Common Medications Lead to ER Visits

October 2006

Each year, over 700,000 Americans go to emergency rooms for reactions to commonly used medications. The study is to be published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study included 63 hospitals that reported 21,298 drug reactions among adults and children treated in emergency rooms during a two-year period from 2004 to 2005. The complications arose from using prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal treatments. Researchers said there were a total of 701,547 complications nationwide each year, with people 65 and older facing almost double the risk of treatment and seven times more likely to be admitted.

The medicines most commonly related to the complications included insulin to treat diabetes, warfarin to prevent clotting, and amoxicillin to treat infections.

Tips to avoid complications include:

• Talking to your doctor about your correct dosage, frequency of use, possible side effects, and what to do if symptoms occur.
• Ask if there are any food, drinks, or other medicines that you should not consume while on a particular medication.
• Ask if you may need periodic blood tests should be taken to monitor how the drug is working.
• Consult your doctor if you have any change in weight, diet, or activity level.
• Notify your doctor before you stop taking a prescription medication.

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