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Seniors and Drugs: Prescribed to death
CBC News ^ | April 10, 2005

Posted on 04/10/2005 5:47:17 PM PDT by maine-iac7

Drugs, not just age and disease, are killing Canadian seniors.

As many as 3,300 seniors die every year due to adverse drug reactions, according to a CBC estimate done by analyzing Health Canada's adverse drug reaction database (obtained under Access to Information).

It's an estimate that has been judged credible by a number of researchers who study pharmacology and adverse drug reactions.

"The 3,300 deaths number and the way it's been calculated by CBC I think is quite cautious and is realistic. It's likely to be higher than that, but nobody at the present time has a way of really getting a good measure of the seriousness of this matter," says Dr. Jim Wright, a clinical pharmacologist and the managing director of the Therapeutics Initiative at the University of British Columbia....cont >


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: age; death; drugreactions; drugs; elderly; healthcare; hospice; medication; nursinghomes; old; pharmacology; seniors
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I saw this myself a few years ago here in New Eng. I was taking care of my neighbor lady - she was living independantly at 103, spunky, "all her marbles", in excellent health, blood pressure normal, heart, liver - everything fine...no prescriiptions.

She fell one day at home and injured her knee - went to nursing home for recoup.

Within 3 days they had her on 5 prescription drugs at $500 a month - all with contraindications.

I had POA over finances but not medical - I screamed and hollered, to no avail. She became disoriented, combative, morose, incontinant, etc - all "possible side effects" listed for the drugs.

she lasted 4 weeks.

She could've easily lived another 3-4 years - her mother/grandmother were LONG lived and she was in NO ill health.

1 posted on 04/10/2005 5:47:22 PM PDT by maine-iac7
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To: maine-iac7

Pardon if this is a hijack of a thread, but does anyone know what azathioprine is for?


2 posted on 04/10/2005 5:49:52 PM PDT by Bahbah (Something wicked this way comes)
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To: maine-iac7

I've experienced it myself. Go to the hospital for one thing, and come home with a suitcase full of prescriptions. I'm down to just one now, even though my doctors insisted I needed all the others. I do take some herbs and some vitamins, but a good many of the prescribed drugs made me sicker rather than better.

My suspicion--doctors would rather over-prescribe than under-prescribe. I sometimes wonder if the drug salesmen have anything to do with it.


3 posted on 04/10/2005 5:54:16 PM PDT by MizSterious (First, the journalists, THEN the lawyers.)
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To: Bahbah

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682167.html


4 posted on 04/10/2005 5:54:37 PM PDT by Telit Likitis
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To: Telit Likitis

Thanks so much. This has not been prescribed for me, btw, in case any of my friends visit this thread.


5 posted on 04/10/2005 5:58:10 PM PDT by Bahbah (Something wicked this way comes)
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To: Bahbah
you have Freep mail :O) with info

there are many books out now that list all prescription drugs - my favorite is "The Pill Book" out often with new drugs updated...it's in paperback and inexpensive, so I buy every couple years...Very handy to have on hand.

There are 3 drugs now that were prescribed to me in the past few years that I declined to take after researching th side effects.

these have now all been pulled off the market! - because they kill people - and most do harm to the heart. (The ONLY meds I take are Enalopril for heart and Fosomax for osteoporosis.

You can now, also, research drugs on line - don't rely on sites that are selling them, or the drug companies themselves. Look at more than one medical evaluation...

I've come to the conclusion that we need to educate ourselves as much as we can...the drug co.s don't' worry about what they push o us, and the FDA is in bed with them - and unless you are fortunate to find an honest and good doc, they'll push drugs too. (The "Legal Drug Pushers", I call 'em.) I am fortunate, I finally found a great doctor -

6 posted on 04/10/2005 6:06:41 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME." Lincoln)
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To: MizSterious
I sometimes wonder if the drug salesmen have anything to do with it.

bet your booties :O)

7 posted on 04/10/2005 6:08:44 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME." Lincoln)
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To: maine-iac7
A nurse came up to me quietly at a Florida hospital where my mother was recovering from a hip operation. The nurse told me, "get her the hell out of here, now be quiet, I can lose my job".

My mother was halusinating from being on so many drugs. I took her to PA and in one week was great.

Yes, It happens. Unfortunately, all the time.

8 posted on 04/10/2005 6:11:37 PM PDT by AGreatPer
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To: maine-iac7
I am fortunate, I finally found a great doctor

Yes, you are, may God bless the great and caring diagnostitions. They are a special breed. I am fortunate in not having to take any drug. My medicine cabinate has toothpaste and some neosporin.

9 posted on 04/10/2005 6:16:45 PM PDT by Bahbah (Something wicked this way comes)
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To: Bahbah
My medicine cabinate has toothpaste and some neosporin.

I do have to take the two I mentioned, but otherwise, my cabinet has baking soda, salt, vinegar and vodka :o)

Baking soda and salt make an excellent tooth powder and baking soda and vodka make the most effective deodorant you could ever find.

and vodka is also good for rinsing hair - and making herbal tinctures - and a nip in coca cola once in a while> :O)

Vinegar also good for - diluted - rinsing hair and in bath for skin balancing and baking soda make the water silky smooth...and both b soda and vinegar for deodorizing laundry.

10 posted on 04/10/2005 6:26:36 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME." Lincoln)
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To: maine-iac7

LOL, I have a great pasta sauce I make with vodka.


11 posted on 04/10/2005 6:36:38 PM PDT by Bahbah (Something wicked this way comes)
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To: Bahbah

JUST SAY NO.


12 posted on 04/10/2005 6:37:43 PM PDT by Jorge
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To: Bahbah
LOL, I have a great pasta sauce I make with vodka.

Now THAT sounds intriguing!

13 posted on 04/10/2005 6:40:31 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME." Lincoln)
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To: Jorge
JUST SAY NO.

Thanks, Jorge, I don't even take aspirin.

14 posted on 04/10/2005 6:41:11 PM PDT by Bahbah (Something wicked this way comes)
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To: maine-iac7

Truly, my pasta sauce with vodka is quite tasty. I have a limited number of dishes, but they are pretty good. ;) Well, actually not all that limited.


15 posted on 04/10/2005 6:43:25 PM PDT by Bahbah (Something wicked this way comes)
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To: Bahbah
Truly, my pasta sauce with vodka is quite tasty. I have a limited number of dishes, but they are pretty good. ;) Well, actually not all that limited.

My cousin, also a writer, has a great Maine Fish Chowder recipe in one of his books. It includes some good liquor in the process, but none in the chowder itself :O)

16 posted on 04/10/2005 6:51:02 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME." Lincoln)
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To: maine-iac7

LOL, I have an excellent beef stew with red wine which is enhanced by using a very good red wine and having everyone who is invited drinking the wine while you make the stew.


17 posted on 04/10/2005 7:00:41 PM PDT by Bahbah (Something wicked this way comes)
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To: maine-iac7

I am a dental hygienist and am continually updating medical histories. I strongly encourage my patients to carry a current list with them of all the medicines they are taking, as well as herbs and supplements and to show it to all of their physicians. You'd be surprised how many times the GP doesn't know what the specialist prescribed for them and vice versa. Also, most meds have adverse dental implications.


18 posted on 04/10/2005 7:13:45 PM PDT by toothfairy86
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To: toothfairy86

excellent advice


19 posted on 04/10/2005 7:17:00 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME." Lincoln)
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To: toothfairy86
most meds have adverse dental implications

Can you explain a little bit more?

20 posted on 04/10/2005 9:10:23 PM PDT by my_pointy_head_is_sharp
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