It’s All In The Numbers

According to WorstPills.org there are 212 prescription drugs that people should NOT due to various health hazards, and 62 prescription drugs that can potentially cause eye disease. There are a plethora of other interesting statistics on the site, which are attributed to “well-conducted studies, mainly in the United States.” Here are a few:

• Each year, in hospitals alone, there are 28,000 cases of life-threatening heart toxicity from adverse reactions to digoxin, the most commonly used form of digitalis (drugs that regulate the speed and strength of heart beats) in older adults.

• Each year 41,000 older adults are hospitalized—and 3,300 of these die—from ulcers caused by NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, usually for treatment of arthritis). Thousands of younger adults are hospitalized.

• At least 16,000 injuries from auto crashes each year involving older drivers are attributable to the use of psychoactive drugs, specifically benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants.

• Each year 32,000 older adults suffer from hip fractures attributable to drug-induced falls, resulting in more than 1,500 deaths. In one study, the main categories of drugs responsible for the falls leading to hip fractures were sleeping pills and minor tranquilizers (30 percent), antipsychotic drugs (52 percent), and antidepressants (17 percent).

• Approximately 163,000 older Americans suffer from serious mental impairment (memory loss, dementia) either caused or worsened by drugs. In a study in the state of Washington, in 46 percent of the patients with drug-induced mental impairment, the problem was caused by minor tranquilizers or sleeping pills; in 14 percent, by high blood pressure drugs; and in 11 percent, by anti-psychotic drugs.

• Two million older Americans are addicted or at risk of addiction to minor tranquilizers or sleeping pills because they have used them daily for at least one year.

• Drug-induced tardive dyskinesia has developed in 73,000 older adults; this condition is the most serious and common adverse reaction to antipsychotic drugs, and it is often irreversible. Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by involuntary movements of the face, arms and legs. About 80 percent of older adults receiving anti-psychotic drugs do not have schizophrenia or other conditions that justify the use of such powerful drugs.

• Drug-induced parkinsonism has developed in 61,000 older adults also due to the use of antipsychotic drugs such as haloperidol (HALDOL), chlorpromazine (THORAZINE), thioridazine (MELLARIL), trifluoperazine (STELAZINE), and fluphenazine (PROLIXIN). There are other parkinsonism-inducing drugs as well, such as metoclopramide (REGLAN), prochlorperazine (COMPAZINE), and promethazine (PHENERGAN), prescribed for gastrointestinal problems.

I don’t mean to be all gloom and doom about prescription meds. I just found some of these stats interesting… 62 drugs that can cause eye problems?? Whoah. I’m sure that the chances of getting these sorts of nasty side effects are pretty rare and unlikely, but they certainly make one pause – wouldn’t you agree?