Interactions Tens of thousands of deaths per year

Tens of thousands of patients die each year from side effects and drug-drug interactions

07.11.2012

Every year, tens of thousands of people in Germany die from the drug's side effects and side effects. The most serious side effects are liver failure, gastrointestinal bleeding and heart attack. The most common fatal events are painkillers, antihypertensives, anesthetics and antidepressants.

Over 50,000 deaths from side effects
Every year, tens of thousands of people in Germany die from overdoses, drug and drug side effects. However, the study situation is not clear. According to research, according to the consumer magazine „Good advice“ between 25,000 and 58,000 deaths a year. If the study data from Norway were transferred to Germany, more than 50,000 people will die as a result of adverse drug reactions. A prospective study of a Norwegian clinic concluded in 2004 that around 18 percent of the deaths from adverse drug events (UAE) occurred. The researchers examined the death data of all deceased patients in a Norwegian hospital in the last two years. Another study (Pirmohamed Metal: Adverse Drug Reactions as a Cause, BMJ) concluded that the number of serious adverse drug events has dramatically increased in recent years. The main reason for this is above all the so-called polypharmacy (several different drugs at the same time) of elderly patients. „Between 5 and 13 percent of all hospital admissions result from drug side effects“, so the study authors.

Multiple use increases risk
If a patient takes five medications a day, he has to expect ten and more side effects and interactions. Keihan Ahmadi-Simab, chief and specialist in internal medicine at the Hamburg Asklepios Rheumatism Center opposite the Journal. On average, 65-year-olds in Germany consume about six remedies a day.

A study of the Hannover Medical School (MHH) came to the conclusion that the anesthetic often administered during colonoscopy „propofol“ also leads to death events. According to the study, each year dies „Around 180 people were affected by the administration of the anesthetic Propofol“. Out of 10,000 examinations, 3 patients died.

Dangerous interactions due to different regulations
The most common drug-damaged patients suffer from gastrointestinal bleeding, liver failure, kidney failure, heart attack or muscle inflammation. „The most common side effects and complications are caused by the drugs that are most commonly prescribed. These are blood lipids and hypotensives, analgesics, antidepressants and gastric acid blockers“, said the physician Ahmadi-Simab opposite „Good advice“. For example, patients with heart disease are given the blood thinner clopidogrel in combination with the gastric acid blocker PPI. The acid blocker then in turn causes a reduction in blood thinning. For this reason, it comes in a row to 30 percent more heart attacks.

Older patients in particular are at greater risk because the metabolism changes with increasing age. Often the drugs are researched and tested in the pivotal studies on young people.

Priscus's list of interactions and alternative medicines
As a small helper, the pharmacologist Petra Thürmann from the University of Witten / Herdecke in collaboration with colleagues has published a list of medicines and their interaction. The Priscus list can be viewed here. According to Thürmann, about 15 to 20 percent of over 75-year-olds living independently in their own household would be taking critical medications. With the help of the list, the expert wants to educate physicians and patients about possible side effects and alternative preparations. (Sb)

Also read:
Deaths from colonoscopy by propofol
Patients can report side effects as of today
Side effects with antidepressants
Drug side effects increase with age

Picture: Birgit H