Guest Columnist
An Oral Analgesic Is Not for Everyone
By
Aug 28, 2010 - 11:40:07 AM

Seniors not immune from risk—even with over-the-counter drugs


(HealthNewsDigest.com) - The good old fashion aspirin – the popular oral analgesic and anti-inflammatory, officially created in Germany in 1897 has got to be one of the greatest medical developments of all time. As an inexpensive short-term fix for aches and pains, it can’t be beat. The downside: too many people take it in too great a quantity without a thought of possible side effects.

A recent CDC study reported that hospital emergency rooms saw an estimated 1 million visits from people abusing both over-the-counter and prescription medicines - mostly painkillers and sedatives. Taking an oral analgesic, even the seemingly innocuous aspirin is not without risk.

This is especially the case for seniors.

According to the American College of Gastroenterology, age has been identified as a risk factor for aspirin-related complications in several studies. Older patients also often require pain medications more often or in larger doses, thus further increasing their risk. Seniors also tend to take multiple medications, which in the wrong combination can be problematic. For example taking aspirin in combination with steroids and anti-coagulants can increase risk of gastrointestinal bleeding many-fold.

Aspirin overmedication can cause serious health issues. Some of the most common aspirin side effects are stomach pain, heart burn, nausea and vomiting. It is one of the leading causes of gastrointestinal tract complications, including ulcers, minor and major bleeding. It also presents a small but serious risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Patients with arthritic conditions pose a particular concern.

Statistics from the American College of Gastroenterology state that “over 14 million such patients consume non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) regularly”. NSAIDs generally pose less risk than aspirin yet up to 60% of these patients will experience GI side effects related to these drugs. In addition, “more than 10% will cease recommended medications because of problematic gastrointestinal symptoms,” including bleeding.

In short, an oral analgesic is not for everyone.

That’s where the over-the-counter, transdermal (or pain patch) comes in.

These are manufactured by J&J, Sanofi and a Japanese company called Hisamitsu which markets them under the Salonpas brand. Patches are a relatively new form of drug delivery in this country, but have been around for 75 years in Japan.

The use of patches in Japan is especially popular with older patients, suffering from arthritis or other ailments. When you think about it, using a patch is entirely logical. You put the medicine on where it hurts.

The active ingredients, which are infused in the patch, deliver the analgesic through the skin in a steady concentration in the bloodstream over a specific period of time. The drug acts locally and doesn’t circulate through the GI tract. This is potentially a huge safety factor. The chances of over-medication are very small.

Contrast this with swallowing a pill or tablet.

Once you swallow (unless you vomit) the medication is going to be in your system. If you don’t the like side effects, you can’t undo your actions. In contrast, if you use a patch, you’re in control. If you want to stop the drug delivery, simply take off the patch.

In geriatric medicine, pain patches can be a very useful alternative to oral analgesics, especially for patients who find it find it uncomfortable (or impossible) to swallow pills. There are other advantages to transdermal patches. Many oral nonprescription pain relief medications require a dose every 4-6 hours whereas pain patches can last much longer.

I first became acquainted with the transdermal patch while living in Japan and doing research on the long-lived population of Okinawa.

Nowadays over-the-counter patches are sold throughout the United States in chain drug stores such as Rite Aid, big box stores such as Costco and even convenience stories and supermarkets. Of all the brands of OTC patches sold in this country, only the Salonpas patches are FDA approved.

If you take over-the-counter pain medications regularly, I suggest you talk with your physician about the potential for ulcers and other GI side effects. Aspirin and NSAID-induced gastrointestinal side effects can be reduced through the use of alternative therapies.

Patches may be an option for you.

Bradley J. Willcox MD, MSc, CAQ Geriatrics is a US National Institutes of Health-funded scientist in Geriatrics at the Pacific Health Research Institute where he is Associate Director, Research on Aging. He is also Principal Investigator of the Hawaii Lifespan Study and co-Principal Investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study, two of the largest studies of aging and longevity in the world.

Dr. Willcox trained in Medicine at the University of Toronto; Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic and Geriatric Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

A prolific writer, his work has appeared in prestigious medical journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of the American Medical Association, and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Willcox is the author of a NY Times best-seller on healthy aging (The Okinawa Program). His research has appeared in Time Magazine, Time Asia, National Geographic, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today and many others. He was also featured in a recent award-winning BBC documentary on healthy aging.

Subscribe to our FREE Ezine and receive current Health News, be eligible for discounted products/services and coupons related to your Health. We publish 24/7.
HealthNewsDigest.com

For advertising/promotion, email: tvmike13@healthnewsdigest.com Or call toll free: 877- 634-9180



© Copyright by HealthNewsDigest.com