327% Increase in CNS Drugs Prescribed For Children

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2002/jul/24/drug_usage.htm

US Drug Usage Explodes

Physicians are prescribing medications at a far faster clip than they did

two decades ago, a trend that is likely to result in a doubling of drug

spending in the next 5 years.

Between 1985 and 1999, the prescribing rate rose 34%, from 109 to 146

prescriptions per 100 visits, the study found. All major therapeutic

classes, except for microbial agents such as penicillin and tetracycline

(which fell 12%) experienced increases during the study period.

About two thirds of the increase can be accounted for by an aging patient

population and more complicated medical conditions, the research found. But

other factors, such as the availability of new drug formulations to treat

chronic conditions, wider health insurance and drug coverage, and growth of

direct-to-consumer advertising are also believed to contribute to the

increased prescribing rate.

The trend is likely to continue as baby boomers grow older and scientific

discoveries lead to better treatment of acute and chronic conditions,

concludes study author Catharine Burt, chief of the ambulatory care

statistics branch of the National Center for Health Statistics at the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The analysis is based on data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care

Survey, a survey of office-based physicians conducted by the National Center

for Health Statistics. The survey captures all " drug mentions, " meaning

prescriptions, over-the-counter preparations and immunizations ordered,

supplied or administered during a visit.

Psychiatrists had the largest increase in drug mentions, jumping to 178

drugs per 100 visits in 1999, from 82 per 100 visits in 1985.

Just six therapeutic classes accounted for 80% of the increase in the

overall drug mention rate. Those classes include central nervous system

drugs, hormones, respiratory medications, pain relief agents,

metabolics/nutrients and cardiovascular-kidney drugs.

Antidepressants accounted for 13.5% of the increase in overall ambulatory

drug prescribing. Cholesterol-lowering drugs and heart medications called

ACE inhibitors were also top contributors.

For seniors, the largest increase was for drugs affecting the blood and

blood-forming tissues, which jumped 187% during the study period. For adults

45 to 64, metabolic drugs, including cholesterol-lowering medications, had

the largest increase in drug mentions, up 109%.

Central nervous system drugs had the highest increase for children, up a

startling 327%. The study finds that the attention-deficit/hyperactivity

disorder drug Ritalin was among the most frequently mentioned drugs in this

class during children's visits in 1999.

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[Guest guest]

Prescribing Ritalin to kids! Fortunately, I believe that as much as

corporate america would like a drugged docile society, I believe the

human spirit will prevail. It's also good to see conservatives (eg

the townhall.com article) recognizing drugging kids as a serious

problem.

[Guest guest]

Prescribing Ritalin to kids! Fortunately, I believe that as much as

corporate america would like a drugged docile society, I believe the

human spirit will prevail. It's also good to see conservatives (eg

the townhall.com article) recognizing drugging kids as a serious

problem.

[Guest guest]

And a growing trend is prescribing Paxil to children

to help with alleged depression or anxiety

or...whatever. Even more disturbing is child and

adolescent psychiatrists give this drug and others to

children who are simply in the middle of a custody

dispute. The child and adolescent psychiatrists

(thanks to sheer incompetence, managed care and the

pharmaceutical industry) simply appease custodial

parents by drugging the children. Attempting to

complain to the medical board or ethics committees of

associations the pill pushing doctor belongs to is a

waste of a lot of time and money, but it and so many

other things must be done and done in NUMBERS.....it

is so pathetic, this alleged War on Drugs, DARE

programs, etc....but no one seems to care that our

children are being drugged because of either lousy

health care politics or incompetent parenting...

Tony Zizza

http://kaiserpapers.org/tonyz.html

--- shdd2 <shdd2@...> wrote:

> Prescribing Ritalin to kids! Fortunately, I believe

> that as much as

> corporate america would like a drugged docile

> society, I believe the

> human spirit will prevail. It's also good to see

> conservatives (eg

> the townhall.com article) recognizing drugging kids

> as a serious

> problem.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

And a growing trend is prescribing Paxil to children

to help with alleged depression or anxiety

or...whatever. Even more disturbing is child and

adolescent psychiatrists give this drug and others to

children who are simply in the middle of a custody

dispute. The child and adolescent psychiatrists

(thanks to sheer incompetence, managed care and the

pharmaceutical industry) simply appease custodial

parents by drugging the children. Attempting to

complain to the medical board or ethics committees of

associations the pill pushing doctor belongs to is a

waste of a lot of time and money, but it and so many

other things must be done and done in NUMBERS.....it

is so pathetic, this alleged War on Drugs, DARE

programs, etc....but no one seems to care that our

children are being drugged because of either lousy

health care politics or incompetent parenting...

Tony Zizza

http://kaiserpapers.org/tonyz.html

--- shdd2 <shdd2@...> wrote:

> Prescribing Ritalin to kids! Fortunately, I believe

> that as much as

> corporate america would like a drugged docile

> society, I believe the

> human spirit will prevail. It's also good to see

> conservatives (eg

> the townhall.com article) recognizing drugging kids

> as a serious

> problem.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

does anyone have a direct link to this CNS article?

Thanks, Tony

--- shdd2 <shdd2@...> wrote:

> Prescribing Ritalin to kids! Fortunately, I believe

> that as much as

> corporate america would like a drugged docile

> society, I believe the

> human spirit will prevail. It's also good to see

> conservatives (eg

> the townhall.com article) recognizing drugging kids

> as a serious

> problem.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

does anyone have a direct link to this CNS article?

Thanks, Tony

--- shdd2 <shdd2@...> wrote:

> Prescribing Ritalin to kids! Fortunately, I believe

> that as much as

> corporate america would like a drugged docile

> society, I believe the

> human spirit will prevail. It's also good to see

> conservatives (eg

> the townhall.com article) recognizing drugging kids

> as a serious

> problem.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I need some references from peer reviewed journals on the use of

psychotropic drugs in adolescents. I have a child I am working with who has

been given a whole array of drugs to make her compliant with family demands

while she was living with a very abusive parent. Now trying to arrange to

get her off drugs, but will need some supportive documentation to provide to

court. Any help much appreciated.

[Guest guest]

I need some references from peer reviewed journals on the use of

psychotropic drugs in adolescents. I have a child I am working with who has

been given a whole array of drugs to make her compliant with family demands

while she was living with a very abusive parent. Now trying to arrange to

get her off drugs, but will need some supportive documentation to provide to

court. Any help much appreciated.

[Guest guest]

I need some references from peer reviewed journals on the use of

psychotropic drugs in adolescents. I have a child I am working with who has

been given a whole array of drugs to make her compliant with family demands

while she was living with a very abusive parent. Now trying to arrange to

get her off drugs, but will need some supportive documentation to provide to

court. Any help much appreciated.

[Guest guest]

I need some references from peer reviewed journals on the use of

psychotropic drugs in adolescents. I have a child I am working with who has

been given a whole array of drugs to make her compliant with family demands

while she was living with a very abusive parent. Now trying to arrange to

get her off drugs, but will need some supportive documentation to provide to

court. Any help much appreciated.