More often than not, prescription drugs aid with certain health problems and can also save lives in the process. We take certain pharmaceutical drugs more often than we would like to admit, but what many of us are unaware of is that some of these pharmaceutical drugs are doing more harm than good. In many cases, they’re deteriorating our health system in the long run. People often end up changing their lifestyle to accommodate the pills they’re taking. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 48.9% of people are currently taking at least one prescription drug and 23.1% of people are taking three or more. With that said, below you will find the top pharmaceutical drugs that can harm your health.
Proton Pump Inhibitors: There is recent research that indicates that PPI’s may increase the risk of kidney disease, dementia, and possible heart attacks. The research is from Stanford University and Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas and researchers say that the drugs do more than just turn off the acid pump in the stomach. They add that the drugs also block the production of acid in every cell in our body as well. This hampers the body’s ability to get rid of damaged proteins, which can build up as we age. John Cooke, MD, Ph.D., chair of Cardiovascular Disease Research at Houston Methodist Hospital describes PPI’s as a “smoking gun.”
Prednisone: The National Kidney Foundation describes prednisone as a steroid drug that helps lower the activity of the immune system. Usually, those with lupus, asthma and certain types of arthritis take prednisone. The National Kidney Foundation adds that when people take prednisone, they can experience high blood sugar. This can be a major concern for those who have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. Also, because prednisone suppresses the body’s immune system, it can also increase the risk of infections occurring.
Statins: According to the CDC, in 2012, over 23% of Americans were taking statin drugs. One of the reasons you should avoid taking statins is because they lower your vitamin K2 intake. According to research published in Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, statins do not reduce the chances of atherosclerosis, they may actually stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure. The reason this may be possible is that vitamin K2 protects your arteries from calcification. Without vitamin K2, our plaque levels will get worse, which can cause a heart attack.
Antidepressants: Antidepressants are becoming more and more popular for Americans. According to the CDC, 1 in 10 people who are over the age of 12 is taking a prescription antidepressant drug. According to Harvard Medical School, those who are taking antidepressants are increasing their risk of stomach or uterine bleeding and are more likely to require a blood transfusion during or after surgery. They also add that antidepressants have their ability to lose their effect. This happens because the brain becomes less responsive to the drug. Many people will often increase their dose, but sometimes this results in overdosing.
Painkillers: Although painkillers relieve pain when we need it the most, they may also be doing serious damage to your cardiovascular health as well. According to Michele Bally and her research team from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can increase the risk of having a heart attack after only a few weeks of use! You can find this research published in the journal BMJ.
For many, the fact that pharmaceutical drugs cause bodily harm may come as a surprise. But the research and facts are present. These pharmaceutical drugs are only meant to address certain symptoms, but they don’t completely fix the problem. In order to restore what is broken in the body, more needs to be done than just swallowing a pill. Ensuring that you have a healthy diet and exercise regularly will do more for your body than any pharmaceutical pill in the long run.
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