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Taking three or more prescription drugs at the same time might cause anxiety and depression
Many Americans are taking prescription drugs without knowing what effects they can have on their health. About a third of this type of medicine can have serious adverse effects, such as anxiety, depression, or suicidal tendencies. This often happens without the knowledge of medical practitioners, who prescribe them without thinking of such risks.
Prescription drugs can have dangerous side effects
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois decided to take a look at prescription drugs and their potentially unknown side effects. Even if these pills are not related to depression or anxiety, doctors do not associate them with such reactions, and neither do patients. However, most of the drugs in the study were quite widely used, so the results are pretty worrying.
For this study, researchers looked at 26,000 American adults and their prescription drug use from 2005 to 2014. Among the most common drugs in the study, there were pills for heart and blood pressure, birth control, or painkillers. All of them exhibited side effects associated with anxiety and depression.
Combining drugs might lead to anxiety and depression
From the people who combined three such prescription drugs, 15 percent were more likely to experience such side effects. In contrast, only 9 percent of those who took two drugs were at risk, as well as 7 percent for one drug and 5 percent for no drugs.
This was the first time when researchers linked depression to multiple pill use. Also, it highlights quite a tough reality, namely that people are now taking more prescription drugs than before. Therefore, the study should work as a warning both for patients and for medical practitioners.
Combining prescription drugs is not a good choice, even if the person is struggling with different medical conditions. The study highlighted an increase in the consumption of drugs that might cause suicidal tendencies, so it’s a sign that doctors should review their practices. This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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