Monday, May 5, 2008

When a treatment may be worse than the problem

In an attempt to help our seniors live longer and more independently, medications may cause harm in other ways, decreasing their ability to be independent in the long run.

I've written about how some medications that seniors take can increase their risk of falls because of low blood pressure or drowsiness, but this article, Commonly used medications associated with impaired physical function in older adults, describes how some other medications affect how seniors move and respond.

It's a good example of how, sometimes, the cure may be worse than the actual problem. It's also a good example of how drugs that are tested on younger people may not be so great for older people.


Today on Help My Hurt:

9 Help My Hurt posts on fibromyalgia
Company’s calling: sudden onset of rheumatoid arthritis
Pfizer settling Celebrex and Bextra cases
Flat screen TVs = neck pain?
Can weight loss surgery help relieve back pain?
11 links: Ortho week wrap up on Help My Hurt
Better Sleep Month: Sleep and pain
Journal of Pain article: Low-dose pot eases neuropathic pain

News for Today:

Younger women unaware of heart attack symptoms, study finds
Obesity leads to heart-damaging inflammation, researchers find
Anti-depressants could ease bowel disease: study
High fat diet helps childhood epilepsy, study says
24 chinese children die of virus; other countries affected
European commission grants full approval of hiv protease inhibitor, tipranavir (aptivus®)
Treatment advances for fibroids
Young children hospitalized for flu associated with higher costs and higher risk illness
Nearly one-third of US parents don't know what to expect of infants
Commonly used medications associated with impaired physical function in older adults
Exercise plus psychological counseling may benefit depressed heart failure patients

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow, I didn't know this was such a problem. My mother-in-law is on a ton of medications; wonder how many are hurting more than helping?