8 Drugs Your Doctor Just Won’t Take
by SAM PAGE
There are eight drugs your doctor would never take himself, according to Men’s Health magazine. Here they are (in no particular order) and why.
Advair may be an asthma drug, but its active ingredient, salmererol, has been linked to as many as 5,000 asthma-related deaths each year, prompting the FDA to stamp the drug with a “black box” warning.
Avandia, a medication used to treat diabetes, may increase the risk of heart failure (by 109 percent) or heart attack (by 42 percent) if taken for a year or longer, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Celebrex, a commonly prescribed “pain reliever on steroids” has been shown to more than double the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, according to a 2005 New England Journal of Medicine study. Those people taking 400 milligrams twice a day more than tripled their risk.
Ketek, an antibiotic used in treating respiratory tract infections, has some pretty severe side effects, including heart rhythm problems and serious liver interactions. In 2007, the FDA limited Ketek for the treatment of pneumonia only.
Prilosec and Nexium may treat heartburn, but they may work “too well” at stopping that stomach acid, which can actually lead to other problems, like pneumonia, bone loss, and cardiac issues. The FDA is investigating, so in the meantime, ask for an alternative.
Visine (active ingredient: tetrahydrozoline) is a staple of late night party goers, but it does more than get the red out—it shrinks the blood vessels in your nose, too. Prolonged use may actually may cause more redness in those peepers. Use natural “tears” instead.
Psudoephedrine (the primary ingredient in methamphetamine) is dangerous for any person with hypertension or heart disease, because it raises blood pressure and resting heart rate. Psuedoephedrine is found in many over the counter nasal decongestants. Try a simple saline solution instead.
