It's about time
I'm hesitant -- and sometimes just downright scared -- about the rise in prescription drug use. And I've always wondered, "Aren't other doctors worried too?" Well, it turns out they are.
I usually try not to weigh you down with statistics and numbers, but a recent survey on drug safety resulted in some numbers I think you need to know.
According to the survey, which questioned 3,200 health care workers and doctors, seven out of 10 physicians say that they're more concerned than they used to be about the safety of the drugs out there. And 68 percent of those physicians say they prefer to prescribe an older drug -- one that's been around for about 10 years -- over a newer drug, even if drug companies herald the new drug as being the new best thing.
Almost 20 percent of the doctors surveyed said they think generic drugs are less safe than brand-name meds. And 27 percent said they think generic meds cause more side effects. These results are based on doctors' direct observations while caring for their patients.
Finally, about 55 percent of patients who were surveyed said they were also more concerned about drug safety, including the safety of drugs they continue to take.
Of course, this just begs the question: Why do doctors keep prescribing them, and why do patients keep taking them?
Well, it's not an easy question to answer. And my answer may not be so popular.
The fact is, people want quick results. Doctors don't have, or want to take, the time to learn about and try safer, proven, natural cures -- and there are a lot of natural cures out there that are good substitutes for drugs. And drug companies -- with their advertisements full of arthritis-stricken people running down the beach or canoodling with a significant other -- don't help.
A word of advice: Since they're so used to prescribing drugs, most doctors aren't going to bring up natural remedies. That's why you have to ask. The next time you go to your doctor to check up on an achy knee or sleep problems, ask if there are any safer, natural treatments or lifestyle changes you could try first.
Even passive smokers are at risk (but don't have to be)
Just because you don't smoke doesn't mean you're not feeling the effects of smoking. In fact, a recent study showed that non-smokers who are continuously subjected to cigarette smoke might as well be smokers, for all the negative effects that second-hand smoke can cause.
It's called passive smoking -- subjecting yourself to others' smoke -- and even though it may not be as dangerous as smoking yourself, it's dangerous nonetheless.
Researchers in the study said that the risk from passive smoking is about the same as smoking at least one cigarette every day. And since they also believe that passive smoking causes between 9,500 and 21,500 heart disease deaths every year (along with thousands more heart attacks), the researchers concluded that reducing second-hand smoke could save hundreds of thousands of lives over the course of 30 years.
The fact is, though, eliminating passive smoking is something we have to take upon ourselves for the time being. It certainly doesn't look like the government is doing much about it (though states like California, New York, and Florida have taken large leaps by banning indoor smoking in a lot of bars, restaurants, and office buildings).
Avoid smoky bars and restaurants. And always ask to sit in the non-smoking section, even if it means a longer wait.
If you live with someone who refuses to quit smoking, ask him or her to step outside when they light up. If they refuse, then maybe it's time to rethink your living situation. After all, who wants to live with someone who doesn't care about other people's health?
Until next time,
Dr. Alan Inglis
House Calls
