Fw: Seniors may be getting inappropriate meds, mostly psychotropic

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http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/9413233.htm?ERIGHTS=8775995462282\

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Posted on Mon, Aug. 16, 2004

SENIOR NOTES

Staff and Wire Reports

Seniors may be getting inappropriate meds

At least 20 percent of older Americans are being prescribed drugs that could

possibly harm their aging bodies, new research claims.

" There is a list of medications, called the Beers list, that may not be

appropriate for people over 65, " said senior researcher Dr. Schulman at

Duke University.

The scope of the problem was much larger than the research team expected,

Schulman added. The most common cases involved antidepressants and muscle

relaxants, which can tax aging kidneys to the breaking point.

Psychotropic drugs on the Beers list were the most commonly prescribed to this

older age group, making up 41 percent of the prescriptions. Prescriptions for

the antidepressants amitriptyline and doxepin -- Adapin, Sinequan, Zonalon --

and the anti-anxiety drug diazepam -- Valium -- made up almost a quarter of the

prescriptions. Second most common were prescriptions for inappropriate muscle

relaxants such as carisoprodol, chlorzoxazone -- Paraflex -- and cyclobenzaprine

-- Flexeril. Most of the time, there is an alternative to these medications, so

physicians can use something that's safer, Schulman noted.

-- HealthDay News

[Guest guest]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/9413233.htm?ERIGHTS=8775995462282\

913822dfw::cchrtexswbell (DOT) net & KRD_RM=5mmuoqosumqtomtqlllllllllu

Posted on Mon, Aug. 16, 2004

SENIOR NOTES

Staff and Wire Reports

Seniors may be getting inappropriate meds

At least 20 percent of older Americans are being prescribed drugs that could

possibly harm their aging bodies, new research claims.

" There is a list of medications, called the Beers list, that may not be

appropriate for people over 65, " said senior researcher Dr. Schulman at

Duke University.

The scope of the problem was much larger than the research team expected,

Schulman added. The most common cases involved antidepressants and muscle

relaxants, which can tax aging kidneys to the breaking point.

Psychotropic drugs on the Beers list were the most commonly prescribed to this

older age group, making up 41 percent of the prescriptions. Prescriptions for

the antidepressants amitriptyline and doxepin -- Adapin, Sinequan, Zonalon --

and the anti-anxiety drug diazepam -- Valium -- made up almost a quarter of the

prescriptions. Second most common were prescriptions for inappropriate muscle

relaxants such as carisoprodol, chlorzoxazone -- Paraflex -- and cyclobenzaprine

-- Flexeril. Most of the time, there is an alternative to these medications, so

physicians can use something that's safer, Schulman noted.

-- HealthDay News

[Guest guest]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/9413233.htm?ERIGHTS=8775995462282\

913822dfw::cchrtexswbell (DOT) net & KRD_RM=5mmuoqosumqtomtqlllllllllu

Posted on Mon, Aug. 16, 2004

SENIOR NOTES

Staff and Wire Reports

Seniors may be getting inappropriate meds

At least 20 percent of older Americans are being prescribed drugs that could

possibly harm their aging bodies, new research claims.

" There is a list of medications, called the Beers list, that may not be

appropriate for people over 65, " said senior researcher Dr. Schulman at

Duke University.

The scope of the problem was much larger than the research team expected,

Schulman added. The most common cases involved antidepressants and muscle

relaxants, which can tax aging kidneys to the breaking point.

Psychotropic drugs on the Beers list were the most commonly prescribed to this

older age group, making up 41 percent of the prescriptions. Prescriptions for

the antidepressants amitriptyline and doxepin -- Adapin, Sinequan, Zonalon --

and the anti-anxiety drug diazepam -- Valium -- made up almost a quarter of the

prescriptions. Second most common were prescriptions for inappropriate muscle

relaxants such as carisoprodol, chlorzoxazone -- Paraflex -- and cyclobenzaprine

-- Flexeril. Most of the time, there is an alternative to these medications, so

physicians can use something that's safer, Schulman noted.

-- HealthDay News

[Guest guest]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/9413233.htm?ERIGHTS=8775995462282\

913822dfw::cchrtexswbell (DOT) net & KRD_RM=5mmuoqosumqtomtqlllllllllu

Posted on Mon, Aug. 16, 2004

SENIOR NOTES

Staff and Wire Reports

Seniors may be getting inappropriate meds

At least 20 percent of older Americans are being prescribed drugs that could

possibly harm their aging bodies, new research claims.

" There is a list of medications, called the Beers list, that may not be

appropriate for people over 65, " said senior researcher Dr. Schulman at

Duke University.

The scope of the problem was much larger than the research team expected,

Schulman added. The most common cases involved antidepressants and muscle

relaxants, which can tax aging kidneys to the breaking point.

Psychotropic drugs on the Beers list were the most commonly prescribed to this

older age group, making up 41 percent of the prescriptions. Prescriptions for

the antidepressants amitriptyline and doxepin -- Adapin, Sinequan, Zonalon --

and the anti-anxiety drug diazepam -- Valium -- made up almost a quarter of the

prescriptions. Second most common were prescriptions for inappropriate muscle

relaxants such as carisoprodol, chlorzoxazone -- Paraflex -- and cyclobenzaprine

-- Flexeril. Most of the time, there is an alternative to these medications, so

physicians can use something that's safer, Schulman noted.

-- HealthDay News