More than nine in ten older adults take at least one prescription drug; And, half of all older adults take four or more prescription drugs, some of which they may not need. On top of that, many take over-the-counter medications and supplements. Kaiser Health News reports that more than one in seven older adults experience harmful drug side effects. Talk to your doctor about all the drugs you’re taking, why you need them, and whether you can stop taking one or more of them.
Good primary care doctors and geriatricians oversee their patients’ drug use and try to “deprescribe,” reduce the number of prescriptions their patients are using, eliminating those that are unnecessary or inappropriate. Often, with drugs, less is more. Hundreds of new drugs are harmful or ineffective. And, one in three recently approved drugs may have harmful side effects.
The most common side effects from multiple medications are dizziness, confusion and falls. But, some side effects are life-threatening. Here is a roundup of Just Care posts on commonly used prescription and over-the-counter drugs, as well as supplements, that have been linked with serious side effects.
- Prednisone and other PPIs may increase risk of dementia
- PPIs, proton pump inhibitors, used for a prolonged time, can increase the risk of stomach cancer
- Actemra, a rheumatoid arthritis drug, may increase the risk of stroke, heart and lung disease, and has possibly killed hundreds of people who took it
- Hydrochlorothiazide, a common blood pressure drug, may increase risk of skin cancer
- Advil and Aleve and other drugs with ibuprofen may increase risk of stroke and heart attack
- Tylenol and other painkillers with acetaminophen may be toxic when overused
- Anticholinergic drugs may increase risk of cognitive impairment: Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), and Dimetapp (dextromethorphan), a commonly used cough suppressant found in cold remedies
- Body-building and weight-loss supplements, as well as supplements marketed for depression, sexual performance and treating digestive issues, may cause liver damage
- These 15 ingredients in supplements may cause a wide range of harmful side effects
Keep in mind that FDA approval of a drug does not mean that it is safe, only that the clinical trials pre-FDA approval showed that the drug offered a clinical benefit. If possible, stay away from drugs that have been on the market fewer than ten years. Typically, it takes 4.2 years from FDA approval for detection of a new risk for a novel drug. But, it could take ten years after FDA approval for popular drugs to be pulled from the market.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Why you need a primary care doctor in this age of specialization
- Four questions to ask yourself about your primary care doctor
- Seven things to do before you or someone you love leaves the hospital
- What’s your Medicare premium in 2018?
- GOP tax bill has hidden middle class tax hike
