Originally published February 21 2011
How your medicines are killing you
by Cindy Jones-Shoeman
(NaturalNews) It's so easy for people to take the prescription the doctor wrote to have filled. It's even easier to take a medication, hoping for a cure or relief from an illness. But there's often a trade off. Too many times, medications have side effects that range from mild to dangerous to deadly.
Some people suffer so greatly that they are willing to take the risks, but what of the people who haven't been properly informed? Here are some potential side effects from common prescription drugs that patients should watch out for:
Hypertension: It's ironic that a common disorder that is often treated pharmacologically would also be caused by other drugs. However, it is true that there are many prescriptions that cause an increase in blood pressure. Some common drugs for fibromyalgia as well as anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and corticosteroids can cause hypertension. Untreated high blood pressure can lead to a host of other problems, such as cardiac arrest, stroke, and kidney failure.
Suicidal thoughts: Unfortunately, there are many drugs that can lead people to experience suicidal thoughts. Some of the medications are used to treat fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, or help people with smoking cessation. Unfortunately, people who are experiencing depression might be prescribed a drug that simply makes it worse, and - it goes without saying - suicidal thoughts can often lead to suicide.
Liver damage: There are numerous drugs that can lead to liver damage, including medications used to treat epilepsy, high cholesterol (statin drugs), and pain and inflammation (again, NSAIDs). Untreated damage to the liver can lead to myriad problems, such as liver cancer, failure of the liver, and chronic liver disease.
Kidney damage: There are numerous prescription drugs on the market that can cause kidney damage. Some of them include chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, and high blood pressure medications. Kidney damage that is untreated can lead to renal failure.
It's tragic that when people trust their physician to make them well, they're given a medication that can leave them worse off than when they started. Medications are not always safe, and people need to be aware of the potential dangerous and deadly side effects they could experience because they chose to blindly take something that was supposed to heal them.
Sources:
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About the author
Cindy Jones-Shoeman is the author of Last Sunset and a Feature Writer for Academic Writing at Suite101.
Some of Cindy's interests include environmental issues, vegetarian and sustainable lifestyles, music, and reading.
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