Drugs you should consider avoiding!
By now, you have probably heard the news elsewhere. Many popular drugs on the market have been severely criticized as having dangerous side effects. We have already written about Crestor™ - to read the "Public Citizen Health Research Group" petition to the FDA Click Here. We would like to remind our readers that all statins have dangerous side effects at some level, and we continue to question their appropriateness for people in low, or even medium risk categories. For 100 people taking statins for 10 years, in the 10% risk category, (e.g., using the Framingham online calculator), 97 out of the 100 people will not see any impact as a result of the medication.
For completeness, here is the list of the other drugs mentioned in the press as having potentially dangerous side effects.
Accutane - for acne. Has disastrous effects on fetuses. If there is even a remote chance of getting pregnant, don't take it!
Bextra is in the same class of drugs as Vioxx, and may have similar risks.
Meridia - an appetite supressing drug, can produce serotonin syndrome, a life-threatening condition.
Serevent - treats asthma, but increases the risk of death.