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:

  1. Anonymous7:36 AM

    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

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  2. 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.

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  3. Anonymous12:51 AM

    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. :(

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous12:51 AM

    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. :(

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:33 PM

    Is death by hemmorhage a painful death?

    ReplyDelete