Prescription Cascade
In the United States, Tthe practice of over prescribing medication is an ever increasing problem with detrimental consequences. The practice of over prescribing medication is referred to as the prescribing cascade. According to Dr. Mehrdad Ayati, an assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, prescription cascade can be described in the following way.” To put this simply, a patient goes to a doctor’s office with an illness and is given a prescription this prescription has a side effect that causes another illness, and now the patient, unaware that the prescription is the problem, visits the same, or another doctor and is given another prescription. Then this prescription results in …show more content…
Her medical problems started with pain and stiffness in her joints, due to arthritis. Her physician gave her painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. The side effects from the medicine gave her heartburn, so the doctor prescribed an acid suppressant. She was also having trouble sleeping, so he prescribed a sleep aid. During her next health check the doctor found her blood pressure was high, which required another prescription. Her blood pressure medicine was not working, so the doctor prescribed a stronger medicine. After taking the medication “she developed an irregular heartbeat due to atrial fibrillation” (Le Fanu, 2014) requiring her to add additional drugs to include another blood pressure medicine and a blood thinner. Despite, or perhaps because of all the medications, she profoundly felt weak and lethargic. A required blood test later revealed that she had a very low level of sodium in her blood. This prompted the doctor to evaluate her drug regimen: she came off the blood pressure medicine, the sleep aid, and higher dose of painkillers was halved. Her lethargy improved as her sodium level rose, and though no longer taking her blood pressure lowering drug the readings have remained resolutely within normal limits. This shows that prescription cascades are not a new thing. It’s been going on for …show more content…
In some cases, however, you may need medications for prevention or treatment of ailments, or to help you with troubling symptoms or disabilities. In those cases When prescribed medicines are necessary, you should research as much as you can about your medications, risks and benefits, so that when it is time to talk to your doctor you can make an informed decision that both of you are happy
In the United States, Tthe practice of over prescribing medication is an ever increasing problem with detrimental consequences. The practice of over prescribing medication is referred to as the prescribing cascade. According to Dr. Mehrdad Ayati, an assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, prescription cascade can be described in the following way.” To put this simply, a patient goes to a doctor’s office with an illness and is given a prescription this prescription has a side effect that causes another illness, and now the patient, unaware that the prescription is the problem, visits the same, or another doctor and is given another prescription. Then this prescription results in …show more content…
Her medical problems started with pain and stiffness in her joints, due to arthritis. Her physician gave her painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. The side effects from the medicine gave her heartburn, so the doctor prescribed an acid suppressant. She was also having trouble sleeping, so he prescribed a sleep aid. During her next health check the doctor found her blood pressure was high, which required another prescription. Her blood pressure medicine was not working, so the doctor prescribed a stronger medicine. After taking the medication “she developed an irregular heartbeat due to atrial fibrillation” (Le Fanu, 2014) requiring her to add additional drugs to include another blood pressure medicine and a blood thinner. Despite, or perhaps because of all the medications, she profoundly felt weak and lethargic. A required blood test later revealed that she had a very low level of sodium in her blood. This prompted the doctor to evaluate her drug regimen: she came off the blood pressure medicine, the sleep aid, and higher dose of painkillers was halved. Her lethargy improved as her sodium level rose, and though no longer taking her blood pressure lowering drug the readings have remained resolutely within normal limits. This shows that prescription cascades are not a new thing. It’s been going on for …show more content…
In some cases, however, you may need medications for prevention or treatment of ailments, or to help you with troubling symptoms or disabilities. In those cases When prescribed medicines are necessary, you should research as much as you can about your medications, risks and benefits, so that when it is time to talk to your doctor you can make an informed decision that both of you are happy