Pain Relievers and Heart Risk

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Medication Expert

Senior citizens suffering from a wide array of ailments may have a need for several different medications. Taking a multitude of different medications doesn’t necessarily mean that issues will definitely occur but combining several different medications can be risky. Whenever there are multiple medications in a patient’s regimen the chances for a negative drug interaction or unwanted side effects increases. Open communication with doctors and a thorough evaluation conducted by a medication consultant are essential for minimizing dangerous drug interactions.

A recent study conducted by researchers in Denmark shows that even the most commonly purchased or prescribed medications can come with risks. Researchers have linked ingredients in popular over the counter and prescription anti-inflammatory medications to an increased risk of a dangerous heart rhythm disorder.

The increased risk was the most prevalent among brand new users to the pain killers. Those new to taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications were at nearly a fifty percent increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared to people not taking NSAIDs. Other studies have linked non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain killers to other serious heart related health issues in seniors who had no heart health issues.

Even drugs that are widely used and that seem to have a host of positive benefits can be dangerous to introduce into a regimen for a number of reasons. Health care providers need to be well informed of any new or pre-existing conditions and of all medications that a patient is on prior to initiating a new prescription.

Prescription medications that would be perfectly safe for the majority of patients suffering from a specific condition could be dangerous or even deadly to others. By having a medication regimen evaluated by an experienced medication consultant doctors and patients can pursue the safest course of treatment possible for any condition.

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Prescription Medicines can Have Dangerous Consequences

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Medication Expert

A new prescription could provide tremendous relief from the symptoms of a debilitating condition in many instances. Those medications can cause serious problems if the proper precautionary measures aren’t taken prior to the prescription being filled though. In order to ensure the safest course of treatment possible medication regimens should be thoroughly evaluated by a medication consultant prior to introducing new drugs.

A recent study of the prescription medications being used to treat Parkinson’s disease shows that antipsychotic drugs are still commonly prescribed despite the potential risks. In 2005 the FDA placed the strongest possible warning on antipsychotic drugs due to the increased risk of death when they are prescribed to patients with dementia.

As dementia is common among patients suffering from Parkinson’s this should have served as a red flag to many doctors treating patients with the debilitating disease. Researchers who performed the study found that the number of times antipsychotic medications have been prescribed to treat Parkinson’s has showed no decrease though.

The problem that many health care providers face lies in the fact that there are few other viable treatment options available. In many instances the best form of treatment available for a specific condition isn’t always the most ideal course of treatment. Health care providers and patients sometimes have to weigh a multitude of pros and cons prior to deciding if a course of treatment has more reward than risk. This is why a medication consultation and open communication with all health care providers are so critical to receiving the best possible treatment.

A detailed evaluation of a medication regimen can highlight any possible risks associated with dangerous drug interactions. With this information and the most thorough patient background information doctors should be able to prescribe the safest and most effective course of treatment.

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Chronic Pain Often Leads to the Need for Additional Medications

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Medication Expert

A recent report issued by the Institute of Medicine reveals that there are more than 100 million US residents who are plagued by chronic pain. The most common method of treating chronic pain is with prescription pain killers like non-steroidal anti inflammatory medications.

Unfortunately adding prescription or over the counter medications to an already crowded regimen can increase the risk of potentially dangerous drug interactions. This is why having a medication consultant perform a full review your current regimen is essential prior to embarking on a new method of treatment that includes additional medications.

Doctors and pharmacists make every effort to minimize the instances of negative drug interactions but problems can occur through the addition of any drug, even those that don’t require prescriptions. Over the counter pain killers and herbal remedies can just as easily cause serious problems in a crowded medication regimen as drugs prescribed by a doctor.

If doctors and pharmacists aren’t fully aware of all of the dietary supplements and over the counter and herbal remedies that you are taking a potentially dangerous prescription could easily be filled. If you are suffering from a variety of conditions that require medication or if you see multiple health care providers you should consider having a review performed by a medication consultant.

Medi-Sort has geriatric medication experts on staff that are capable of delivering a fully detailed evaluation of your medication regimen in as little as twenty four hours. The evaluation will highlight any potential problems that exist within your current regimen and provide you with the information that you need to avoid dangerous interactions. Having a medication evaluation performed by a professional will provide you with confidence that you are embarking on the safest and most effective course of treatment possible.

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Risk Associated with Introducing New Drugs

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Medication Expert

Prescription medications can make a powerfully positive difference in the lives of people suffering from debilitating diseases. Those very beneficial drugs can also come with a number of serious risks if a doctor hasn’t been fully informed of a patient’s health history or of all of the other medications currently being taken. This is why completely open communication with health care providers and a detailed analysis of medication regimen by a geriatric medication expert are critical when it comes to safe treatments.

It seems as though there are new drugs attaining or vying for FDA approval with every day that passes. While this is highly encouraging for patients who are suffering from any number of different conditions it also increases the potential for serious and dangerous drug interactions. This is especially true in instances where a patient has multiple health care providers who may or may not have full access to all of the necessary information prior to suggesting a course of treatment.

Any time the number of medications in a patient’s regimen is increased the chances for unfavorable drug interactions are increased as well. Even when a newly introduced remedy is a seemingly safe over the counter drug or herbal formula the chances for a dangerous interaction still exist.

While doctors and pharmacists make every effort to minimize the possibility of introducing medications that are dangerous into a regimen it is still a fairly common occurrence. Patients who wish to reduce the chances of adding a potentially dangerous medication into their regimen should have their medication regimen evaluated by a geriatric medication expert.

The professionals at MediSort can provide a detailed report that highlights the potential danger of unfavorable interactions among medications in as little as twenty four hours. This information makes choosing the safest and most appropriate course of treatment much easier for just about any condition.

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Clinical Trials Reveal Prostate Cancer Risk

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Medication Expert

Millions and millions of senior citizens are on a wide variety of prescription medications to help improve their overall quality of life. Unfortunately many medications can have unexpected side effects or can cause dangerous negative interactions with other prescription medications or forms of treatment. This is why completely open communication with all doctors and a thorough evaluation of your medication regimen by a geriatric medication expert is essential to ensure the safest possible treatment.

Two separate clinical trials revealed that a number of popular medications could increase the risk the more aggressive form of prostate cancer. Ironically the majority of the drugs in the 5-ARI class that appears to increase the risk of high grade prostate cancer are drugs used to treat prostate problems.

Propecia, the popular treatment for male pattern baldness, also has the same active ingredient that could increase the risk of high grade prostate cancer as the prostate drugs in a much smaller dose. Despite the fact that the dose is smaller and the risk minimal, the FDA wants the same warning of prostate cancer risk listed on the hair loss treatment in order to keep patients safe.

In order for prescription and over the counter medications to be as effective as possible with the smallest chance of negative consequences doctors and patients need to be on the same page. Patients need to provide doctors with a detailed list of all prescription, over the counter and herbal remedies that are in their medication regimen in order to avoid potentially dangerous interactions.

As an additional precautionary measure patients should consider a thorough review of all of their medications by the geriatric medication experts at MediSort. MediSort can provide a detailed report of any potential drug interactions from the medications within a patient’s regimen. With this information doctors and patients can make informed decisions on the best courses of treatment for different ailments.

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