By Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.N., C.N.S., C.B.T.
Doctors are prescribing more drugs than ever to patients, particularly older patients.
Now, voices are being raised in the medical community questioning what is called “polypharmacy,” the practice of prescribing many medications to a single patient.
The problem is, that the more drugs a patient takes, the higher the risk of drug interactions and side effects.
In the U.S., the proportion of patients taking five or more medications shot up from 6 to 15 percent between 1995 and 2005.
Drug interactions and side effects can trigger weakness, fatigue, falls, constipation, diarrhea, sleeplessness, disorientation, heart arrhythmias, and many other symptoms. They can even cause death.
If you or a loved one are taking multiple medications, you need to take action in order to reduce your risks. Read the full article here to learn more about the problem and what you can do about it.
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