Medicine is at its peak usage for many Americans. The risks of drugs today are enormous. How do individuals take so many pills? According to Consumer Reports, it’s not as good as it looks on TV. Here, happy husbands and wives smile at each other and turn in one direction. It seems that their meds will solve all problems. Vitality returns, and breathing difficulties and anxiety disappear. Is it true?
The risk of taking drugs without consideration is big, such as allergies and various side effects that can lead to dire consequences.
Simple statistics
- Half of Americans take a prescription medication consistently.
- Today, Americans take more drugs than they did before.
- Many of those drugs are life-saving and well-being-improving.
- Side effects of drugs sent 1.3 million people to emergency rooms
- About 124,000 people died from these cases.
- Studies show that half of these cases were preventable.
- Drugs cost a lot, forcing people to skip or delay other bills.
- The USA spends a sweet $200 billion per year on medication, which is unnecessary and does not serve the purpose.
Why do individuals require so many meds?
There is the perfect answer from the Consumer Reports cover story. Vineyards Prasad, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at Oregon Health& Science University, explained that people did not invent an idea about the need for drugs for every hint of disease. “They were spoon-fed that notion by the culture we’re steeped in.”
- Fifty-five percent of Americans regularly take prescription medication. The average of pills is four.
- Seventy-five percent of individuals receive at least one over-the-counter drug. Constantly.
Advertisements and advice from health practitioners make an enormous impact on patients
Consumer Reports described the case when one man got a testosterone drug. This individual did not know about the heart and stroke risks if somebody takes this medication. After four days of receiving a pill, he suffered a stroke. Nobody told me that there could be consequences and side effects of this drug.
The winning name “Low T.” appealed to men who, with age or other issues, had lower libido and performance. Who does not want to take a sip from the fountain youth?
Drug companies spent $24 billion on promotions in 2012. This marketing for drugs is through ads in medical journals, promotional and educational events, and face-to-face sales.
Risks of drugs
There are plenty of side effects of drugs. If you want to learn about harmful consequences, the information is given on TV and in a big paper sheet in a small print. You will be astonished at how many problems you can have.
- For example, people who take Xanax are depressed and even suicidal. No fun, yes?
- Drugs become dangerous when health providers communicate poorly with each other.
- The combination of different drugs can trigger reactions in the body.
- Drugs prescribed for pre-disease diagnoses can be avoided because there is no disease, but people suffer from the side effects of the medication.
- Seniors are sensitive to drugs more compared with the middle age of individuals.
How to avoid the harms of drugs?
Consumer Reports advice to get organized. Pill daily organizers, tracking your pills, having information on the pharmacy, prescribing physician, and how and when taking pills will help know about meds.
- Check your drugs with a doctor and ask about safe elimination.
- Pill tracking apps remind us when to take pills and when to refill. The Medisafe app can check for drug interactions.
- Subscribe to Consumer Reports. It is from a light side, but this organization works for customers independently, without contributions, donors’ money, or bribes.
- Lead a healthy lifestyle, such as the right nutrition, exercises, and supplements.
Find a doctor who listens to you
Some physicians care about the health of their patients and want them would lead happy lives. More and more doctors decide to turn to another direction: de-prescribe drugs.
There are groups and organizations which support this de-prescribing trend. Choosing Wisely with the partner Consumer Reports has made recommendations on how to escape the use of unneeded drugs.
American College of Physicians advises doctors to use nondrug ways first for some conditions.
Dr.J.Mercola, Dr. Oz, and Dr. Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. are front runners in the health front. Dr. Carolyn Dean created the Total Body ReSet bundle, which makes healthy people more healthy. Her book The Magnesium Miracle
If you have questions or thoughts regarding this topic, please leave a comment below. I would be happy to hear from you.
Yes there are a lot of people who take med’s. There are a lot who need med’s and a lot who may abuse them. The “opioid epidemic” is an example of this. There are those who are addicted and those whom are dependent. Of course the dependent class are addicted, but they need to be just to function. For instance a people who have severe back injuries for example. Surgeries, natural healing isn’t enough and most the times barely scratch the surface to relieve the agony of simple movement.
I applaud the information on drug interactions and any good pharmacists should catch incompatibility. Bad mental health issues also needs certain drugs, yes they can be unhealthy, but so is an untreated violent person to himself and others. Depression untreated can cause suicide, violence such as Robin Williams as one example. There must be a balance and that is between Doctor and Patient on an individual basis.. Risk verses outcome is always going to be an decision to be made by the individual. I am all for natural alternatives when applicable or in conjunction with med’s to reduce that amount as in your article.
Hello, Rich. Thank you very much for the insightful comment. You are right about cases when drugs are problems solvers.However, many of us do not have enough information about prevention. Most of us are born healthy.Why people become obese and addicted to various chemicals? Why do they reach for chemicals as the saviors without considering other options? We do not have information about what is going on. You emphasized the importance of interaction between doctor and patient. Unfortunately, plenty of doctors do not have time for it.Twenty years ago I got allergy. My skin was covered with acne, redness and itched badly. I saw that I will need help. The doctor described medicine, which had interesting side effects: hallucination and hair loss.Hmm, I thought, thank you. Besides problems on my face do I need to look for the wig? Thankfully I had a friend, a real doctor. She offered for me B vitamin complex, probiotics, and calcium.After couple days my problems were gone. There are various cases for everybody. What fits for one, does not go along with other. We deserve to be treated as unique individuals.
Consumers Reports showed a real picture of the situation with overuse of various chemicals. I wish that people would reach for knowledgeable health practitioners and would ask for the best option for their well-being.
All the best, be healthy and wealthy, Nemira.