MEDICATIONS THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECT OLDER ADULTS

Medications that Negatively Affect Older Adults

Medications that Negatively Affect Older Adults

Percription drug addiction has become the growing social concern in recent years with more widespread recreational use of prescription medicines included in class of opiates and benzodiazepine drugs. Common addictions from prescription opioid drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, Norco, Dulaudid, and methadone. These drugs are intended to be used to relieve moderate to severe pain, but its side effects euphoric have created numerous cases of addiction throughout society.

Addiction to prescription of benzodiazepines is also the problem in society growing. Commonly consumed and very addictive benzdiazepines include Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Klonopin. Typically prescribed as the sleep aid or relief of anxiety or concern, however, benzodiazepines are highly addictive because its sedative effects.

Type of depression that will most likely benefit from drug treatment is more than “blues." It is the condition that is prolonged, lasting 2 weeks or more, and interferes with the person's ability to carry out daily tasks and enjoy activities that previously brought pleasure. (Kecskemeti 2001)

Depressed person will seem sad or "down" or can show the lack of interest in their surroundings. You may have trouble eating and lose weight (although some people eat more and gain weight when depressed). He may sleep too much or too little, have difficulty going to sleep, restless sleep, or waking up early in morning. We can speak of guilt, worthlessness or hopelessness. You may complain that his thinking is slowed. It is possible that lack of energy, feeling "everything is too much," or may be agitated and nervous. THE depressed person can mourn. You can think and talk about killing himself and may even make the suicide attempt. Some people who are depressed have psychotic symptoms such as delusions (false ideas) are associated with depression. For example, the person with psychotic depression can imagine that he is already dead, or "hell," being punished.

Not every person who is dejected has all these symptoms, but every person who is dejected has at smallest some of them. THE depression can vary in severity from mild to severe. (Kecskemeti 2004)

Antidepressants are used most widely for serious depressions, but may also be helpful for some milder depressions. Antidepressants, although they are not "uppers" or stimulants, take away or reduce symptoms of depression and help depressed person feels like he did before he became depressed.

Antidepressants are furthermore utilised for disorders distinuished principally by anxiety. They can block symptoms of panic, including rapid heartbeat, terror, dizziness, chest pain, nausea and respiratory problems. Also be utilised to treat some phobias. (Esteban, 1997)

Dosage of antidepressants varies, depending on type of drug, body chemistry of person, age and, sometimes, body weight. Doses are usually started low and raised gradually over time to achieve desired effect without annoying side effects. (Sydney 1999)

There is the number of different types of antidepressant medications available. They differ in their side effects and, to some extent on its effectiveness. Tricyclic antidepressants (named for their chemical structure) used to be ...