Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

More than 50 million older Americans – or 91 percent of that population – take at least one medication, and at least 2 million of them are combining their medication with other drugs or supplements that may be hazardous to their health, according to the Associated Press.

The findings come from research published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association and funded by the National Institutes of Health and University of Chicago. The study is based on interviews of 3,000 people aged 57 to 85. The research shows that more than half of the older population is taking at least five different medications including prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs or supplements. Men are particularly at risk, according to the report. As many as one in 10 older men were taking drug combinations that could be harmful.

One alarming drug combination occurs when a patient is on a blood thinner. Combined with common over-the-counter medicines such as NSAIDS like ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin, this can lead to excessive and uncontrolled bleeding. Cigarette smoking also decreases blood levels.

Heparin, one of the more common blood thinners administered intravenously at hospitals before some surgeries and treatments such as kidney dialysis to prevent blood clots, carries the same warnings. Patients – whether at home or in the hospital – should be forthcoming about all medications – prescription and over-the-counter – and supplements they are taking to avoid any potential risk.

Patients also should not take new over-the-counter medication or supplements or stop taking a medication without first checking with their doctors.

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