Killer drugs on the rise

According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, and as reported by SmartMoney.com, there has been a rise in the number of fatal interactions with prescription pharmaceuticals lately. This should be no surprise, but for those of you who like the details, here are some big winners:

The study found the two top drugs listed in fatal reports were powerful painkillers oxycodone and fentanyl and were attributed to about 9,000 deaths. Other drugs in a list of top 15 drugs cited in death reports included anti-psychotics and acetaminophen, the active ingredient in over-the-counter pain drugs like Tylenol as well as prescription drugs.

Moore also said newer so-called biotech drugs that modify the immune system to diseases like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease were associated with about 10,000 serious adverse reports, and accounted for about 15% of the rise in overall adverse event reports over the eight-year study period. Most of the drugs carry black-box warnings discussing serious side effects and the possibility of death.

The top two drugs with the most reports of non-fatal serious side effects were estrogen-containing products, used in birth-control pills and hormone-replacement therapy, and insulin, a drug used to treat diabetes, the study said.

So, as a warning to all of you people taking oxycodone and fentanyl, please don't mix them together!