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Healthy You Archives |
Protecting Your Health
Is Your Medication Safe?Weigh the benefits and risks of prescription drugs with your doctor When the arthritis medicine Vioxx was pulled off the market last year because of well-publicized risks for heart attack and stroke, it surprised and upset many people who benefited from its pain relief. Then similar warnings were issued about Celebrex, another arthritis medicine in the same class (Cox-2 inhibitors). But that drug remained on the market, leaving users to evaluate the risks themselves. How do you decide if a drug is safe for you? “There are risks and benefits to every drug,” says Jenny Boucher, a clinical pharmacist at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “You have to balance the positive impact of a drug against any side effects. For many people taking arthritis medicine, their relative increased risk for a heart attack is small compared to the benefit of eliminating the daily and sometimes debilitating pain of arthritis.” No drug is perfect, Boucher says, so talk to your doctor to fully understand the risks and decide whether a medicine is right for you. To make an informed decision, you need to cut through the advertised benefits as well as the potential side effects that often make the news, says internist Iqbal Sorathia, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “There is so much information in the media about certain drugs that it can be very difficult to know what to do.” For example, many people taking the anti-cholesterol drugs known as statins have concerns about reported side effects including liver and kidney problems, Sorathia says. But statins save many lives by greatly reducing the risk for heart disease. “If the medication is improving your health, it may be worthwhile, as long as you work with your doctor to monitor side effects. Your doctor can help you understand the risks and benefits, but you are the ultimate decision-maker.” If you and your doctor decide you shouldn’t take a particular drug because of potential side effects, there is usually an alternative. If you can’t substitute other medications, non-drug therapies may be available, Sorathia says. For example, studies have shown that acupuncture, physical therapy and yoga can ease arthritis pain. When looking for alternatives, be cautious with herbal remedies. “There are insufficient studies of many of these products, so we don’t know enough about dosing and side effects,” Sorathia says. “If you do take an herbal remedy or over-the-counter medicine, let your doctor know. It may affect your health or interact with your prescription medications.” Weighing the Risks and BenefitsEvery drug has pluses and minuses. Here’s a sampling of a few. For a complete chart of the most commonly prescribed medications, click here.
This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
ARTICLE TOOLS:
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 May June 2005 Eating Healthy
Staying Fit
Caring for Mind and Body
Just for Women
Just for Men
Raising a Family
Heart of Healthy You
Protecting Your Health
Coping with Illness
Aging Well
Keeping Up to Date
Weight Control
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