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Public urged not to buy or consume virility product with undeclared ingredients (with photo)
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     The Department of Health (DH) today (April 25) appealed to members of the public not to buy or consume a product (no English name, see photo) that was found to contain undeclared aconite alkaloids and sildenafil.

     The DH commenced investigation upon receipt of notification from the Hospital Authority (HA) of a poisoning case involving a 50-year-old male patient with a history of consuming the above product before the onset of symptoms.

     "The patient presented with cardiac arrhythmia, hypotension, bilateral upper limbs numbness and vomiting and was admitted to hospital for management. Aconite alkaloids were detected in his urine specimen. He claimed that the product was purchased outside Hong Kong," a DH spokesman said.

     According to the HA's findings, which were later confirmed by the Government Laboratory, the sample of the product provided by the patient contained aconite alkaloids and sildenafil.

     Aconite alkaloids can be toxic. If improperly used, it can cause poisoning symptoms including perioral and limb numbness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, weak pulse and shortness of breath. It can be fatal in severe cases. Sildenafil is a prescription drug used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and should be taken under doctor's advice. Side effects of sildenafil include low blood pressure, headache, vomiting, dizziness and transient vision disturbances. It may interact with some drugs (such as nitroglycerin for the treatment of angina) and cause a decrease in blood pressure to dangerous levels. Improper use of sildenafil may pose serious health risks, especially for patients with heart problems.

     The DH spokesman strongly urged members of the public not to buy products of unknown or doubtful composition, or consume products from unknown sources. Members of the public who have purchased the above product should stop consuming it immediately. They should consult healthcare professionals for advice if feeling unwell after consumption.

     "The public may visit the Drug Office's webpage for health message on sexual dysfunction and virility products for more information," the spokesman added.
 
Ends/Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:20
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The Department of Health today (April 25) appealed to members of the public not to buy or consume a product (no English name, see photo) that was found to contain undeclared aconite alkaloids and sildenafil.