Opioids are being prescribed to patients for a variety of medical reasons. It can help offer pain relief from lower back aches, head aches and more. However, in addition to opioids, about 45.9 percent of older people are being prescribed three or more psychotropic drugs by their doctors.
This is considered to be alarming news because their medical records do not state that they had been formally diagnosed with a particular mental health condition or pain condition. Which is why there are two studies that are looking into the over-prescription of these drugs.
The first study notes that most patients who are not diagnosed with mental or pain conditions are being prescribed multiple psychotropic drugs. The second study finds that emergency room doctors have an increased rate of prescribing opioids to older patients, as reported by Minn Post.
The study has the health and medical community concerned. The quality of care being received by older Americans has long term effects. When it comes to psychotropic drugs, patients would have side effects such as dizziness and confusion. Opioids would have side effects such as breathing problems and addiction.
Researchers are now looking into the prescribing habits of doctors. The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. They measure the high and low rates of prescribing the painkiller as well as the potential danger of mixing a cocktail of drugs.
There are doctors who prescribe high amounts of opioid to 75 percent of their patients. Compare that to doctors who offer the prescription to 7 percent of their patients. The researchers thought was likely the result of inappropriate prescribing.
With this in mind, senior Americans are reportedly willing to seek help and readily accept medication for mental health conditions. Dr. Donovan Maust, a psychiatrist at the University of Michigan, says that the risks of these medication mixes are concerning.
Many hope that there are better prescribing guidelines for older Americans when it comes to opioids and psychotropic drugs.
Watch the MTV video below of Macklemore going deep into the opioid addiction of the country:
