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Monday, May 07, 2012

one pill makes you larger and one pill makes you small...

Why is an 85 year old taking coumadin? I mean seriously. I understand why people are put on blood thinners and the conditions that prompt its use, but really, don't the risks outweigh the benefits?

A lot of older people fall because they are weak, unsteady on thier feet, etc. If they get a head injury and are on coumadin, the risk for a head bleed are high.

If I'm 85, I'll take my chances with a stroke or atrial fib, rather than take the risk. I have seen older people on coumadin take a fall and die as a result due to hemmorhage.

While I'm at it, why are old people on statins? I mean who really cares what your cholesterol is at 86? The point of all this? Old people are on a riduculous amount of medication these days that probably won't extend their life. A lot of the time all these meds make them dizzy, confused, weak. They affect their quality of life. Its a full time job to keep track of when to take them.

Its stupid. All it does is make money for the drug companies.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've had a couple of patients of different ages stop taking ALL of their medications at once and said they felt much better afterwards - go figure!

murgatr
Pharm.Tech. RDC'06

hoodnurse said...

My Mema's doctor has tried to put her on statins for years now. She downright refuses every time for exactly the reasons you just mentioned.

Anonymous said...

Every month I blow a gasket when I see the bill from Medicare on my mother's meds. Forget the National Debt, someone needs to monitor meds thats NOT making a profit off of it. :(

Anonymous said...

Every month I blow a gasket when I see the bill from Medicare on my mother's meds. Forget the National Debt, someone needs to monitor meds thats NOT making a profit off of it. :(

Anonymous said...

Is death by hemmorhage a painful death?