Drug Overdosing--How to Protect Yourself and Your Family
 Know how to avoid the potential dangers of misusing prescription drugs.
Megan Flowers, Pharm.D. Candidate, St. Louis College of Pharmacy The recent death of famous actor Heath Ledger has once again highlighted the potential dangers of misusing prescription drugs. According to various reports, Ledger accidentally overdosed on a number of prescription drugs that he was prescribed and obtained legally. Ledger's combination of drugs were used to treat a variety of disorders--anxiety, insomnia, and pain. However, when taken together, these drugs produced a deadly cocktail.
All of Ledger's prescription drugs had similar side effect profiles--mainly causing drowsiness and decreased respiratory rate (slower breathing). These effects were amplified when all of the medications were taken together, leading to the untimely death of a young actor.
Celebrity deaths are often scrutinized and overplayed by the media, especially when the death is not of natural causes. Due to this heightened media exposure, it may seem that celebrities are more likely to abuse or misuse prescription drugs; however, this is not always the case. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 16,000 people in the United States die from accidental prescription drug overdoses every year. This number is increasing by approximately 5% annually. Many of these deaths are not from intentional abuse of prescription drugs; they are from lack of knowledge pertaining to the potential harmful effects of prescription medications.
A drug overdose is the accidental or intentional use of a drug that is consumed in higher amounts than recommended or is consumed in higher amounts than the body can tolerate. Prescription drugs are meant to help people, not harm. However, unfortunately instances can occur when communication breaks down between healthcare providers and patients concerning new medications, so you must become your own advocate for safe prescription drug use. By following some simple medication safety tips, you will help ensure your safety when it comes to taking prescription drugs.
- Be Informed:
Make sure you understand and follow the instructions for taking a prescription drug. This will ensure the safest use of the drug and help to prevent improper use. Do not hesitate to ask the doctor or pharmacist for further clarification on how to take the drug, any side effects you should watch for, as well as any other questions you have about the drug.
For example, many prescription pain medications contain the active ingredient in Tylenol--acetaminophen--along with a stronger pain relieving ingredient. Many people do not realize this and may take additional over-the-counter products that also contain acetaminophen. There is a maximum amount of acetaminophen that one can take daily in order to avoid toxicity and possible liver damage. It is important to ask your pharmacist what ingredients are in your medications, especially any combination over-the-counter products, to avoid toxicities and/or interactions.
Make sure you are knowledgeable about potential drug interactions associated with any prescription medications you take. Be sure to ask your pharmacist about interactions and read the educational patient pamphlet that comes with your prescriptions. You can also use DrugDigest's Interaction Checker tool. Also, know that different types of drug interactions can exist.
Some interactions can affect a person indirectly by rendering the drugs less effective. While this is not desired, it may not be life-threatening. For example, when someone takes over-the-counter antacids along with certain antibiotics, the antacid binds with the antibiotic in the body and render the antibiotic less effective or ineffective all together. While this interaction is usually not harmful, it will delay the infection's cure and time to which the person begins feeling better.
Other interactions can be life-threatening, for example, when one drug affects the metabolism (or break down) of the drug in the body. Some drugs prevent others from breaking down as fast as they should when taken together. This can lead to increased levels of the drug in the body, which can cause toxic side effects. On the other hand, some drugs cause others to break down too fast, which can decrease the effectiveness of the drug. Depending on why the drug is being taken, this can be life threatening as well.
In Heath Ledger's case, the amplified side effects of the drugs are what led to his death. You must always be extremely careful when taking multiple drugs for the same health condition. Most of the drugs may work in similar ways, which means they may have similar side effects.
Don't forget about interactions between prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs, supplements, and herbals. Many people assume since these products are available without a prescription, they come without risk. This is definitely not the case, so you should always ask your pharmacist or doctor before starting any new over-the-counter drug or supplement to ensure that it will not interact with any of your current prescription medications.
- Be Consistent:
Get all prescription medications filled at one pharmacy. This ensures that the pharmacist filling your prescriptions has access to your complete medication list and can assess your risk for potential drug interactions and/or unwanted side effects.
Let all healthcare professionals know about all drugs you take and all conditions you are being treated for, especially if you see numerous healthcare providers. Otherwise, doctors may prescribe a drug that could interact with something else you are taking without ever knowing it. Or, multiple doctors could start prescribing similar medications to treat the same condition. This could lead to an overdose similar to Ledger's in that similar drugs may cause amplified unwanted adverse effects.
- Be Protective of Others:
Do not share medicine. What can be safe for one person may not be safe for another without a doctor's supervision.
Keep all drugs in a safe, secure place away from children and guests. This will help to prevent accidental overdoses in children who do not understand what they are taking. Child proof caps also help to deter overdoses in children.
Dispose of all unneeded or expired medications safely. Drugs that are left sitting around can be a source for overdosing. Many programs are available in communities to help dispose of unwanted drugs safely for the environment. It is no longer recommended to flush unwanted drugs down the toilet due to the potential harmful effects to the ecosystem. Contact a local pharmacy for information on drug disposal programs in the community or simply follow these steps at home:
- Add some water to the medication container to slightly dissolve the tablets or dilute the liquid at hand.
- Empty the medication into a plastic, sealable bag at home.
- Add some undesirable substance to the bag (kitty litter, coffee grounds, sand, etc) to make the medication undesirable to humans and animals.
- Throw the bag out with the trash on trash pick up day.
To be sure, safe medication practices can save lives from accidental prescription drug overdosing. It is unfortunate to hear stories of lives cut short, especially when it could have been prevented. The best advice is to have open and honest communication with each of your healthcare providers in order to ensure safe and correct use of medications.
To learn more about medication safety and to test your knowledge about medication safety, please click on the following link to access our interactive "Medication Safety Health Risk Assessment"tool.
References:
- CDC. Unintentional poisoning deaths?United States, 1999-2004. MMWR 2007;56(05);93-96. Available from URL: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5605al.htm. Accessed February 2008.
- Your Health: Prescription drug overdose. February 7 2008. Available from URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23051607/. Accessed February 2008.
- Medline Plus. Drug Safety. Updated December 2007. Available from URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugsafety.html. Accessed February 2008.
This content was created by members of the DrugDigest team of experts and is solely under DrugDigest's editorial control.
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