

  The Health & Healthcare Blog  

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Thousands Die From This -- Every Year!

Prescription drugs are not the only medication that is being overused, or even abused, by many Americans today. Non-prescription medications can also be overused. Even though they are called over-the-counter drugs, meaning you don't need a prescription to get them, it doesn't mean they can't hurt you, or even kill you.

What to watch for

Americans think nothing of taking a few non-prescription pills for pain such as headache, backache, and muscle pain. It doesn't help that media ads compete with each other as to who can get rid of the pain faster and last longer. Many of these drugs are in a category called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and they can have dangerous side affects.

Dangerous side effects

Ibuprofen is one of those drugs. The danger is in taking Ibuprofen regularly for a long period of time. The medication may kill pain but does not cure the root cause, so people continually take the drug whenever and as often as needed. Ibuprofen has been linked to increased risk of heart attack, as well as increasing the risk of anemia, hypertension, hearing loss, miscarriage, influenza mortality, and damage to the DNA.

The side effects from taking Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs can build over time, and that is where the danger occurs. The side effects are generally not considered by people who regularly take NSAIDs like Ibuprofen, but they are reportedly linked to over 100 unintended adverse health effects associated with their use.
