Too Little, Too Late
A few months ago I told you about a report showing that adverse drug reactions sent over 700,000 people to the emergency room each year.
As I pointed out at the time, that's more than the entire population of Boston. But what if I told you that more than a third of those adverse reactions - some 250,000 - were caused by over-the-counter drugs you can get at just about any grocery store, mini-mart of vending machine in the country?
I'm taking about analgesic medicines like aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen. These drugs not only cause emergency room visits equal to the population of Louisville, Ky. or Birmingham, Ala. - they also a responsible for over 16,000 deaths every year.
Health authorities have known the dangers for years: acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage and death; NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney damage. (These drugs often get lumped together, but they are actually quite different.)
But instead of curbing their use, health authorities allowed manufacturers to bring even more products to market that contain these potentially dangerous drugs. That reality has added another complication to this already complex problem: with so many products on the market containing acetaminophen and NSAIDs, it's easier than ever for people to take too much -- even if you are conscientious about staying within the recommended dosages. The main offenders are over-the-counter cough and cold formulas, but there are prescription NSAIDs as well, such as Celebrex and Daypro.
But even if you stay within the recommended dosages, you're still not completely safe. Just about everyone is at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding from NSAIDs, though certain groups are more vulnerable: people who are over age 59, take blood-thinners or steroids, have kidney problems or a history of stomach ulcers. With acetaminophen, people with liver issues are at particular risk, as well as people who drink alcohol regularly.
Like I said, we've known about these issues for years. But just last month, the FDA finally decided to take action. It recommended that manufacturers add stronger warnings to drug labels, outlining the risks of exceeding recommended dosages and taking the drugs for extended periods of time. Also, labels will need to prominently disclose acetaminophen or an NSAID on their ingredient list, to try to prevent overdoses.
I hope it helps, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Instead, I wish authorities would focus on what is leading so many people to take so many painkillers in the first place. All the warning labels in the world won't solve those problems - and neither will any of these drugs.
As I've stated before, the best and safest anti-inflammatories with the most overall health benefits are omega 3 fats from fish oil and an excellent herbal product from New Chapter in Brattleboro, Vermont, called Zyflamend. Both of these act in a balanced, essentially side-effect free way in the body, unlike the isolated, new-to-nature molecules found in anti-inflammatory drugs. For the vast majority of problems (arthritis is the main one) these drugs are simply beside the point. How many more deaths will our health care system have on its hands before it learns this fact?
