As you age, most people have to drink more and more medicines and supplements - with age, health is not added.
Yes, and many young people already suffer from two or more diseases that require the constant taking of tablets.
The term "polypharmacy" means the simultaneous administration of several drugs to a patient.
Each of them has its own doses, reception time, application features and limitations.
This is a very complex and responsible moment, unfortunately, not all doctors pay attention, leaving the patient alone with a long piece of paper, where only the frequency of reception is indicated. Like, the pharmacy will understand or instructions itself will read.
A study by Dr. Dima Qato from the University of Illinois showed that in 2005-2006, over 50% of elderly people aged 57-85 years in the United States simultaneously took 5 or more drugs and / or nutritional supplements.
Almost 30% of Americans surveyed of all ages use the same amount of prescription drugs, and 58% of them take at least one unnecessary medicine! In 2011, the percentage of Americans taking 5 or more prescription drugs has grown to 38.5%.
With the simultaneous intake of 5-9 drugs and / or dietary supplements, the risk of unwanted interactions is about 50%, and with simultaneous intake of 20 or more names, this risk reaches 100%.
In the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Kato warns that the problem of polypharmacy in America has become unthinkable in scale and seriously threatens the health of the nation.
I wonder how we are doing with the treatment of older people?.
After all, in many post-Soviet countries, unlike the United States, retirees can buy "tablets from pressure" or "from sugar" in pharmacies, not just without a prescription, but even without a doctor's prior visit and measuring this very pressure or sugar.
Correct and Wrong Treatment.
A person with a complex medical problem may need several drugs at the same time, but this requires a very competent approach and control - otherwise, treatment can become ineffective and even dangerous.
According to the Foundation for Health Studies, polypharmacy accounts for 28% of hospital admissions in the United States.
Incorrect combination of drugs is officially considered the No. 5 killer in the country.
Errors in polypharmacy occur when:.
• The patient does not follow the doctor's recommendations • The drug does not reach the therapeutic goal • The patient continues to take the medication longer than necessary, or in doses that should have been changed • Combination of drugs leads to increased side effects and undesirable interactions (physical, chemical or pharmacological ) "Patients can receive prescriptions from different doctors, especially if they suffer from several chronic diseases. For example, with rheumatoid arthritis you go to an immunologist, with diabetes to an endocrinologist, with angina to a cardiologist. So we get a medication cocktail, "says Dr. Cato.
According to the researcher, the patient should take care of himself so that every subsequent doctor knows about the prescriptions of the previous one - this is the main guarantee of your safety in case of medical treatment!.
Elderly people at risk for polypharmacy Polypharmacy is a topic that is especially relevant to older people who have accumulated a rich load of chronic diseases and need to be treated at once by several doctors.
In the United States, the average patient, 65-69 years old, takes about 14 medications a year, and after 80 years this figure reaches just incredible 18 medicines!.
Dr. Kato's team found that in 62-85-year-olds, the most common combinations of drugs are antiaggregants, anticoagulants, statins and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Another reason for the vulnerability of older people is that their bodies are rapidly changing. Their bone and muscle mass rapidly decline, liver and kidney function worsen, the cardiovascular system also works worse and worse.
There is another enemy - dementia. Old people with cognitive impairment and poor memory often forget to take the medicine or take it again, and sometimes even decide to drink more than the prescribed.
Bioadditives: good or bad?.
Throughout the world, the number of people who prefer to "prevent" the disease with the help of various dietary supplements is growing, than to treat it later. True, they are not embarrassed by the fact that the effectiveness of these supplements has not been proven by science (in fact, so they differ from drugs).
Be that as it may, bioadditives can interact with medications, both prescription and bought at the pharmacy on their own, without the doctor's appointment.
Over the period from 2005-2006 to 2010-2011, the percentage of Americans who take supplements has increased from 51.8% to 63.7%. The most popular classes were multivitamins, mineral supplements and calcium.
During the same time, the risk of serious drug interactions increased from 8.4% to 15.1%. Researchers are sure that the main role has been played by dietary supplements, without which many of their compatriots do not think "healthy life".
The authors call the most dangerous combination drugs and supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
For example, rosemary based supplements, especially in high doses, do not work well with anticoagulants, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, lithium - a number of very common medications.
Polypharmacy - Anxiety Symptoms.
"Symptoms depend on the specific substances that you used. In elderly patients, the problems most often occur with the joint administration of statins, amlodipine, NSAIDs, anticoagulants, omega-3 acids, niacin and omeprazole. As a rule, we deal with bleeding, muscle weakness, thrombosis and renal failure, "warns Dr. Kato.
The following are the alarming symptoms that can occur when the combination of drugs and bioadditives is incorrect:.
• Loss of appetite, constipation, diarrhea or incontinence • Fatigue, drowsiness, impaired attention • Hallucinations, confusion • Dizziness and falls • Depression, anxiety • Skin rash All of the above is an occasion to call your doctor immediately.
Where to find information.
After all this, you ask:
where you can find the most detailed information about the interaction of drugs and supplements?.
The best source that we can recommend to you is the online resource Drugs. com.
Here, in the section of Interactions Checker, the most up-to-date and valid information about all kinds of interactions of more than 24 000 medicinal plants, preparations and food supplements.
However, to learn something about polypharmacy on this site, you need at least a basic knowledge of English.
medbe. en.