Posted on 01/14/2020 7:59:29 PM PST by rintintin
Are you taking too many meds?
If you’re an older American, chances are your medicine cabinet is crammed with bottles of pills to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and treat everything from acid reflux to underactive thyroid.
Forty-two percent of adults over 65 take five or more prescription drugs, and nearly 20 percent take 10 or more, according to the Lown Institute, a health care think tank in Brookline. The institute warns of a growing epidemic of overmedication that’s sent millions of seniors to hospitals and emergency rooms in the past decade with often serious side effects.
Lown, which published a report on “medication overload” last year, will release a national action plan later this month alerting patients, caregivers, doctors, and pharmacists — as well as policy makers — to the perils of overprescribing. The plan was developed by a group of patient advocates, geriatricians, nurses, and health insurers concerned about the unintended consequences of the “pills for all ills” mind-set.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonglobe.com ...
The worst ones I’ve seen in over 40 years of medical practice are Veteran’s Administration patients and retired military who go to the VA of base hospitals. They have more prescriptions than any civilians who get their care privately.
Love of $ restless leg syndromeRS
Zero meds.
What are you? 18?
One baby aspirin cures everything.
“pills to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and treat everything from acid reflux”
All of which have been shown to reduce the risk of actaul death.
But The Globe would prefer we die for Gaia and lower healthcare costs.
is it unusual to take zero meds?
I don’t take anything either
My doc says that most of his patients would kill for my blood test results.
.
Got the 93 year old MIL off alendrodrate (sp) for osteoporosis. Was upsetting her stomach badly...so they gave her acid refux meds...but havent taken her off those yet. Can’t believe they don’t give all in asst living a vit d3/K mix...
And the prescriptions from the VA don’t stop coming even after they are no longer needed and the vet contacts them many times to stop the prescription deliveries. And I am talking about serious opiates.
Don’t ever take ANY pills. Except aspirin
You guys are lucky. I’ve got cholesterol and blood pressure meds. Doc says I’ll probably never get off them no matter how fit or lean I am.
is it unusual to take zero meds????
Yes, in this day and age.
I probably saw several thousand people move through our hospital and 95+% had at least several prescriptions. A medication reconciliation was SOP for every patient. About 10% of patients were on 20 or more meds. (polypharmacy)
I remember one patient who was 101 who only took thyroid. Some patients in their 90’s didn’t take anything. No med can compare with superior DNA.
Aren’t they? I’m 63. I have a pacemaker and take three script meds. Need them. We can’t all be healthy. Just how it is.
Can’t believe they don’t give all in asst living a vit d3/K mix...
Until recent accident I wasn’t taking any medication, couple surgical proceedures to fix what broke required relief. However now just taking Tylenol and physical therapy to wrap things up over time.
I do think ‘temporary’ medication can be helpful when thngs break and recovery time is needed. However if ones taking any medication long term it makes sense to find out the root cause otherwise you’re treating symptoms only.
With ‘diseases’ often you don’t have a choice....it’s what needs be to prevent further deteriation or/and keep it in check as long as possible.
“Lown, which published a report on “medication overload” last year, will release a national action plan later this month alerting patients, caregivers, doctors, and pharmacists — as well as policy makers — to the perils of overprescribing.”
Just die already..../s
cost control
yeah. i know my fairly good health is temporary.
I will get weaker and sicker and die eventually.
I really feel like i have figured out a great diet that has helped me for the last couple years
Zero meds except 20 mg Avastatin for cholesterol. Never a flu shot.
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