or weakness, numbness, or tingling on one side.
"If a multiple sclerosis patient misses a dose and develops new neurological deficits, they should seek medical attention to see if they have active MS relapse," Murray advises.
Understanding this and being able to get high-dose steroids quickly can reverse some of the symptoms the patient is experiencing.
According to a neurologist, adherence to MS medications is essential for patients. (iStock)
According to the MS Society, although steroids can speed recovery after MS relapses, they have not been shown to improve long-term outcomes.
Quinones agreed that removing the drugs would reduce disease control.
"Poor adherence increases the risk of MS-related relapses and hospitalizations," he said. For example, if you stop taking an anti-trafficking drug, you run the risk of rapid reactivation of the disease.
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Quinones added that cell-destroying agents can work over months, so a missed or delayed dose has less of an immediate effect.
"A single dose of disease-modifying therapy is not catastrophic—however, if repeatedly missed, it can increase the risk of relapse."
According to doctors, the risks of losing the drug depend on the specific drug, the duration of treatment interruption and the individual condition of the patient.
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