Drug caution advised, especially for seniors

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We are each unique… right down to the assortment of bacteria in our intestinal tracts. Unfortunately, that fact is often overlooked when medications are prescribed. Of course some drugs save lives, but obviously most are associated with potential side effects—some quite serious. The system needs to become much more nuanced in deciding how much of what to prescribe to whom. Women react differently to meds than men and that most drug testing has not included women has caused trouble. Older individuals process toxins such as pharmaceuticals differently than younger ones. Seniors sometimes have a reduced response to drugs but often experience a much greater reaction. Complicating matters is the fact that very few drugs have ever been tested in combination with other drugs. More than half of Americans take 2 drugs and 20% routinely take five or more. There have been no clinical trials I know of to test the safety of the poly-pharmacy chemical soup so many Americans are ingesting.

While the practice of medicine is figuring out these details and escaping the overpowering sales pressure of the pharmaceutical industry, we must protect ourselves. Drug caution is advised especially for seniors. I’d start by asking if any symptom a person has is possibly being caused, not by age or bad genes, but rather by some medication he or she is taking. (There are usually safer substitutes.)

Here are some resources that might help:

Drugs that are potentially not appropriate for seniors

My article on drugs. It has more resources.

Look up the type, side effects, instructions on meds Don’t forget to look up over-the-counter medications because they have side effects…here is a tiny sample: Tylenol / liver damage; Aleve / intestinal bleeding; Nexium / dementia, hip fracture, kidney disease, etc.

Look up interactions.

An article entitled “Are Psych Drugs Killing 500,000 Seniors?” This is especially sad when we know that nutrition interventions like B-vitamins, magnesium and fish oil are so much safer and in fact offer fringe benefits.



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