OptiMARK by Mallinckrodt/Tyco Healthcare
OptiMARK is the brand name of gadolinium-based contrast agent, which is used in medical imaging scans. The product is used to help doctors see abnormalities in tissue and is therefore used to help make diagnoses. OptiMARK is manufactured by Mallinckrodt Inc, a company that was recently acquired by Tyco International Ltd. Tyco is a manufacturing and service company while Mallinckrodt is a healthcare company. OptiMARK is the only contrasting agent approved by the FDA for administration by power injector.
Like all Gadolinium-based contrast agents, OptiMARK puts patients at risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). Patients with kidney problems are at risk for NSF because their kidneys are unable to safely flush the gadolinium out of the body. NSF is a relatively rare condition but can be fatal. It causes a hardening and tightening of the skin and some patients report early symptoms within days of getting an injection of Gadolinium-based contrast agents. Mallinckrodt and Tyco recommend that patients with kidney disease not be given OptiMARK unless imaging is essential. In addition to NSF, clinical trails have found that OptiMARK has some adverse side effects, even in patients with no kidney problems. These adverse reactions include headache, vasodilation, inability to taste food properly, dizziness, nausea and paresthesia. Patients with respiratory problems may experience cardiovascular reactions with OptiMARK and should be monitored carefully.
