Here is a list of drugs doctors have been advised to withdraw patients from, if possible. Consult with him or her about that before stopping them on your own. The problem of polypharmacy (more than five drugs for one patient) needs to be addressed aggressively, especially in the elderly. The drugs listed below are either not effective, or dangerous, or both.
Beta blockers for hypertension
Stool softeners like Colace
Antibiotics before dental procedures
Statins for primary prevention
Inhalers and pills for misdiagnosed asthma
Acid blockers like the purple pill
Benzodiazepines like Xanax
Antimuscarinics like oxybutynin
Cholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer’s like Donepezil
Muscle relaxants like Soma
Left unsaid in the article is the fact that the pharmaceutical approach is flawed—it only addresses symptoms of diseases, not the root causes. The problem is compounded by doctors not knowing what else to do in a rushed system that resorts to a quick prescription to terminate the visit.
Reference
(11 Drugs You Should Seriously Consider Deprescribing – Medscape www.medscape.com/slideshow/deprescribing-6009041. 4 days ago – You might consider ‘giving the axe’ to these 11 drug classes in specific circumstances, to increase safety and reduce a patient’s pill burden.)
