In the imaginary of people there is a belief that illicit drugs are the only ones associated with complications and deaths from overdoses. However, there is recent evidence that there are prescription and commonly used medications, including over-the-counter, that they can be lethal and therefore more dangerous than those used for recreational purposes when used outside of its indications, as collected by the MDlinxs portal.
In that sense, some research has found groups of drugs that also add sick and dead to epidemiological statistics worldwide.
The following list does not attempt to limit or alarm the use of these medications, which are necessary in the treatment of many diseases, but to warn about the risks of using them improperly and not being part of self-medication, which should always be contraindicated
Hence, César Burgos, president of the Colombian Association of Scientific Societies, recommends that Under no circumstances should the use of these drugs be prolonged and their over-the-counter consumption be avoided to the maximum.
Aines
Among these are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, also called aines, which They are familiar products of aspirin and are commonly used to treat pain and to reduce inflammation. These have become so popular that they are not only consumed by prescription but, being over-the-counter, are part of the kits in every home.
Some research has shown that its indiscriminate use in people suffering from diabetes, hypertension, renal or hepatic insufficiency, cardiac disorders or ulcers It can complicate these pathologies by generating life-threatening organic alterations.
Recently an American study found that this group of drugs, which include ibuprofen, diclofenalco, naproxen, piroxicam and many others, can represent up to 11 percent of hospitalizations related to medications.
And some estimates indicate that 70 percent of people over 65 use them at least once a week and it is believed that half of them ingest more than seven weekly doses.
An investigation published in The Lancet magazine referred to the increase in severe heart attacks by up to a third and double the risk of heart failure among users of these substances. Similarly, reference has been made to the production of chronic anemia due to insensitive bleeding caused by its effects and has even been referred to as a determining factor for miscarriages and alterations at the DNA level.
Anticoagulants
Another group that causes concern about its misuse is that of anticoagulants, which are the drugs used to prevent blood from forming thrombi inside the blood vessels and plugging them with serious consequences. Nevertheless, its administration requires a careful balance between the benefits it provides and the risks of bleeding that can be generated.
According to the MDlinxs portal, the bleeding rates associated with these drugs can complicate the pathologies they treat and even favor fatal internal bleeding.
Acetaminophen
Along the same precautionary path, specialists place acetaminophen, a product commonly used to treat pain and fever and considered one of the most popular medications in the world. However, different studies have shown that Overdose of this molecule can cause fatal liver damage, to the point that in the United States alone it causes more than 500 deaths each year and more than 50,000 emergency cases and 10,000 hospitalizations.
Insulin
Insulin, on the other hand, also implies a high risk if it is not used as it should be since being a molecule to lower blood sugar levels Overdose can trigger seizures, commas and deaths. Hence, it is always suggested to have rigorous control in its application and submission to the doctor’s instructions.
Opioids
And perhaps the most dangerous group of prescription drugs today are opium-derived pain relievers, commonly known as opioids, that produce high levels of dependence and addiction, what has generated a true epidemic in the United States that produces more than 50,000 deaths a year.
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