Bad Medicine Drug-wary doctors like me often warn patients away from the new-fangled drug they see advertised on television. Drugs come to market too fast these days, and there just isn't enough information available to help doctors and patients make wise choices.
But a study published recently in JAMA reminded me that we need to be wary of all drugs - not just the flavor-of-the-month variety.
The report, based on research by government scientists, stated that 700,000 people visit the emergency room each year as a result of adverse drug reactions - and most are caused by medicines that have been used for decades.
700,000 people! That's more than the entire population of Boston! And the real number of victims is likely much higher, since drug reactions are frequently misdiagnosed or unreported.
Amazingly, the most common offenders were old warhorses like insulin, warfarin, and amoxicillin. Not surprisingly, people 65 and over were the most common victims (most likely due to sheer numbers: older people are more likely to be on insulin for diabetes and warfarin for its blood thinning effects. Amoxicillin, the other troublemaker, is an antibiotic widely prescribed to all age groups for a variety of infections.)
The "adverse effects" seen in the ER aren't anything to sneeze at, either: patients passed out from low blood sugar, excessive bleeding from warfarin; and severe skin reactions from amoxicillin. In fact, complications were severe enough that 17 percent - some 119,000 people - required hospitalization.
I'm not suggesting that we ban insulin and antibiotics - drugs like these have saved many lives. But doctors - and patients - too often rely on drugs to solve their problems. Every drug comes with risks, no matter how common it is or how long it's been used. Every drug warrants careful attention to dosage instructions, and scrupulous attention to potential interactions with other drugs, supplements, and foods. And every doctor should think about simpler, safer alternatives before reaching for the script pad.
Here's what you can d with any prescription drug you take, follow dosage instructions to the letter. If you're not sure, ask. Give your doctor a full run-down of past allergic reactions you've had, however minor, as well as all other drugs and supplements you are taking. And be your own advocate -- ask your doctor what other treatments you can try before accepting that prescription.
It's not like there aren't other options out there. Off the top of my head, I can rattle off natural alternatives to each the three drugs named in this study: weight loss, exercise, and targeted use of foods like cinnamon for blood sugar control (these approaches will only help people with Type II diabetes; those with Type I diabetes require insulin no matter what); grape seed extract and cloves for blood thinning benefits; and garlic as an immune-booster and natural antibiotic. That's just a start - there are many more.
These approaches are safe, affordable and accessible - and I've never heard of any of them sending one person - let alone 700,000 - to the emergency room.
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 There are times when medical news is too urgent to wait until the next issue, so Dr. Alan Inglis keeps in touch with you through House Calls.
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