Hyderabad: Are senior citizens being given too many medications? Yes, says a recent study, which found that when one takes too many drugs the reaction and side-effects lead to further complaints of ailments. Medicines are required to boost immunity and also manage hypertension, blood sugar and heart diseases, but it is very important that the dosages are regulated and the number of drugs kept to a minimum.
Dr Vasanth Kumar, senior consultant of internal medicine and geriatrics at Apollo Hospitals explains that “when drugs are prescribed to older people, the physician has to weigh the benefits against the side-effects. Drugs like aspirin have to be given after evaluating the condition of the patient properly. Also, the time-period must be specified to the family.”
He says that medication for the elderly has two aspects: to control the disease and to ensure that quality of life is better. “These two aspects must be kept in mind when the medicines are prescribed.”Side-effects cannot be entirely avoided; medicines for neurological disorders and paralysis patients, for example, do cause side-effects like fear psychosis, temper tantrums and also issues of physical functioning.
When a patient is taking six to seven different tablets every day, chances are he or she may feel giddy and fall. This could need hospitalisation and emergency care due to injuries. The side-effect of some drugs is constipation in some patients. Drugs can also cause allergic reactions like red patches on the body, severe itching of the skin and fevers.
The most commonly taken drugs, which are to be very carefully prescribed, are blood thinners or anti-clotting drugs, laxatives for constipation problems, and drugs for acidity. Calcium and vitamin levels have to be reviewed from time to time. Those on dialysis or who have had an organ transplant are already on a regime of immune-suppressants and their medications are many and caution must be exercised in adding more.
Dr Bhavani Raju, senior general physician, says that while medicines are required, patients are also asked to cut down on their food and make lifestyle changes. “They are asked to walk, do light exercises, yoga and meditate, which is found to help them. There are many who cannot control their desire for delicious foods and sugars, but the body is not able to take the load anymore and that leads to both physical and psychological impact.The children of the patients are scared and rush to doctors for medication, which is not the solution,” Dr Raju advises. It has been found that the ageing body after a stage cannot consume too many medicines but the decision to stop a medication is often taken at the very last stage as both doctors and family are unwilling to do so.
Medications which the senior citizens have to take
- Anti-hypertensive drugs
- Anti-diabetic regime has to be followed
- Calcium and vitamin supplements as prescribed
- Omega tablets as prescribed
- Pain relievers, sleeping tablets and over the counter drugs for cold, cough and fever must be avoided as the combination will not match with their regime of medicines and can cause immediate side-effects which can be life-threatening too.
