Poisoning Deaths Rising
Poisoning deaths for women between the age of 45 and 64 years of age rose 230 percent between 1999 and 2005. This rise in deaths is due mainly to abuse of prescription drugs. Prescription drugs now kill more people each year than illegal drugs.
20 percent of Americans say they have taken prescription drugs for non medical reasons. Many are getting medicine from people they know without having a prescription.
This leads to the risk of drug interactions, because people are using drugs without speaking to a doctor or pharmacist about necessary precautions. Drug interactions can be fatal.
Another popular trend is for people to go from doctor to doctor until they find one willing to prescribe pain medication such as oxycodone. This is then used as a recreational drug for personal consumption, or sold on the street to drug abusers. In certain parts of the country, such as West Virginia, fatalities due to painkiller abuse have risen dramatically. To help fight this trend, it is recommended that doctors get more training in recognizing addiction.
The following are ways to reduce your risk for prescription drug misuse:
-maintain a list of all of the drugs you take including over the counter meds
-avoid taking medication that is not prescribed directly to you
-take meds as prescribed and read all materials provided by the pharmacy
-be sure you understand the directions and ask questions if you have any
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