If you take prescription drugs, there is a very good chance that you are taking the wrong one. In fact, a new study says that up to 39% of geriatric patients take inappropriate drugs.
Diane Spokus presented her teams findings at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America. The team looked at the records of 17, 971 managed care patients aged 65 or older. They found that nearly 40% were using at least one inappropriately prescribed drug.
But it gets worse. They also found that 13% of seniors are using two or more drugs that are inappropriate! The drugs were called inappropriate because they should be generally avoided in persons 65 or older because they are either ineffective, or they pose unnecessarily high risk for older persons, and a safer alternative is available.
The most abused drugs were pain relievers, sedatives, and NSAIDs. This mess is creating drug-related problems and increasing health care costs. The researchers found a 300 increase of drug-related problems among those taking unneeded drugs. The most common toxic effects were syncope (fainting), malaise, fatigue, dehydration, sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairment.
The drugs also are associated with increased costs, including facility and additional prescription costs. This amounted to $1,250 more than seniors not taking unneeded drugs over six months.
Please look at all the drugs you take. Then take the list to an integrative physician for a second opinion. Heres proof that drugs ratchet up the cost of your care, both in dollars and toxicity. Look to the alternatives you find in these pages.
Ref: Family Practice News, February 15, 2006.