In January of 2008, the talented actor Heath Ledger died. The final diagnosis of what took his life was a lethal combination of prescription and nonprescription drugs. The nonprescription drugs involved might be considered recreational drugs, although in many cases, people turn to these illegal drugs or alcohol to serve as sedatives.
The tragic loss of Heath Ledger brought to public attention a field of toxicology called polypharmacy. The problem of adverse health problems resulting from mixing of various drugs has had disastrous results for many patients who were not intending to abuse drugs in any way. That is why the mixing of drugs that can result in serious health problems or death is often called a “poisonous cocktail.”
The fact that polypharmacy struck someone so young and healthy as Heath Ledger reflects that this aspect of toxicology is not limited to any specific age group or demographic. One of the easiest ways for an individual to inadvertently take a toxic mixture of drugs is the mixture of prescription drugs with over-the-counter drugs that they have come to trust. It is important for patients to be advised and mindful that when they are told to use a prescription medication, any other drugs that he or she might consume while using their prescription medication must be approved by the attending doctor. That simple step of seeking medical consultation concerning the mixture of drugs may seem routine, but it could save a life.
In addition to mixing prescription and nonprescription drugs, the mixture of prescription drugs with recreational drugs is a very common cause of polypharmacy problems. Alcohol is the recreational drug that most commonly can set off a serious medical crisis when it interacts with prescription medication. Many people use alcohol so routinely that they assume it is as harmless as any other food they consume. It is important to take seriously any warnings that your doctor gives you or that are printed on the label of prescription drugs so the simple act of “having a drink” doesn’t result in a health crisis because of the prescription drugs you must take.
A demographic that commonly has problems with the health risks of mixing medications are the elderly. In fact, statistics that track toxicology report that 28% of emergency medical problems that affect the elderly are the result of polypharmacy. Much of the problem with older patients is the fact that they use more prescription medications than other demographics and they often buy their drugs from different pharmacies used by different specialists who are helping the senior citizen.
It is smart for family members to be aware of what prescription, nonprescription, and recreational drugs the senior citizens they love use regularly. If possible, encourage that family member to use one pharmacy and to have a specific doctor whose responsibility it is to review drug usage to look for potential polypharmacy problems and to guide the senior citizen away from such problems. Since most polypharmacy health problems are accidentally, being on the alert is the best way to avoid serious medical problems when drugs are mixed.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/34/3/437-a