Drug-induced diseases occur presently with ever increasing frequency. According to the medical public interest website WorstPills.com of Public Citizen, each year nearly 16,000 injuries from auto accidents are induced by benzodiazepines or tricyclic antidipressants. That is a shocking figure.
Older Americans suffer annually from nearly 32,000 hip fracture accidents that are drug-induced, typically due to sedatives or prescribed benzodiazepines and atypical antipsychotics. Many of these pharmaceuticals are often prescribed to older Americans needlessly.
Another major problem with prescription of drugs to older Americans is the risk of addiction to prescription tranquilizers in very small doses because of having taken them for over a year or longer. Addiction to benzodiazepines is a problem, generally, but it is more of a hidden problem in older Americans.
Doctors must take into consideration the totality of prescribing circumstances when selecting drugs for specific patients, and keep in mind the disadvantages and side effects of certain medications to avoid for patients with special needs.
For more information on this subject matter, please refer to Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.
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